Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-01-31
Mr.. Gales Report on the Fugitive Slave
Law.

Mr.. Gales Report on the Fugitive Slave
Law.
We are indebted to Mr. Gale, for q copy of
the Report Of the Judiciary Committee of the
Senatej of which he is chairman, on the Fugi-
tive Slave Law. The report proves pretty clear
ly that the Fugitive Slave Law is unconstitu-
honal in its provisions, denying the right of Ha-
boas Corpus, abrogatlng trial by jury, &c The
agltcton OF these questions is attributed to the
night source, the aggressions of the South upon
the North; the inroads Of slavery upon freedom
and it needs only half an eye to perceive that
that agitation must and will continue as long as
that aggression is continued, or remains in the
shape it now is. Indeed, the truth is, the con-
test between freedom and slavery has fairly com
monced and agitation will never cease until
Freedom triumphs IN all her purity, or every
thing is lost in the blackuess and darkness of
slavery. Certainly it requires no gift of proph-
ecy to predict all this, for are not the principles
OF freedom and slavery antagonistic and how
can they both exist in the same government p
II either one slumbcrs for 2 moment the other
will attain an ascendency over it, and as con-
sequence, they both seek to progress, and to live
they must progress; and they cannot progress
without coming in direct collision. and that col
ilson will never cease until one or the other sub
sides The men who pass compromise mea-
sures and Fugitive Slave Bills to allay public
feeling and stop agitation are called great: but
we doubt whether there is gro~ing school bow
In the land, who does not know crouuh of the
principles of the human mind, 10 know that the
means will cot accomplish the end. Never be-
tore in the history of this or any other country,
were the lnstrumentalities of popular education,
OF conveying intelligence from mind to mind, so
universal and abundant, and never before were
these ns'rumentalites 50 rapidly increasing; yet,
at lalS very Juncture, men, called great, sep in
ana graVey and solemnly make such enactmen.s
as those compromise measures and the fugitive
slave law, to stop the agitation of the popular
mind with reference to questions involving the
Nery highest interests of those minds The at
tempt has IN the whole history Of the world, but
TWO liant parallels: Nerxcs chaininq the sea
and Canute commanding the waves to be STILL
4heSe Observation-Disclosures of education for the pop
ular mind, spreading all over the c7untr, have
more direct relation 10 conscience than they
have to cotton; and they will not stop their on.
tratIons when cotton is "stif at ) cts. per IL
for the sake of the patrarchal institution Of sls-
very. Their great mission is to establis the
rl9At, and so sure as God lives, their mission
Will be accomplished, by the eradication of eve
ry Vestge OF wrong in our governmental institu-
lions. We condemn neither the north nor the
south for this agitation. 1t is inevitable: it be-
longs to tho present condition Of things. The
wrong existed in our government, and the time
come when right demanded its eradication, and
the time will never come when rigdt will cease
Its demands unless those demands are complied
with BY its complete triumph.
We don't trouble our head & great deal about
what the constitution does or does not declare
or authorize in the matter The constitution to
the popular will is just what Xerxes' chains
Woro to the sea, powerless to stay its progress
The constitution was made by the popular breath
and the popular breath can unmake it. These
questions belong emphaticay 10 the "hgher
law" and that law is tho law of liberty and right