Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-05-08
TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 8, 1854.
The Compron ise---The Fugitive Slave Law a
Part of il.

measures
When have charged the editor wthopposton these
great peace measures he has universally denied it, with
string of those coarse epithets peculiar the
He endorses the resolutions Of the Constitutional Con-
venon yet continues his assault the Fugitive Slave
Law; the only one of the series IN which tho Slave
States Immediately interested, and which. if
peaed would inevitably destroy the Union. The follow
ing extract which clip from the last number to some
extent explains his
This continual harping about the sanctity Of the
promise is all CANNON. the Fugitive Slave
Bill finally enacted rot Of them-was not
ported by the committee OF thirteen, and re-
garded by members North or South being necessarily
part parcel of them. The Compromise Measures
proper were the admission of California, Territorial
Governments for New Mexico and Utah. the Texas
Boundary Bill and the prohibition of the Slave trade in
the District of Columbia We have nor heard
Of any who proposes to interfere with any oil these
They beyond the reach of ordnar, legis
laon, they fixed and permanent, and Just
strongly in favor of supporting them as any one else
II attempting their repeal or overthrow there
would be in these loud professions of attach
and regard for them, but is it is the veriest
twaddle.
This is the first time heard it asserted that
the Fugitive Slave Law part of the compromise
measures. The solution of Mr.. Foote adopted by
the Senate is fellows 'To refer select commit
of six members from the NORTH members from the
south, and one member to be chosen chairman with
instructions themselves for the purpose of
turing scheme of compromise for the adjustment of all
the pending questions growing ont of the institution Of
slavery, and to report by bill or otherwise"
The committee raised by this resolution elected
by the Senate and consisted of Messrs Cas- Dckenson
Bright, Webster Phelps, Cooper, King Mason, Downs,
Mangum Bell, and Berrien. Mr. Clay elected
chairman.
From the report of this committee, made by Mr.. Clay
the Chairman, make the following extract:
"The views and recommendations contained in this
report may be recapitulated in a few Words
81. The admission of any State States form
ed out OF Texas to be postponed until they shall berea
present themselves to be received into the Unlon
when will be the duty of Congress fairly and faithfully
to execute the compact with Texas by admitting such
new State States.
"2 The admission forthwith of California into the
Union with the Constitution which she has proposed.
SO. The establishment of Territorial Governments
without the Wilmot Proviso for New Mexico and Utah.
embracing all the territory recently acquired by the
United States from Mexico, not contained in the boun
daries of California.
"a. The combination of these two aforementioned
measures IN the same bill.
"5 The establishment Of the western and northern
boundary of Texas and the exclusion from the urisdc
ton Of all New Mexico with grant to Texas Of pecu-
mary equivalent and the section for that purpose be
incorporated in the bill admitting California and estab
fishing territorial governments for Utah and New Mex
leo.
$50. More eIectual enactments of law secure the
prompt delivery of persons bound to service labor
one State under the laws thereof, who escape into
other State
And T. Abstaining from abolishing slavery; but
under heavy penalty, prohibiting the slave trade in the
District of Columbia"
The committee will proceed to the consideration
Of and to report upon the subject OF persons owing
vice labor in State escaping into another. The
Of the Constitution quite clear: No person held
to labor service in State, under the 0cs thereof
escaping into arosher SHALL in consequence OF any law
regulation therein be discharged from such service la
bor but shall be delrered up the claim Of the party
whom such service labor may be due Nothing can be
more explicit than this language-nothing manifest
than the right demand and the obligation todever up
the claimant any such fugitive And the Constitution
addresses itself alike to the States composing the Union
and to the General Government IT, indeed there were
any difference in the duty to enforce this portion Of the
Constitution between the States and the Federal Gov
ernment it is clear that it is that of the former
than that OF the latter. But is the duty of both FITS
well known and ncontestable that citizens in slave
holding States encounter the greatest difficulty in obtain
ing the benefit OF this provision of the Constitution The
attempt 10 re-capure fugitive is almost always SUBJ
ect of great irritation and excitement and often leads
to unpleasant if perous collisions. An
of slave it quite notorious cannot pursue his proper
y for the purpose of It's recovery Of the States
without imminent personal hazard This is deplora-
bic of things which ought to be remedied. The
law of 1893 has been found wholly Intellectual and
qures stringent enacments There is especially,
deficiency in the number Of public functionsres
horized afford aid in the seizure and arrest oil ugves
Various States have declined afford aid and co-opera-
ton in the surrender of ugtives from labor as the
mittee believe, from misconcepton OF their duty ars
ing under the Constitution of the United States 1t is
true that decision of the Supreme Court of the United
States has given to them in Withholding their
assistance But the committee cannot but believe that
the intention of the Supreme Court has been msunder-
stood They but think that that Court merely
that the laws of the several States which created
obstacles in the way of the recovery of ugtves
authorized by the Constitution, and not that State
laws aording facilities ia the recovery of fugtves
were forbidden by that instrumer.
"The non-saveholding States, whatever sympathies
any of their citizens may feel for persons who escape
from other States, cannot discharge themselves from
obligation to enforce the Constitution Of the United
States. All parts Of the instrument being dependent
upon and connected with each other ght be fairly
and justly enforced. If some States may seek to
crate themselves from portion of the Constitution,
other States may endeavor evade the performance OF
other portions of and thus the instrument OF
its most important provisions might become imperative
and invalid.
"But, whatever may be the conduct of individual
States the duty of the General Government is perfectly
clear. That duty is to amend the existing law, and to
provide eecual remedy for the recovery of ugtves
from service labor In devising such remedy Con-
gress ought while the hand securing the
the fair restoration OF his property, efectualy to
guard the other against any abuses in the application
OF that remedy.
HIn all cases OF the arrest, within State, Of persons
charged with offences in all of the pursuit of u-
gtves from justice from State another State; in
all of extradton provided for by treaties between
foreign Powers-the proceeding uniformly is summary.
1t has been thought necessary apply
that kind the forms and ceremonies off final trial And
when that trial does take place. tits in the Stateor
try from which the party has fed and not in that in
which he has found refuge BY the express language
the Constitution whether the fugitive is held service
or labor or not is to be determined By the Iatcs of the
Stte from ,chich he Ged and, consequently 1t is most
proper that the tribunals of that State shodd expound
and administer its laws If there have been any
of abuse in the arrest OF ugtives from