Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-09-30

shall be deiiserednp, on claim Of the party 70
whom such servics o. labor may be due"
AdseEs A Sedsog q Fxd Cor.
q The full recognition Of this right and title
was Indispensable 10 The security o. this species
Of properly in oil the slaychcidjng States; and
indeed. was so vital 10 the preservation OF their
domestic interests and institutions that II cannot
be ,loabfea that II constituted Fundamental Ar
ticle without the adoption Of which the Unon
conii not have been formed
[Opm. 4. Z Sap. Coaa, IN Prsgg rs.Ccm. Pa. ~
10 he Easfot Of ne Gatatts:
The late occurrence III Pennsylvania induces me
to submit some views to your readers, which had
contemplated to lay before them, month or two
ago.
I 0f the Treason, perpetraed in open day. by
large armed body Of men, against the authority Of
the General Goyernment--the brutal assault and
murder committed upon the bodies ofritizens of
the South, asserting their rights Of property.
/ peacefully and Under The sanction Of legal war
rani-the domestic grief in which large circle Of
relations aud friends have been plunged BY the
sudden death Of a respected eitizen--it is not my
purpose TO speak. This outrage however inaig-
nant ana indeed, reyengeiul the feelings which it
stirs up in every true hearted southern bosom
docs more, in my estimation, than give point
/ to the considerations 10 which refer, connected
with the present state of the Slavery qucstionaud
the progress of the war that is waged against the
Instituiicn
\ have heretofore, said, that there should be
/ unresgosd acquicscenccH in the measures Of the
I Compromise. However inadequate to effect the
plain requirements Of the Constitution, it was fore
( seen, the Fugitive Slave Law would be-howeyer
its Author the floor of the Senate So according
ly,announced his opinion to be, in adsance--it was,
yet all that could be wrung from an unwilling an-
| ,islavery majority in Congress. 1t has nndoubs-
edly facilitated the arrest and recovery of slaves
Cases, not numerous however have proven that.
Nor even do these not unfrcquent outrages-sue-
cessfully defying the execution of the Law demon
strate its utter ineficiency.
1 In one case in thousand. possibly, it has been
potent to secure the recovery of the Ascending
/ slave, who would not otherwise have been reclaim
ed but it has doue, and could do literally nothing
! in promoting the discovery fthe fugitive public
sentiment in the Free States as they are called en-
eouragcs. sanctions and openly advises their secre-
| ton. That. cldin," which the Constitution pro-
! vides fora word than which none could be more
/ comprehensive simple to designate the right Of
/ the owner of property to its restoration, in com
mon phrase, for the asking upon the assertion
i of which, that commandment is uttered, which is
enshrined in the sanctuary Of the Constitution, and
DEGREES. that the slave SHALL te deiicred up''--
can only be made of host of enemies of the Insti-
tuition, who dcride the right and mock at its pow
or reinforcement 0fwhat avail are Constitutions
and laws to the eifectual preservation Of this right
The control is in the hands Of those who ALLURE
slavery In vain is the constitutional mandate
soemuly declared to them. In vain the Supreme
Tribunal of the Country expounds the Consiitu
ton as 'gaaraateeiag7 the right as right which
'.the National Government is clothed @hfa oppyo--
triae functions 10 egforcea which it is bound
through its own proper Departments, Legislative,
Judicial or Executive, the may require, to
carry into efFeetv The law so far as respects the
accomplishment of the object of recovering slaves,
the failure to secure which, if it had been imagn-
ed would have prevented, the history of the day
assures us, the formation Of tie Union, is a utility
and farce Cases are continually occurring,
moreover which would have involved independent
States in war, upon the refusal to render ample
satisfaction and indemnity for property oreibly or
secretly Withheld and for lives lost in the attempt
to reclaim it.. That power under the Constitution
has no existence in the State Governments Its
surrender could emily be- manifestly, upon the con-
dition, that the General Government would faith
fully exercise all its influence and maes,y-not
merely to punish those who violate and resist the
execution Of its laws as it may now be doing in the
special case referred .to-but TO secure that, which
is one of the great ends of civil soeieiyas potec-
lion Of property from depreciation Congress has
the power" (he Judicial Tribunals accordingly,
have saidl to use the appropriate means to enforce
the right and duty Of securing fugitive savcsand Of
delivering them up. This power, (which involves
the authority TO employ all means, peaceful or
othcrwsel the General Government has been
found, 50 tar utterly Incompetence exercise.
Yet, as one of number of subjects connected
with the slavery agitation which alarmed all lovers
OF the Union ior its safety, it WIS embraced in
Compromise There let Il aoa9--with all its short
comiugs, all its delusve promises Of protection and
9'''9isS'i WI IL NOiSltes Will uo no muEH, yct
peace honor safety conjure us to acquiesccnec-to
tame our tongues to the humiiating language of
submsson-IF THE LAW INADEQUATE AS IT Is, SHALL
BE EXECUTED IN GOOD FAITH.
have said thus much to manifest, that am not
one OF those, whose hot counses, If there be any
such in this quarter, tof which am ignorantl who
dprecipitate the South TO any violent or ex-
IRENE action. so further Irepudiate the right OF
on res'stanceterms which substantially seees-
sen the same hing--ior any but extreme cases. and
consequently, recognize the rig'a of the Federal
Government, in all other cases, to enforce by hos
tile means, if necessary, all its laws within Sc
ceeding State, The aetion Of Virginia, moreover
in lsls and 'l9 in her Legislature, which declared
the right of resistance, if the Wilmot Proviso was
adopted or Slavery the Slaye-Trade abolished in
the District however beneficial and polite it un-
doubtedy was, although rash and incorporate in
reference tothe Slave Trade in the Districtl be-