The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-27

and headed him off from that and he was then
making for the opposite door, which was lett UNI
guarded Pat Riley, putting like porpoise with
his exertions in holding the door, sang out shoo'
him shoot him ~ to officer Jones
"But officer Jones, probably not having any pis,
toll, ran and seized the sacred sword OF Justce
thinking perhaps, to shoot him with that. But
after partly drawing that symbolic weapon, he
dropped it, and we saw him raising one OF the
eastern windows, looking towards Parkers, as II
to call for help He had not time TO call, Tor Just
then the door partially opened, and stream oil
men began to rush in, Pat Riley being snugly
squeezed behind the door, place OF semi.concesi-
ment and safety which he seemed 10th to leave
"The Trareitr, of last evening, speaks Of the
officers at the door being kicked, cuhed, and
knocked about in every direction, but we can
testify that nothing of this sort occurred inside
Not al officer was struck or menaced there Inc
half dozen men who first entered the ran up
TO the prisoner and invited him to walk out lie
accepted the invitation in less than no time, and
certainly not more than fifteen persons had en-
tered the room before they were all walking out,
sShadrach in the mess an old colored man,
who had picked up and drawn the sword Of justice,
bringing up the rear. lie held it in decent and
solemn manner; but, rs he passed Deputy Mar
| shall Pat Riley, that important functionary SEEM
ed TO shrink up more closely behind the door.
! lie kept behind that door all the time, from the
| Eruption to the exodus Neither did any officer
that we saw offer any resistance to the egress OF
Shadrach with his friends.
"Wethi it quite improbable that there was
! Knocking down of officers outside OF the door.
Mr., Davis. one of the defendants counsel, was the
last person who passed out, and he saw nothing Of
the sort Moreover, there did not appear at that
time to he any officer outside the door to be
| knocked down. The moment the door OF the for
tress was forced the prisoner walked out There
was not the sign of any battle inside, but merely
dreadful looking aghsst Of not more, at most,
than half a score of officials, who at that moment
seemed thoroughly sick and ashamed Of their
business.
1--WE have not learned the names of sl the Off
GERS who composed Marshal Riley's posse in the
citadel His brother, we understand, was one.
The wellknown 'Auger-hole Byrnes was an
other There were some there, we believe, in vi
oation of their duty AS Massachusetts, officers, of
whom we can mention Constable Edward J Jones
aud Constable Aonzo F. Neal, brother Of Rev.
Rollin H. Neale A powerful man byshe name
of Charles F. Flint, Of North Reading, was en-
gagged by Riley as an assistant, but WAS below,
writing q letter to his wife, at the time Of the
release. n.--
1--WE have no doubt that thcfew men whom
Marshal Riley was able to call to his aid did all
but they could not wholly conquer the higher law,
either in or out of themselves"
Now, if this be true version, and we have
seen no reason yet to question it, the Administra-
ton has been guilty Of a remarkably silly act.
There has been, there is, no combination of per-
sons in Boston, formidable enough to require the
interpostion of extraordinary power on the part
of the United States to put it down. At the most,
there was an adroit rescue of a person alleged to
be slave and for this the law has provided pen
aties, which could have been enforced against Of
tenders just as efficiently, without Presidential
Proclamation, as with one.
The Southern Press sees nothing in this Jutum
fulmen to excite its gratitude. 1t says;
"The Presidents Proclamation is mere butunn
Eplmen--it amounts to nothing-and, in reading
it, we were irresistibly reminded OF the remark Of
an old farmer in one of the Western Legislatures,
who declined replying to aippant speaker, on the
ground that it always wrenched him terribly to
kick al nothing The Presidents feat is very
similar -- and the 'wrenchipg proportonably
great lie puts forth pastoral letter of pacihca-
ton, and orders the officials at Boston to do what
their manifest duty calls on them to do, without
aDy suggestion from the President But the Proc
lsmation will give the Southern Submissiousts
something to swear by; and these assurances of
distinguished consideration from the President
may serve as a save to heal the wounded feelings
Of the Virginia master"
We feel humiliatsl ct the position Of our coun.
we're to insure the Shareholders against the escape
of slaves. Congress employs its time in legislst-
ing on the subject the Chief Executive seems to
think the first great Commandment is-catch the
runaways learned divines quote Moses and Je-
sus in support of it the Press records with ex-
utation every successful arrest, and weighs q
mans patriotism and loyalty by the indignation
he manifcsts at every successful escape.
All agree in being astonished that slave
should run away, and that difficulties should be
thrown in the way of his pursuer.
The truth is, the Fugitive law must share the
fate of all other laws. Where Public Sentiment
will sustain its execution, it will be executed
executed without the nterposition of military
force Where Public Sentiment will not sustain
its execution, it will not be executed, though you
should plant a regiment Of United States troops
in every city of the North We but state fact
clamor about Notification. We would not even
pass n good law, so far opposed to Public Opinion
that it must certainly become dead letter.
Men are not to be egislated into saints or devils.
When the masses Of the People were enslaved by
tyrant usages and imbruted in ignorance, the edict
of Despot might be carried out-brute force
was his only power In these days, the ntelli-
gence Of the masses gives them a position, even
under q Despotsm, which exacts from the Sove-
reign Power a certain degree Of consideration
for their opinions. In our country, where the
masses constitute the only source Of Sovereign
Power what folly to suppose that its DEGREES
can be enforced against their settled. convic-
tons
The Fugitive law with its summary processes,
its irresponsible tribunals its violation Of haJas
cop"s and jury trial, its disregard Of the ordinary
rules of evidence and its temptations to bribery.
is an abomination in the eyes Of the great majos-
ity Of the North. The Southern ultraists are
right when they say that the nature of Northern
People must be changed before such a law can
prove generally effectual There are some griev-
ances which the two sections of country must
nerve themselves to bear because they cannot
help themselves. 1t is a grievance to portion of
the citizens of the South that the habits of
thought and feeling of their Northern brethren
in retstion to Slavery are such, that great many
cbstructions must be expected in the attempt to
recover fugitive slaves. 1t is grievance without
possibility Of redress Revolution and secession
would but aggravate it On the other hand
while slavery shall continue at the South, the
North cannot expect faithful fulflment OF that |
constitutional provision which guarantees to the
citizens of one State the privileges and immuni-
ties of citizens in the several States of the Union