The southern press., 1851-05-14
From The NeD York Herald.
American and Foreign Anti .SIayery Society.


noon almost 10 sutfocation, on the occasion OF
the anniversary of this society. There were
over two thousand persons present more tnan
two-thirds of whom were ladies' AT o'clock
the meeting was organized by the appointment,
OF MIR. Arthur Tappan as president, and Mr.
Lewis Tappan as secretary. Rev. Mr.. Gardiner
a colored clergyman, pronounced an appropriate
prayer, after which the secretary read the fol,
lowing report, which was, on motion, accepted
and referred to the executive committee for pub
lcation:
The report expresses the belief that the great
question of the day will only be settled by the
emancipation of every slave Jefferson's remark
is referred to, who said I" Nothing is more GER
tainly written in the book of fate than thst these
people are to be free" The compromise meas
ures are examined; while it is acknowledged
that their enactment was ! triumph of the slave
power, it is shown that it has not, as was pre-.
dcted, put an ED to agitation. The most in
sulting part Of the compromise is the Fugitive
slave bill. The only point gained to freedom
by the compromise, was the prohibition of the
future Importation of slaves in the District OF
Columbia. President Fillmore's defamation
against the encroachments of slavery, and his
letter approving anti-savery principles, are
mentioned in connection with his signature to
the infamous bill
The Union Leagues" formed by forty-four
members of Congress of different political par
ties, North and South, is alluded to, and it is
stated that New England furnished but one
signer to the pledge, who also voted for the Flu
gitive slave bill, bnt lost his reelection. Only
eight of the New York members signed it-less
than one-fourth of her delegates, only two OF
whom have been reelected. Pennsylvania fur
nished but one signer, and there were only
eleven of these persons in all the free States.
A review is taken of the motives which in
duced the. passage of the Fugitive slave bill,
and it is stated that the South designed to hum
Bile the North, and by making her territory a
hunting ground, and Northern citizens her slave
catchers, to render them co-operators in sup
porting American slavery, and sbarers of its
disgrace.
Notice is taken of the principal cases Of
seizure and re enslavement under the Fugitive
slave bill, the EN- oyment of George Wood,
and other feed attorneys, by the Union Safety
Committee, to aid the shareholders in accom-.
plishing their objects and the peaceabe and le-
gal resistance made by the people of color and
their friends to the iniquitous law. 1t is made
evident that in the case of Henry Lnrg, he
would have been set at liberty had Judge
Gated the case, an decided upon the illegality
Of the proceedings before The sham commis-
soner.
Tue action of numerous ecclesiastical bodies
against the Fugitive slave BILL is mentioned in
terms of decided appreciation. On no former
occasion has the voice Of the religious commu.
nifty from the pulpit and the press with some
melancholy exceptions, been more decided in fl
vor of liberty and humanity and it is men,
toned rs one Of the most cheering signs of the
times that so many young men in the ministry.
theologcal seminaIies, aud in the legal and
other professions, have thought and spoken for
themselves, in tones of indignant rebuke, and in
way to shame many of their seniors and in
sfructors who have been considered the Prophets
and Gamaliels of the land.
The patriotic course taken by several gov
errors and State legislatures on the subject at
the law OF 1850, Il gratefully Acknowledged
The acts Of Vermont and Ohio are deemed
worthy Of all praise, and il is believed that Mas
sachusettsand other free States will follow their
example.
The constitutional question is reviewed.
Many editors and others have attempted 10 prove
the constitutionality OF the law Of 1850, by say.
ing 1t was but little if any more stringent than
that Of 1898, forgetting that one reason alleged
for the new law was, the fact that the Supreme
Court Of the United States had decided that one
part of the old law was unconstitutional viz /:
that part that enjoins upon State officers to exc
cute law of Congress. Ii is shown also, that
eminent iursts and distinguished lawyers have
for years denied the eonstitutonalty of the law
Of 1893 in other respects and that among them
are the rames OF Walworth and Webster. The
law Of 1850 is shown TO be unconstitutional by
various extracts from men learned in the law,
and by its obvious denial of the trial by Jury
and the use Of the habeas corpus. The qney
is also raised, how fugitive slaves can be re-
mand, d to slavery under the Constitution, when
Mr.. Mason, Of Virginia, and others, have con-
fessed that there Is no statute law subecting
men 10 slavery, and When OF course no slaves
can be said to be held in slave States under
tire laws thereof
Notice is taken the extraordinary charges
made by judges 10 grand juries in anticipation
Of judgments rendered after full hearing, and
they are commented on with much severity.
Some Of them are spoken Of as in part political
harangues, and as inculcating novel and danger
Gus principles in ethics.
The confusion in the public mind on the dis
tncton between disobeying law and offering
forcible resistance to il, is pointed out. and TIE
Itudlh VI JhuIe hclsean iS quoted, llal an
unconstitutional act Of Congress imposes no oh.
legation on a State or the people OF a State, and
may be resisted by an individual or n commu-
nifty" IL is shown also, by the acts of Presi
dents Jefferson and Jackson, that acts Of Con
gress deemed unconstitutional have been tram.
pied upon BY them.
The distribution Of Bibles 10 slaves is men
toned in connection with the remark of Hon.
Abbott Lawrence at the anniversary e the
British Bible Society " say that il is duty
TO place this book in the hand. of every human
being, who can read IL and IL there are those
who cannot read it, it il our duty TO teach them
to read and understand it, inspirations" IL j.
remarked, that the Amer, an Bible Society keeps
no spe,in fund for supplying Bibles to slaves.
but money for this pu pose is rerriy d and dis.
burscd, by the American Missionary Associa-
ton Favorable mention is male of this 20
cietv all whose issionarics aud teachers, up.
wards OF 80 in number, az home and abroad, ar
ofanti slavery sentiments. and teach accordinglv
with great fearlessnrss and surress Reference
is had to the general associa,ion Of Illinois, To-
Christian Anti Slavery Convention in Ohio. r. y
similar convention of New Engand Btptiss
AID 10 other religious bodies who have taken or