The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-20

ctsss>so9 70 tsf4 kJHRQa4 OF IAo Trends OF o}(
Union fos the prompt approval OF, and his firm
Dissemination ~ sxsente the same
This resolution also HIS over, and should .
vote ever be tsken upon t. some opinion ma,
be formed as to the strength Of the higher Law
men IN the New York legislature We are Gu
rious 70 see The Issue Of the appointments bolt
one, to say the Ieast Of IT.
Meantime, the respective organs of the OPP
posing leaders ers having regular Kilkeun,
cathght among themselves. The triangular
duel Of Midshipman Easy was simple affair ia
comparison With this complex duslIo at the cap.
itsI--for the fight there i q..adranguiar. The
Albany Reyis'er represents the Administrator
Wings, the Epening journal the Seward wing
the AtIas the Vas Buses Democrats, the Ar.
gus the Old Hunksrs--and their cross fires cut
up the ranks Of the two factions awfully.
We gave, the other day, the jesuitical defence
Of what it termed the Ftss-mans law" from
the ADDS, 10 which an attempt was made to dis
guise the real purpose Of Nj. Corrm's kick at
tho inanimate carcase of the Fugitive slave bill.
The Argus thus strips and exposes the shall
low sophistry Of these hypocritical pretexts--
and justly says that II out- HeroTs anything
ersr knoUn or heard Of in the history Of Adolf
tionism7 IAN admission fraught with warning to
the South M
That such proposition should fail. can excite
no surprise: but that 1t should at this time be
presented, affords another signal proof Of the
rapid march Of aggression and insult--and the
low estimate now placed by these aggressors on
the intelligence and courage Of the Southern
people. Yet prints will be found to REJOICE
over the failure to adopt such bill, as thing
the South should Be grateful for! Even
Northern mind Is reused to indignation by a
proposition so daring and 30 insolent. The Ar
gus says:
THE FREEMAs's LAw"-This is the cocno.
men which an evening print applies to the bill
introduced into the Assembly the other day, un-.
der the deceptive title of bill 9 to prevent the
arrest and removal Of free citizens beyond the
jurisdiction of this State"-but which in reality
is designed to prevent the arrest and removal OF
runaway slores, and tointlict fines, imprisonment
and private damages upon any United States
officer who shall venture to act under the law Of
the Union, and the authority of its magistrates
in such arrest or removal. This monstrous bill
In fact not only throws upon the officer the bur-
then of proving that the person arrested and
who prosecutes him, is fugitive slave, but de-
MES him the right to produce his warrant or his
certificate, however regular or legal his papers
and the proceedings OF the United States magis-
trats who issued them. In q word, the alleged
fugitive, declared to be reaIly such by the Uni
ted States magistrate, after a full hearing on
both sides, is presumed, to begin with, agains,
all these proofs and probabilities to be u free
man. if he has resided in the State one year pre-
vious to his arrest and without particle OF
evidence on his part beyond this fact; the officer
is put upon his defence and compelled to rebuff
the violent presumption of freedom, or to stand
guilty. Of kidnapping.
This is called "freemnn's law and is moreover
declared to be not only constitutional in all re-
apects, but in entire conformity with the system
II Jurisprudence of all the States" II is re
markable that this bill for which so much +
claimed, was not only met the start by strong
opposition 10 its being even entertained for one
moment; but that it was only permitted TO come
in from fear Of acting seemingly discourteous
part towards the member who asked leave to in
troduce it--and that leave was after all granted
er gratia, against the recorded votes of SOM,
twenty members. No bill, VIC venture to say !.
for some years, has met with so ungracous
recepton--and no bill we venture to predict
will find less favor than this "freeman's" concern.
If it il ever destined to come to a vote. n ouf.
Herods anything erer knolcn or heard of in III,
history Of Abolitionism. SO tits universally and
Chilly regarded in the house--as the event will!
show.
" hat commentary does not this single in
stance afford on the cant Of the compromisers,
that the bleedings wounds of this distracted
country" were to be healed by their quack spe
cifcs Every day since the passage Of those
measures has given additional confirmation to
the truth Of the prediction, that such unskiful
surgery would only serve to open new issues
while the old awounds" would bleed more freely
still. What picture of pacifcation does this
country now present Turning away our eyes
from the Southland remarking only that the
slandered Southern agitators" in Congress
have no share at present in tanning the fierce
fame Of discomfort by any idle protests against
the predominating majority in those hals-let
US look to the North. The Legislative action of
Vermont--the Infamous coalition in Massacliu
setts--the messages Of the Governors of Penn
sylvania and New York-tbe tone of the press
and the politicians Of Ohio, and Of the Northern
States generally-and this new movement in
the New York legislature--not to speak of the
Syracuse convention of Abolitionsts, at which
Chaplin was the hero--or Of the innnmerablt
meetings and open avowas of individuals, that
slavery is to be speedily abolished and the
rights Of the shareholders set at defance-these
signs in the Northern heavens show whether the
storm has or will soon subs ide.
But to recur to the New York Legislature
The Argus referring to it's meditated action
gives these orhinous indications of doubt as to
the real spirit which will sway it---and even in
Inmates that "madness might rule the hour
there so far as to thwart the prudential course
IL L. O..