The republic., 1851-04-16

promise Of end of the agitation Of slavery In The
Republic; an agitation which, whether beneacent
or otherwise, Il a. inseparable from political
organization ~ the winds and clouds are from the
atmosphere that encircles the earth.
l have weighed, moreover, the argument that
some portion Of the people in some Of the States
have made the perpetuity of tho Fugitive Slave
law condition Of new declarations OF loyalty 70
the Union. That loyalty Il duty resulting from
the Constitution, and is equally due. whether the
measures Of admnistra tion arc satisfactory or un-
satisfactory. regret that any thing should have
happened 70 encourage . belief that loyalty could
be accepted on conditions, and especially on the
condition OF forbearing to repeal repealable sta
tuts. But since It is so only say that we, on
whom tie recent action of the Government bears,
a. Il seems to US, unjusty, in the Union for
richer for poorer. for better for worso, whether in
a majority or in minority, whether in power or
powerless without condition, reservation, quaidca-
ton. or Limitation, forever and aye; that we are In
tho Union, not because we are satisfied with ad-
ministration, but whether satisfied not, not all by
means Of compromises or Understandings, but by
virtue of the Constitution, and that all other par
ties are In the Union on the same terms, for the
same tenure, and by virtue Of the Same obligation
and 20 they viii find their case to be when they
offer 10 plead violations of extra constitutional con-
ditions TO justify secession. Whatever is rrepcal
able In any Of the acts Of the late Congress, ono
win be mad enough TO attempt to repeal. What
is repealabe in those acts, and whatever shall
BE- repealable In future acts Of Congress, whether
Il shall favor freedom or slavery. no matter under
what circumstances. nor with what auspices, nor
with what solemnities II may have been adopted,
must abide the trial of experience, of reason, and
of truth. II IL only in this way that the Constitu
ton can be maintained, and the Union be
saved. Its security consists in the adaptation to
the physical and moral necessities of the broad and
ever extending empire ,Nhich II protects and de-
fends, and in the facilit with which, without vio-
lence, or sudden change, errors of administration
can be corrected, and new cxigencies can be met,
90 that the State, free or saveholding. which may
at any time be least favored, will be at all times
safer under this Government when worst admins
tered, than it would be under any other, how
ever wisely administered or favorably conducted.
think, my dear sir, that all this IL virtually
confessed now by those who, while they see that
their complicated schemes that suppression Of free
debate, which they thought essential TO the safety
of the Union, have failed, nevertheless admit that
the Union is no longer in danger, and therefore
think that we may at least congratulate ourselves
tho discovery, that not only extra constitu-
tional compromises unnecessary. but that the
Union has strength and stability enough to endure,
notwithstanding that such compromises, under the
influence of an unwise Legislative distrust, arc
sometimes unnecessarily and unavailingly made
am, sir, with great respect, your humble SER
want, WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
JoHN A. ANDRxw, esq.,, Secretary of the Com
mittee to call Convention of the People of Mas
sachusetts on the subject of the Fugitive Slave
law, Boston.