The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-25

|
court adjourned until this morning.
| From the Boston Transcript
The Peace and Dignity or the Common-
wcalth.-No. XIV.
| If Beelzebub, after six and twenty Internal
trials, should be elected to seat in Paradise
| by coalition Of fallen angels--black spirits
and bue-and should come in, at last, by
| single vote, after struggle of more than three
months duration, how the world would stare!
But nobody would marvel that some of the
wicked electors should make an unprinci 1Ied
piece of work oft, and lie, and cheat, and vote
double. And if, after his election, the devil,
| being man of letters, should address one to
his constituents, in favor Of piety and virtue,
and full of illusions to his efforts in favor Of
| the peace society, and setting forth his great
| happiness in the conviction that his election
had resulted from his well known efforts to in
| troduce Sabbath schools in the lower regions
those who were well posted up in these mat
tiers would marvel at his mpudence, while
others, who knew less Of his proceedings,
would be likely, in their simple hearts, to say
acell, indeed, this Is delightful to hare the deoil
come ont, SO uery Jeetingly, in tauor Of Sabbath
schools!
Now, if any reader supposes that intend to
run a parallel between Beelzebub and Mr..
Charles Sumner, he will find himself mistaken.
Mr.. Sumner is an accomplished lawyer and
scholar. and an amiable man in private life, as
some very mischievous politicians occasionally
are. But, as politician, am constrained to
give up my respect for him or his consistency
pass over the manner of his election for the
present, and come directly to his letter of ac-
ceptance, addressed to the Legislature. This
letter was uncalled for and unusual; but am
not sorry for its appearance, since it affords the
people an ample opportunity of comparing this
gentleman with himself.
He is for the Union, and opposed to section
alism. Let the patriot speak forth:
"Iacsept it as the servant of the Union; bound
to study, and maintain with equal patriotic care,
the interests Of all parts of our ceuntry-to dis
countenance every effort to loosen any of those ties
by which fellowship of States is held in fraser-
nal company; and to oppose all ssctionolism.
whether it appear in unconstitutional efforts by the
North to carry 90 great boon as freedom into the
slave States, in unconstitutional efforts by the
South, aided by northern allies, to carry the
tional evil Of slavery into the free States; or in
whatsoever efforts it may make TO extend the
tional domination Of slavery over the National
Government With me the Union is twice blessed;
first, as the powerful guardian of the repose and
happiness of thirty-one sovereign States, clasped
by the endearing name OF country, and next as the
model and beginning of that al-embracipg fedora
ton Of States, by which unity, peace and concord,
will finally be organized among the nations. Nor
do believe it possible, whatever may be the delu-
sion Of the hour. that any part thereof be per-
manently lost from its we'll compactsd bulk. Il
Piwibus Unts 10 stamped upon the national coin.
| the national territory, and the national heart
| Though composed OF many parts united into one
the Union is scparable only by crash which shall
| destroy the whole"
| MIR. Charles Sumner accepts the office cas-
bound TO discou,stenance every effort to loosen
of y, L,rto fol nj
| States is held in fraternal COMPANY. Let us
turn round the statue on its pedestal and be-
hold the other face; for, like the statue of ia
nus, it appears to have two. On the 9th of
November, 1850, in respect to a law Of the
| United States, based upon an express provi-
sion of the Constitution, this gentleman spake
| thus
~ he soul sickens in the contemplation of this
egalized outrage. In the drcary annals of the past
there are many acts of shame; there are ordi
nances OF monarchs and laws which bave become
| by-word and hAsng to the nations. But,
when we consider the country and the age, ask
| fcaressly what act of shame, what ordinance Of
monarch, what law can compare in atrocity with
this enactment of an American Congress None. |
| do not forget Appius Claudius, the tyrant de-
cemvir of ancient Rome, condemning Virginia
| q slave nor Louis XIV, of France, letting slip
the dogs of religious persecution by the revocation
of the edict of Nantes Charles L., of England,
tortion of ehip-moncy nor the British Parliament
provoking, in our own country, spirits kindred to
Hampton, by the tyranny of the stamp act and
tea tax. would not exaggerate; wish to keep
within bounds; but think no person can doubt
that the condemnation affixed to all these
transactions and to their authors must be the lot
hereafter Of the Fugitive Slave bill, and Of every
one according to the measure Of his influence who
gave it his support. Three cheers were here
| given.1 Into the immortal catalogue of national
crimes this has now passed, drawing with it, by
memorable necessity it's authors also, and chief
ly him who ms President Of the United States, set
his to the BILL and breathed into it that final
breath, without which it would have no life. [Sen-
saton. Other Presidents may be forgotten, but
the name signed to the Fugitive Slave bill can ne
yer be forgotten. ['Never'1 There are depths Of
infamy as there are heights OF fame. Applause.
regret to say what must. but truth compels me.
Better far for him had he never been born Renewed
applause.1 Better far for his memory. and for the
good name of his children. had he never been
President Repeated cheers.
al have already Gkcned this bill to the Stamp act,
and trust that the parallel may be continued yet
further by burst of popular feeling against all
action under it, similar to that which glowcd in the
breasts Of our fathers"
Really. now, if were the conscience keeper
for other men, should little prefer, ms the
easier task of the two, to take charge of Presi-
dent Fillmore's than oflths tender-hearted gen.
tleman's, who so very feelingly regrets TO say
tchaf he must.
Hear few words more from the gentleman
,cifh scIiom the Union is ficicc blessed:
''Surely the love of freedom cannot have so far
cooled among us, the descendants Of those who op-
posed the Stamp act. that we inscnsiblc to the
Fugitive Slave bill. The unconquerAbe rage Of the
people in those other days compelled the stamp ds-
tributors and inspectors TO renounce their offices,
and hold up to dctcststion all who dared to speak