The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-23
mr.. Rh.tt and tho southern Press.

The Press reaffirms its allegation that Mr..
RHETT never uttered the remark that has been
attributed to him by the Republic, in regard to
the impossibility Of executing the laws where
they were opposed by any portion of the peo-
pie. 1t refers US, in proof Of its allegation. to
the official report of Mr.. RHErr's speech in the
Union newspaper, indicating the passage In
which the sentiment really uttered by MIR.
RHErT is supposed to occur. We publish the
passage marked by the Press:
''Sir, the law is not always law There is no
lawyer who does not know that. There is no
body living in any country who does not know it,
and especially in a free country like this. A law
to have its practical effect must move in harmony
with the opinions and feelings of the community
where il ia to operate. In this case no one can
doubt that the feeling of the whole and entire
North-whatever may be their submission to what
they may consider TO be the supreme law OF the
land-is opposed to the institution of slavery, and
opposed to this law. Now, you may multiply Of
ficers much you please; you may make every
ship prison; you may make every custom house
guard-room; you may. in ali your great central
points. make every effort you for the purpose
honestly of enforcing the law; nay, you may have
large majority in all the free States in favor of
its enforcement; and yet, if there be formidable
minority that determine upon the defeat of the OPP
Grafton of the law, they defeat it, and they will
defeat it. The recovery Of a fugitive slave is not
merely the case of a person coming into court. 1t
is not merely case in which the law should be en-
forced by courts. The fugitive slave may be con-
cealed or sworn out of court; thousand articles
and expedents may be resorted to, by which the
stakeholder will be unable TO recapture his slave,
the slave, when regaincd, will be rescued. AL
though the Government may be perfectly honest in
its determination to enforce the law. although you
may legislate with the utmost rgor. yet after all,
the statutes may be nothing more than so much
waste paper, of use but to deceive those who
willing to be dec lived"
Now, if the Press will look little further
in Mr.. RHErT's speech, it will find the follow
ing PASSAGE
'tWhy, you may pass your laws; but handful
of people-if does not require mojority-ean battle
your authority in euery to,cn in the United States
and thus nullify your laic. deride your proclama-
tion, and put your army and macy at defiance"
Mr.. RHErr's words are, as officially reported,
that 'handful of people" may nullify law
of the land, or minority so insignificant as to
be properly styled "handful." This is our
understanding of the version which we have
repeatedly given of Mr.. RHErr's sentiment
The substance of it was, as we heard it ourself.
and as our reporter heard it, that to be execu-
ted law must meet the concurrent approba-
ton of the people among whom it is to be en-
forced. No sane person will contend that the
official report, as revised by Mr.. RHETr, af
ter the exposure of the absurdity of his posi-
ton, is substantially different from our own
recollection or our reporters statement.
But we deny Mr.. RHETr's proposition, even
in the shape in which it is admitted by the
Press. We deny that it is in the power of
even formidable minority in any State of
this Union to nullify the laws of the Union
To admit this proposition is to deny US the ex
istence of any thing that deserves the name Of
a government. That is no government surely
which is government SO long, and only SO
long, as it satisfies the minority as well as the
majority of people; which is a government SO
long only as it pleases everybody and can per-
petuate itself on the voluntary principle" 1t
is the theory of our institutions that the ma
joriiy ought to govern, and do govern, within
the Constitution. What becomes of this theory
if we adopt Mr. RmETT's notion that, without
the concurrence Of the minority, the majority
are not capable of governing? We agree with
Mr.. JEFFERSON in the belief that ali absolute
vital principle Of republics; and we believe
also that no good Democrat will refuse his ODE
dence to that will, or his aid to render that
will efficient.