The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-11
An Unexooptiouable Witness.

al Ok9-A0ORS4O39S&0
Il From the North Carolina Standard, We q
tract the following letter from gentleman, VII
t has personally tested the value Of the Fuystv
j slave law, and the tone Of Northern sentiment
The writer is evidently . very cool and dis
passionate observer, and not exasperated by dis
appointment, for Gas he frankly admts) he neve
did expect to get his fugitiyes He was former
a member Of Congress- and Afterwards Charge U
Portugal
LETTER FROM HoS. ADRIAN REEoHER.--W'
present below, a letter from the Hon. Abran
Rencher, of Chatham county in this State, ad
dressed to the Hon. r. NJ. Saunders in reply t.
certain inquiries Of the latter in relation to Mr.
RencIler's recent visit to Boston, with view tt
reclaim his escaped slaves. This letter was reaf
by General Saunders in the Commons, on Thurs
day last, in the course of his remarks on the
slavery question, and is here Published for gen
eraI information. IL speaks for itself.
| Mr.. Rencher is well known to the people Of
the State as gentleman of sound judgment and
eminent ability and what he may say upon any
subject is entitled to attention and respect
This letter is the result of Mr.. Rencher's own
personal observations and experience, and it con-
tains facts, which must address themselves in
the strongest manner, to the judgment and feel
ings of every Southern man. sa.
PITrsBoRoUGH, Dec. 9Th, 1850.
MY DEAR Sin: Your letter Of the 25th ult.,
making certain inquiries rs to the result of my
recent visit to Boston, in quest OF slaves who
escaped from my service during ay absence IN
Europe, has been received, and l regret that
have not been able to make to it earlier reply.
As member of the House of Commons, and
of select committee on the subject Of negro
slavery, you desire to know, lst, whether | sue
ceeded in effecting recovery Of my slaves and
secondly, what was my opinion, from the result
Of my observations, as to the probable execution,
in good faith, Of the Fugitive slave bill in the
non-slaveholding States
To your first question, whether was able to
effect a recovery of the slaves sought, have
to reply in the negative. ascertained that they
had been in Boston from the period Of their es
cape in 1916, until within short time before
my arrival, when they either sought another re-
treat or were so concealed that could not find
them with the limited means which was able
to bring to my assistance. From the commence
ment was not very sanguine of success. /
had good reason to believe that public sentiment
in most of the non-slaveholding States, and espe-
cially in Massachusetts, was opposed to the exe-
cution of that provision of the Constitution,
which was intended to secure to us the rendi-
ton of our fugitive slaves We had seen the
State laws on this subject either repealed or to-
tally disregarded in most of those States; and
even the Fugitive slaves bill, which was nothing
but fair execution of the Constitution, and
which therefore, we had right to demand, but
which we were driven to the humiliating condi-
ton of purchasing at so high price, received
the support Of only thirty members from the free
90 b,<,, hat
may be termed the dominant party of the North,
and upon which, mainly depended, for the pre-
sent at least, the execution of the law. These
things too clearly indicated the prevailing senti-
ment of the Northern people upon this subject,
and forbid that any one undertaking the recap
ture of fugitive slaves in the North, should be
very sanguine of success. eg
But the law hal been passed under the most
solemn circumstances, and such as ought to ad-
dress themselves most powerfully to the friends
of the Constitution and of the Union for its
faithful execution The power too with which
the President is clothed, to see the laws faith
fully executed, would, if properly employed, do
much to correct the errors of popular sentiment,
and put down fanatical agitation. was, there
fore, not without hope of success, and felt it
due to myself as well as to the public that
should make the effort. 1t is important to the
South that we should know at once, whether
the tenure by which we hold our property and
rights is under the Constitution or by "a
po,oer higher Than The Constitution" | regret,
therefore, that could not test it in my own
case; but In the absence of such test, have
no reason for believing, if found my slaves in
Boston, then should have been more success
full than were the unfortunate Georgians, whose
only crime was that of seeking their constitu-
tional rights in a constitutional and lawful way
in the midst of community who wish to b.
considered, par excellence, the friends of law
and the Constitution.
Judging, therefore, from the result Of my own
observations while at the North, as well as from
popular elections and from conventions, both po-
iitical and religious, cannot doubt as to what
is public opinion in the North relative to the
Fugitive slave bill. Public opinion is against ii.
There is everywhere large and respectable
party, who insist upon its execution while it
continues to be law, who notwithstanding are
for its repeal, or for such a modification rs shall
deprive it Of all efficiency, and render it useless
to us. Thus far The Fugitive Stare la,o has heen
future II has rather increased than allayed
agitation. Whether it shall hereafter command
more respect and consideration from the people
of the North, and be executed by them in good
faith, must depend upon the operation oftwo or
more causes To some extent it will depend
upon the action and influence Of the powers ex.
ercised by the President of the United States.
Thus far the people of the South have cause to
complain of him. His duty to them, under the
Constitution, required more of frankness and
energy in the execution of a law so vitality i'm
portant to them. Upon my arrival in Boston,
and before it was ascertained that my slaves
were not there, the marshal stated the difficulty
and danger of making an arrest He anticipated
mob. He expected no aid from the police
none from the State authorities They had
been forbidden by law from giving any aid
whatever ia the re-capture or retention of fugi
tive slaves The keepers of their prisons were
not allowed, under heavy penalties, to receive
| them. r
| Under these circumstances, he wrote to the
Executive at Washington, asking authority Il
EMPLOY the ships in the harbor Of Boston for M
safe keeping of fugitiues, if it should be neces
sary and to employ the United States military
force stationed at Boston to resist any forcibl'
combination that might be offered to the exccu
ton of the law. Such an authority, under th,