Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-27

vey Of the actual state Of things, as il APP
pears to me, both At IRE North and South,
beginning at the former.
In all that region there is but one Of the
various compromise measures that is Sc
riously assailed, and that is the law. made
in strict conformity with the constitution.
for the surrender Of fugiiives from lawfu!
service or labor. But the law ITSELF with
two exceptions. has been every where en-
forced, opposition 20 Il is constantly aba.
ting, and the patriotic obligations Of obey
ing the constitution and the laws. made d.
rccily by the people themselves, is now al
most universally recognised and admitted.
If in the execution ofthc law, by the pub
lie authority, popular discomfort is some
times manifested, it has, with the exccp-
lions mentioned, been invariably represscd
or prevented from obstructing the officers
of justice in the performance of their off :
cial duties. If am correctly informed,
great and salutary change has been made
and is yet in progress at the North, which
authorizes the confident anticipation that
reason and law will finally achieve a noble
triumph.
! The necessity Of maintaining and enfor-
cling that law, unrepealed, and without any
modification that would seriously impair
its efficiency, must be admitted by the i'm
partial judgment of all candid men, Many
of the slaveholding States, and many pub
lie meetings Of the people in them, have
deliberately declared that their adherence
10 the Union depended upon the prescrva-
tion Of that law, and that its abandonment
wonld be the signal Of the dissolution Of
the Union. knew that the abolitionists
(son1e Of whom openly avow desire to
produce tina, calamitous event) and their
partizans deny and deride the existence Of
any such danger; but men who will not
perceive and own 1t, must be blind TO the
signs Of the times, to the sectional strife
which has unhappilv arisen, to the embit-
tered feelings which have been excited, as
well as the solemn resolutions f dclbera
tive assemblies, unanimously adopted -
| Their disregard Of the danger. am op-
prehensive. proceeds more fom their de-
sire to continue agitation. which augments
it, than from their love of the Union it.
self
fou reier, gentlemen, TO "resolutons
and addresses adopted at conventions lately
assembled around US. in which we have
seen with regret, as well as alarm, that the
questions of adherence to the compromise
is avoided or cvaded," and you Justly de-
precate the tendency of these resolutions
| | have not been an inaftentivo or indifier-
ent observer of them, and with YOU | deep.
ly regret their adoption. wish that these
respectable bodies could have been less
ambiguous and more explicit in declaring
their determination 10 acqmcsce in, and a
bide by, agreat measure of peace and com
promise, which, forming an epoch in the
progress Of our country, was intended to
| reconcile and restore concord and fratcr-
nal feelings among our d'",4ai co,,.'-.
men. Tb~.~ was no necessity to reserve
u right to discuss, to modify and to repeal
the obnoxious law. Such right existed
without any express reservation, not only
as to that law, but as to all laws, and as
TO the constitution itself, which has incor-
porated in it the right of amendment, and
consequently that of discussion But there
are occasions when spirit Of moderation
should prompt a forbearance to exercise
r,,,,ts r., o,, 49,, ,,,, - ,,r,oI.,;,,, M
thoore,;c r;,,,,, oc d;scrss;onL;f i ,yor. Ja
signed to announce the right OF unremittcd
tba ro,,n,ry .nd G,,,uv ;fnoss;llo ,o ra
no,l Tho E,,it;vo Sl,yo Law. ,,,r;o,;sr,
and harmony must condemn the unwise
coprsc as frauobt with the most m;scbiev-
ons and nerl;ous conseonepces
Rnt We mss, mike some allowance for
b,,,,or fro;lt, and ;,or,,inate ,r;1e oc o,;,.
inn Manv nersons ~ ,bc North had n.
vowed an invincible hostility to the fnei.
five law. and even declared their ;nten.
lion forciblv TO obstruct its execution. and
had appealed 10 higher law. which. as
they conten,led, was paramount to all hu
man legislation. These untenable posi-
tons were wholly irreconcileablc with
patriotism, or even with the existence Of
regular government Itself Dbeyiny the
dictates, it is TO be hoped, Of wiser and
purer, and more social counsels, the parties
who, under the impulses of passion and IA
natscism, had assumed, have now abandon
ed them. and acknowledged their unques-
tionable duty to submit TO the law, until it
is modified or repealed by comfetent au-
ihority. In descending from the high and
perlious ground, which they could not saf,,
iy occupy. TO that ofconcedine the obliga-
ton of submission 70 the law. we discern
hope, a iust homage to the dictates Of
civilization, and to the duties Of establish
cd covornnent If thew have connled
with this proper concession the useless re-
servation Of 4 riobt Of d;scussion. and Of
insisting ppon repcs, DR. the amendment
or n ,,y r. which ,bev had ,oken exccn-
ton. NAV we no, hone that their purpose
,y,s o,l,, !, sec,re = dace,t re,re.t VIII
a secret md patrio,ic determination 70 Car.
bear from d;stprL;ng that re,nrn n b,rmo-