The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-17
Our Boston Correspondence

ORPHEus.
--
Our Boston Correspondence.
BosToN, April II, 1851.
The Fugitire Slare Case The Late Eleo,on-Ren,o-
rdts from the Custom House, &c, &c., &c.
| We have just closed most exciting week. The
whole community has, for some days, been in sor,
Of stew, or fry or whatever else may be considered
the most unpleasant state of things to which NOR
tai man can be subjected. If the old saints, who
were grlled, roasted, or baked, according to the
tastes of their respective prosecutors suffered the
half of what all our peaeeaby disposed people have
experienced, all can say is, that martyrdom, how
ever pleasant it may be to read about, is anything
but agreeable in the process OF all the things that
are annoying, commend me to excitement in
Boston. Were there to be a revision Of the Lita-
ny, thousands Of people would 60 for having some
thing like this inserted in it :-' From all Fugitive
Slave law exctements, good Lord deliver us'' 1t
is not that there has been any act Of mobism perpe
trated; quite the contrary, though there have been
millions of bloody words uttered but it seems as
we were living in sort Of wild dream, such
as visits one in fever, or after great fatigue.
We shake our heads, in the hope that our
half sleep may be thrown off, and that the
hideous nightmare will 4" dislimn and vanish"
around the Court house, to keep it from running
away | suppose. Every man you meet talks to
you about Simm's case, and the hdbeds corpus and
the Commissioners conduct, and what the Legsla-
ture will do, and what it won't do and the "siege
of Boston," and thousand other things not quite
so pleasant as the stories of the thousand-andone
nights until you curse the very name of Clarkson,
vote Wherefore bore, and are ready to give your
warmest support to any measure that will provide
comfortable quarters for all black people in the Red
Sea, cheek by jovl with Pharaoh and his host;
though suppose they would object TO any such
disposition Of themselves, seeing that that respect
able monarch and his warriors were engaged in the
greatest slave hunting expedition ever undertaken.
To adopt graver tone-there has been reaction
in public sentiment After Shadrach's rescue the
feeling was very strong against the abolitionists,
because, whatever may be said to the contrary,
are a law-lovng and law-abidng community, with
disposition to set the "hgher law above the
laws Of the land. But the gentlemen who have
been most conspicuous in their attempts to yindi
cate the . majesty Of the law" have ovcrdonc the
matter-some enormously supposing that what
was an impromptu rescue OF an arrested fug
tive, was the result Of a deep laid conspiracy,
and that the sudden action Of q score Of blacks
followed from sort Of Guy Faux plot, they have
shown their teeth to all persons who do not like the
Fugitive Slave law-which me ans ninetenths Of the
people Of Massachusetts. Now, when men are ready
to uphold law that they do not like, simply because
il is law, they arc not very unreasonable in asking
that their feelings may be respected. They would
have unpleasant thing done as pleasantly as may
emily, and have shown disposition 20 ride rough
shod over all those who do not agree with them in
sentiment. To what they call jacobincal spirit,
they oppose an arstocratical spirit, quite as often
sive and rs likely to prove injurious TO the object
aimed at No man, except here and there one,
who has no influence, seems to so much as think Of
that golden mean by regarding which are
made happy and States long-lived and powerful.
Everything must be rushed through, whether the
law Is to be violated upheld and the advocates
Of law show themselves to be lawless their ad-
versaries As the saying Is, there il great deal
Of human nature in man. Some Of the more VIC
lent abolitionists, however, have manifested so
Lynch-like spirit in their words, that the rcac-
ton has not been great as il would have been
were their shrewdness half as remarkable as their
spirt.
The result of our congressional elections, held on
Monday last, shows that the freesoil sentiment is
far from being extinct among us. Mr. Allen, the
very impersonaton Of that sentiment, was chosen
over both the democratic and the whg candidates,
by a respectable majority. Habit been necessary,
he might have had majority twice large. In
the second district, Mr. Rantoul, in the face of his
strong speech against the Fugitive Slave law, re-
ceived about 300 more votes than were east for him
in January. The Boston Post came out against
him on the morning OF the election day, aud Mr.
liaett made, through its columns, n very powerful
argument: in reply to his speech. An organized OPP
position to him was got up in the district, but IT
could not master much above 30 votes, nor prevent
his vote being respectfully increased. The freesoi
vote also increased, and Mr.. Rantours friends
say, that this proves that his il sustained by
he democracy Of this district and il certainly has
hat look, To say the least Of IL. The time has been
when the opposition of the Post would have been
leath, politically speaking, to any democrat; but
hat paper seems to have lost it, power Of charming
he democracy The opinion isexpressed by almost
syery one, that MIR. Rantoul will be chosen at the
next trial After making all possible allowances
or both democratic and freesol bolters. there Il a
majority in No. &c 500 against the wings in a
ull vote Mr.. Palfrey will b, chosen in No. 4, rs
orafs mi watt far him rathar
Nhig chosen, plurality election the next trial
The chances about even in the seventh district
between the democratic aud the whig candidates.
l he feeling that prevails among the opponents
ecur,d Mr.. Mann his election last fall
In his district the democrats hold the
balance of power. and would have preven,ed his
election. had they chosen to do so; but this they
lid not choose to do-sone three four hundred Of
hem voting for him One of them told that
had FIVE times the number of democratic votes been
lecessnry ~ his success, he would have received
hem; democrats lacking upon his quarrel With the
shigs as something that should be encouraged.
The existence Of feeling similar to this ia the
hrce vacant districts, may the election II two
d mocrats and freescer from this state at the
1ext trial You will observe that, 10 such nm event.
he delegation 10 the next Congr'~s tom Massaehu-
seits will be equally divided, counting Mr.. Mann NJ
freesoiler: and You that he is pretty
all specimen q the Political animal 80 called. An
equal division &c our delegation would neutralize
vote IN the House, should the election Of Presi
lent d.yols uron that DO iy, IL H. by no means
mrea SCRABBLE to believe that u wall. Whai makes
.le fec soiei@ more ready to vote in such way as
Ma irjurc the wings. Is the trick played the in
No. ~. Mr.. Scn,dcr. the wing elect from that lis
net. Bas uUe fIcesollish than the ffceso cai,n-
late hiui.cF; and for being 90 the Webster Wigs
perverted h.g election in the irst tfinl. ON the /
isual trial, the ircesocrs TUNED to and elected
IN. ~ Es,rsr, leweser, mad be caush, the hsh J