The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-10

Fugitive olave Din.
Address to tie Psepis Of Ms United States OF
I A"scrica, BY inhe6itanfs Of Edinbargh, in pub
! lic meeting asssrblsd in Bristol Street. Church,
the l6M day Of November, 1850.
AMER'cASs We have heard, with feelings
Of astonishment and pain, that the Congress Of
the United Statss of America has lately enacted
law in relation to fugitive slaves, which. in
many Of its provisions, as We read them. violates
the rights and outrages the feelings of our CON-
mon humanity.
Formerly we were accustomed to admire the
Constitution Of your great republic, and to dwell
with pleasure on one of its Fundamental princi-
pies, that :" all men are born free and equal .
that they are endowed by their Creator with GER
tain ipalienabe rights; that amongst these are
Ire, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness !" a
principle lying at the foundation of true liberty,
ana essential to every compact designed for the
good government and happiness of nations and,
although we were aware of the existence, in
some OF your Southern States, of the revolving
| system OF slavery, as we'll as of the clause in
the constitution that no person held to service
or labor IN ono State, under the laws thereof.
escaping INTO another, should, in consequence Of
any law or regulation therein be discharged
from such service or labor, but should be deliy-
cred up on claim of the party to whom such SER
vice OF labor might, under the law, be due--we
always endeay0red to arrive ut the conclusion
mat the Northern States, comprehending the
real Intelligence and power Of the Union dis
countenanced the system, practically ignored
the clause, and stood nobly forward in defence
OF the Negroes claim TO the rights and privileges
OF men. But the law which has been enacted
by your Senate has sadly changed this state of
matters. Now, the whole people of the United
States stand committed to the recognition and
sanction OF a system accursed of God and man
to the denial of the great and enlightened prin.
ciple that all men are born free and equal and
to the enforcement of code Of injustice, op-
PRESTON, and wrong. "The law in question be-
ing" asyour own good and eminent Judge, VIM.
Jay, says, "as palpable violation Of the Consti-
tuition as it certainly is of the principles of JUS
tlce, the rights of humanity, and the obligations
of the religion of Jesus Christi
! In looking to what has taken place, we are,
with grief, shut up to the conviction that your
| government never would have ventured on so
extraordinary u11lnnre, had there not existed
amongst many of y06 strong disposition in its
favor. 1t is to you that the friends of suffering
humanity look. You, the American people, they
regard as the real authors of the measure re-
sponsible for oil the injustice it perpetrates, and
All the wrongs and miseries it carries along with
1t. And we would calmly, but most earnestly
and solemnly, beseech you to look at your posi-
ton. You stand by the graves of the noble
men who founded your republic, but by this
law you trample their principles, and cast dis
honor on their memory You stand before the
| tribunal of the civilized world; what can you
answer when charged with the sore and calling
oppression of your felow-men, which this is be-
ginning to spread on every hand And what
is more, you are Boon, ench of you, to stand at
| the Judgment seat of God, who loves mercy and
hates oppression, and what will you then be able
TO say when lie calls on you to account for this
fearful wrong towards your brother We be-
seech you to reconsider the matter As men,
as descended along with most of you, from a
common ancestry, as christians, we beseech you
to do this. We cheerfuIIy hailed your abolition
OF the African slave trade, in 80 far as your ma
ton was concerned, and we trust you will bear
with US in soliciting you to follow up this measure
by happy demonstration of consistency in the
abolition of your internal slave trade, persuaded
as we are that you will, on consccntiously con-
sidering the subject, feel that you are called, as
j you would act worthily as Christians to shake
\ yourselves free of this revolving branch of the
4 wicked system
Repeal, then, this unparalleled law. Re-assert
the great principle of mans nalienable brthrght
| OF freedom. Restore to the colored population
men like ourseves--immortal as you--those
| rights which their God and your God gave to
them. Give liberty to the captive; let the OPP
pressed go Free And then, with unmingled
delight, we and millions on this side of the At
lantic will hail you again in the brotherhood of
nations, and bid you God speed in all the enter
prizes of your mighty empire.
There are some amongst you to whom these
observations do not apply. We refer to those
! truly patriotic and Christian men--who, amidst
odum and danger, have manfully advocated the
cause of the injured slave. To such we say
brethren, persevere. By peaceful and lawful
means endeavor to accomplish the repeal of this
obnoxious law. Reason-remonstrate-
suade your felIow-conntrymen. Continue to
plead the cause of the oppressed. And may
God be with you to bless and prosper all your
exertons.
We conclude by addressing you who are
called on to suffer under the operation of this
bad law, and expressing towards you our heart
felt sympathy. What shall we say! Men and
brethren, many of you brethren beloved in
Christ, our hearts are full--they bleed for you.
Woefu is the situation you are in, and at pres
ent human help ia weak But trust in God
His eye is upon you. Infinite goodness is with
Him. A little while, and the dark cloud that is
now over you will be dispelled, and the dawn
of happier day will break upon you. The
power of the oppressor must come to an end
and you shall have liberty We commend you
to God and to His great loving-kindness. He
will care for you, and his own good time will
give you deliverance.
| Signed in name, and by authority of the meet
ing,
JOHN RITCHIE, ID. d., Chairman
| HENRY WIoHAM, Secretary
The governor of Pennsylvania has recently
made requisition upon the governor of Mary
land for the person of Mr.. J s. Mitchell, of this
State, with view of his trial, as alleged, for vio-
| latinp a law of that State Gov Lowe has de-