Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-01-11

ne city oi beslon. lle Editor announces tifal De
has Issued about twenty tbOosaAa copies eon:aialag
lhe frsl chapter Of the APpendiH Of NJ. spoonefs
dsisnes ioF fugitive slaves. This NJ. sPOonef
e an abolitiOnisi Of the drR wsieT and sclipses
ssen Mr. Seward and bic sOllOwers sho belong %
t.e higher law" dEisioa. lie belongs to what
nay Be deaOminassd the ordeT-el he I0xsr asr;
ior he has placed biz legal lever not only unasr The
acts Of Congress Of 1873 and 1850. but also under
the Constitution Of the Timed States iself, all Of
which he confidently expects to remove from his
paih, and ensars the triumph Of bis abolition doc
irines.
The position " boldly taken that neither the
Constitution, nor either of the acts Of Congress OF
1898 or 1850, requires the surrender Of fugitive
slaves /"
The ChFcnstype is IN exiaeies at this new diseoys-
~ Of bic favoBFite auther; and, indeed, seems 50
much enrap,Eed with the tex tself, that..his i'm
imagination will never condescend to notice the AZ.
gunsni, BY which ], is attempted to be sustained
Certainly % novel a view Of the Constitution and
acts Of 1928 and 1850. sbsald carry convistion to
to tho mind, without argument, just 81 distinguished
military commanders gain battles BY bold and IN.
expected manGyures, without endangerinR the lives
Of their soldiers.
AZ all events. the "Chronoype" feels assured, that
the Constitution heretolores regarded BY ALL even
the higher law" abolitonisis, az the shield and
ouckler Of southern institutions. contains no recor
milton OF slavery, and no clause 10 authorize the
owner to recover bis fugitive slave. Upon The
strengthen this conyiation, he has commenced wbat
he calls "ssstematc movement" to aboI isb slavery
IN The States by the general govesnmeul; and to sat
isfy others Of his fervency anil zeal, has Issued
twenty thousand copies, ming the argument
81 M. spooner II be makes but few converts, he
will at least satisfy all whs have the curiosity to
read this production that his ignorance and eiTfonte
~ are equal TO his industry aud extrayagance.
There Is this difference in the mode Of attack on
the institution Of slavery In the States, between the
"hgher law and slower law" abolltionists. BY the
frst Il is conceded, that the Constitution is a pro.
tecIlon to the Shareholder; and barrier to the &C.
ton Of Congress but. that there il law above the
Constitution, which should control the consciencee
$50 NS''SNNFS oA tiis qttstlDH. vi course
then, the onas probandi L. upon the higher law abo.
tionisls; and some argument must BE- adduced to
establish the paramount law This opens fair field
tor controversy; and TINS Tar i would seem the
friends Of the doctrine have mt with but little sue.
cess. Mr.. Seward, the champion, who led of so
CALAMITY has retired from the lists, at least for the
present.
The clover law" abotionists, having learned to
pFatce more prudence, from the defeat OF their
friends, have assumed position which they deem
mpregnable, BY asserting that 4nether the Conati.
tuition nor either Of the acts Of Congress- Of 1919
or 1850, requires the surrender Of fugitive slaves "
This shows some generalship ~ least for the
affirmative Of the question 10 with thoae VINO claim
the protection Of the Constitution and laws; and il
: Walters not how clear may be the language Of tn,
Constitution, and the acts Of Congress; or tho opln
ions Of the most em'nent jurists Of the country
from the adoption Of the Constitution to the advent .
Mr.. Spooner, the GLOVER law" abolitionsts may e.
concc themselves snugly behind, OF rather andc
the Constitution, and persist in their denial with re-
newed pertinaciiy.
Fanaticism needs no argument 10 snstain C.
Thisis moi the food II feeds upon Its vctares hav
. less Of the intellectual than the animal; and tn
voice Of reason, Il raised among them, would DO los
IN the noise and tumult Of passion. This beld. orig
nal negative positon,s therefore best suited to III
! temperament aud object Of iana,lesm.
\ Whether the Editor Of the Chronotype Is satr
/. dedby the denial Of Mr.. Spooner, or convinced
!, his argument, does NOT very clearly appear be al
serls however, that he has no doubt that Mr.. Spo
n ner Interpretation Of the Constitution il the Ia
I. one, and he therefore commences his " systema
moyenen" for the abolition Of slavery in the State
4 BY the general government"
Article !, Section 2, Of the Consultation pre-
+, yides mo person held to service or labor In o.
N State, under The laws thereof escaping into anoths
n shall, ii consequence Of any law, or regulate
/. therein, be discharged from such service or labc
/, but shall b delivered up on claim Of the party
whom such service or labor may be due"
10 This clause Of the Constitution has received
d judicial construction from the highest tribunals
al the United States, and BY the supreme courts Of
ct ierent States Of the Union. and uuisorm, held
" au.horlse the reclamation Of the fugitive slave
no The master bat the decisions Of courts are Of
~ weight with sIr. Spooner, and the Editor d |
IS Chronotype; and the former to weaken the force
a the decision d the supreme court Of the u Sta,
id in the case 81 Prigg W, Commonwealth Of Pen
syyanie, 10 Pet ia Q impndently misreprcscr
On the grounds upon which the opinion was based,
Is, Is moi true, as asserted BY Mr. Spooner, tina, I
ID, court discarded @&il the authoritative and nfex
III rules Of legal interpretation, aud resoried to n
cs Tory aone" to Cad the meaning II tbs words III,
- to service ~ labor" Judge Story who deliver
the opinion Of tie court refers to the historical Il
,se that many Of the "prosisions Of the CONSTITUTE
in were matters Of compromise" The rule Is II
AZ. Ia