Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-04-10

Grated slaves into the North and the North can refuse
to receive them From that happy hour the brooding
| clouds which now send out their omnous thunders
would begin to disperse, and every far-seeing man
would pronounce the Union safe.
3. am aware that many persons suppose and hope
that the noble and patriotic legislation BY Com
gress--nobe and patriotic when refer its object
has laid the foundation of national concord and qui-
ct; but think very differently California has is true
been admitted into the union the Western Terrific
res at liberty to admit or exclude slavery at their
pleasure; the slave trade in the district of Columbia
has been abolished, as it should have been long ago
and the slavery OF the district has been left should
be, to await the issue OF that ia Maryland. All this is
we'll and not only well but very WE'LL and cheering to
the heart Yet great and threatening difficulty re-
mans to be obercoe; tree OF bitterness whose
have spread throughout the Union, has still to be Grad
cated. refer, of course to what may conveniently
be called tMgitism. This may fairly set down as
the first and most fearful offspring Of the policy of col
onzlDg tree blacks in the North Had no colony
been planted there fugves it true would have
made their way thither but the nun Der would have
been too small and the facility freclaiming them too
grea to have awakened either the sympahies of the
North or the anger and jealousy OF the South. The
first mild fugitive law would have been sufficient; and
its execution could have excited tumult-prompted
zaton which gave impulse to iugitsm, and fugitsm
will, unchecked first embro and then mot OWED,
but dissolve the Union.
For long time emancipated slaves were permitted
to revisit the masters who had set them iree in doing
they gave such information as at once not only
ra sed In their brethren desire to escape, but taught
them the roadsb by which to travel. In meditating
flight, they counted on concealment food clothing, and
even the strong of physical deehce, if they could
reach those who under better auspices had gone before
them to prepare the way. In all this, they have sell
dom been disappointed; and their has prompted
Others to try the experiment until the loss of what
in the Southern States is legal property has been inn
mense. But the mischief has not stopped here. The
fugitive was often known or conecured to be such by
the white people who saw him. He was destitute Of
every thing but haggard face of dread and misery,
before which few human hearts would not melt pity.
These tugtives have done, and are still doing, more
than every thing else to excite the sympahies of the
Morrill, and aggravae the resentment of the South
Many OF them have escaped because they had cruel mas
tiers; and al have united in displaying the slavery from
which they had fled as condition OF unmtgated and
savage cruelty. Thus many grave and patriotic peo-
pie in the free States have acquired a settled dis
like to the South, while the more imprisoned and
fanatcal have risen into phrenZy Under thsse feel
ings, all have been willing, and many DESTROYS to
see the number OF slaves multiply; and some, ia
king, as it were, life itself into their hands. have
a single slave. The South should gravey ponder on
the energy of this resolve, while she condemns as
unjust She should know and feel that neither threats
reasonings her part nor the most earnest ap-
peas by the considerate and patriotic portions of the
North can subdue such enthusiasm. In vain have
the enthusiasts been told that numerous instances the
fugitive was better OFT with his master than in his
derngs; that the runaway, in many cases, knows
how to provide tor his own wants. and when he pos
sesses better skill or habits, he cannot plant himself
in one spot like his brother who has been liberated He
ing overtaken, and his stolen liberty loses its most
dearing charms from the constant fear that the next
may be the fatal hour that will re-consign him to pun
ishment and slavery. 1t is blind beneyolenee thea
that would seek to multiply the number of runaways
But we take another and different view of ugitism-
its effects on the slaves who remain behind. Whenev
er one escapes, the remainder the plantation
are put under closer supervision; discipline
enforced, liberty taken back and thus he who
escape should be happy in his Northern asylum, hea
ver weight of suffering has been brought those he
Dehlnd--D6r1aDS
this the philanthropist of the North too often closely
shuts his eyes. And who can open them! 1t is such
persons who declare themselves in favor OF dissolu-
ton 1.-THE Union. Itargument could reach their
derstandings, through the heated atmosphere of their
kind and glowing emotions, would inquire what ben
eft the slaves OF the South would possibly find in such
a dissolution? l would would also ask the heated
masters OF the South wherein they expect to find a
remedy Tor fugitismin such separaton2 The former
would perhaps reply, that they do not wish belong
the Same nation with the latter; and thus it would turn
out that the blessings for which fathers fought and
bed, and died-all OF national security, power and
proserty which we now eploy-al that is great and
jeopardy or sacrificed to feeling of personal
pride or aversion And not only sacrificed, but trans
formed into haired and civil war, lay the fair
est land on which the rose; and blight, in the
very bud, what promises be the greatest nation our
mother earth has ever brought forth. Shame on the
motive which can thus rample under foot the choicest
blessings of Heaveni
Fugilism is great and growing national calamity
With the increase OF the negroes in the North and of
Intelligence among the free negroes and slaves OF the
South; with the MULTIPLICATION Of steamboats, and the
OF railroads, the means OF escape will
,rease, and fuglsm enlarge its borders The General
Government has right to interfere nor power to pre-
vent it, il the right existed That Government can
assist the master in retaining his slaves bnt recama
onis not prevention. The present fugitive law will be
sustained. Its repeal would dissolve the Union at once;
hut its execution ill not less certainly lead to the
sad catastrophe at very distant day Every OF
arrest will continue to be of irritation in
the North: every unsuccessful trial, equal of
anger and resentment in the South. He who visits the
former to reclaim slave will return with on his
lips to be followed with the of those among
whom he had adventured 1t requires no spirit OF pro-
phecy to foresee the disastrous result OF such crmina
lion between political brethren; any deep toned pa
riotism TO pray for its early extinction.
T. The remedy for these evils the preventive of the
caamites which are impending over us, does not lie
with Congress- tor any and every fugitive law will,
The end, destroy ITSELF In the State Governments and
N them only, resides the power which annhilate
the causes OF agitation and quiet the tempest they have
'aised In this momentous work OF patriotism they
should 60 hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder The
States of the North, by uniform system of legislation
should shut out all emancpated and fugitive slaves;
and the States OF the South should forbid all emancpa-
lion, except under guarantees that the liberated should
not be permitted to seek an asylum in the North Moth
ing could be more simple and easy than the adoption OF
This policy; and it, instead of separate conventions in
The South and North, which serve no other end than
10 exasperae each other, and carry into the Union
deeper and more destructive vibration consultation OF
enlightened, jealous and influential statesmen could be
aeld IN w Washington, its cone Illus on would be signal
Of peace at the sight of which the nation would shed
ears OF JOY 1t is not, however necessary that all the
States Of either portion of the Union should the same
me adopt this policy. II any in the South should de"
cline it, the remainder need follow their example;
and if any in the orlh should desire colonization go
on that desire would be than met for they would
then attract the whole Under such ar influx they
would soon be brought TO initiate their brethren Once
begun the policy would make its own way, and al last
become universal,
1t may be said that many free negroes living in the
South with portion those who might hereafter be
beraled and lugitves present. would, in spite oil
all legislation, the Northern States. 1t is for
yacious and practsed civilians devise the appropriate
penalties of exclusion but will venture few sueges-
ions. A re gistraton of all the coored people of the
rec States might be made with little labor; and thus,
lnder the supervision OF township trustees and the p9