Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-01-08
From Bur Chri.tian Citizen.
WhataLl We Do?


The recent rpvi Of the Fugitive Slave
Law agitation i,,t nriI, imposes thiS ques-
fion upon uS, at rbire, w'th starting io'Te'
The 'sPhli>liue," a,ul, aud with steallhy
Steps crawl into thnctuary -homns ut Tree
men, whence the az thelr victims III
summary manner.o a stale Of hopeless,
weary, life long bagr. An they do not
come unsupported Their procedure, II Is
true, is uhconstilutaI, consequently iliegai,
consequently in t identical category OF
crimes with burgli aud murder; hut thelf
action is nevertheless pported by authority
that authority being tie legal powers ct tie
! United Siates otvet the ma eS OF tue Pres
id nj, Senate and h>e OF Representatives
OF This Republic. ne p'e>uge ana foWe'
of law, by tA.s cxl,slon OF authority, are
thrown over the brft> Of liese stealerS oil
men, and are placed their hands as sword
and as a shield. TT practical inlqnity Dor
rows force from thUeaulul iasninilons o.
society, at The tnudaiulaI principle OF which
they strike. Their ines receive all the I'M
munileS, and borroNll lie respect naturally
conceded to nnoctn and virtue, ~ the name
of those ackno @edd principles OF justice
ca led law.
When this Fu9iii Slave Law, then, with
the commission ot4e United Safes IN S
pocket, and the 5atof presumed constituted
authority IN lis hau@omes to Us, and fences
our doors round willis prohibitions aud pc
talies, what shalIe do! Come up, rom
our hearts depths, lr answer come, null
and free, and fearless re shall rstitse to obey
it. We shall even lite the pauting, fleeing,
frightened, weary, anted, houseles$, home
less, comtryless man bush through aud break
down those prohibiths, aud to take his place
10y our humble hearal though pains and pc
naties from ''the potes that be- are our rec
ompense. This i; oirirst position in relation
10 this law-uuequived, emphatic, invirciblt
disobediencc!!! w take this position as
Christians. Chrislidity is the highest grounC
that man can take iiny question. All egt
innate POSITIONS beld Christianity, support u
IN this emphatic disbedience. Oar benevo
lent fe lIngs, natural Justice, liberty, andsh
constitution, supports; but we at once CHM
TO the sublime, impkgnable position, whc
compreheEds all TIL others; and leaning o
the law of God, we will refuse TO obey til
edict, called the Fu4lye Slave Law.
Bot mark us, bret$en; this position that W
have assumed, whiidii commands active dI:
obedience to this law also prescrbes how W
are 10 dIsobey ii; ami we are anxious, IN tn
time of doubt, and iribuiatIon, and tial,
clearly Indicate all ourpositlon. ChrlsiIani'
prescribes that we resist not evil with evil
not even this evil ena,lnent, that makes OF
blood run cold, in view Of its consequences
our poor fugitive brethren. Therefore, viii
our hearts must he siseled to disobey III
'taw,' our hands must hot strike down liz Z
ecutors, or spill their blood. Resistance
this Iaw must be paSSfee; and 1t must be
for every legitimate re son which graduate
from the point of mere exgeaii!es1lefay 10 the sn
herent iniquity Of this law is suicidal to
lis own corruption will soon extinguish
feeble life. Fofcible resistance would arm
with all the military powers OF the 'nation
AT pres eat, 1t can with difficulty drag OF
victim from amongst an indignant peopl
whose moral sentiments condemn it. PLY
caly resisted, death and tears and wido,
hood would issue from the triumphant wount
which il would inllicl upon the Thousand sacl
fees offered TO it m war. Whether it he mo
ally or physically resisted, suffering must il
deed come from il. In the former case, no,
ever, we consent 10 suffer, and oar suherir
will be tie slaves salvation. In the lat
case, we accent Inc unhoiy medium OF llaIt
as the arbtramenl of cause which God HI
already indge,, and which only waits for Il
hour of its peaceful triumph.
Members of the League of Universal Brot
erhood-- Christian Non-resistanis-lhisi is OF
ground in the struggle that is impending ov,
u, and which is daily deepening aud lhicI
ening around Us. Not blow, mothers! NJ
one drop of blood, drawn by freemans han
But at the same time, 'Deaih, brot ers dealt
ere we yield, ere we yieId,' in our calm b.
determined resistance 10 this edict. An
though we shall sgffer and pine and die
gloomy prisons, the holy cause of unvers
freedom will, al an early future, surely iss,
in respondent morning, from The shadows
the dark, deep nigh OF the present Obey no
and forcibly resist not-is what we and ever
friend of liberty aud peace shall DO.