The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-11

Our attention has been called to letter pub
lished in the North Carolina Standard, ad
dressed by the Hon. A. RENcHER, late charge
to Portugal under Mr.. TYLER, to the Hon. r.
M. SAUNDERS, and said to have been read by
the latter gentleman in the course of speech
on the subject of slavery in the Legisla-
ture of that State. 1t purpOrts to give an &C
count of a journey made by Mr.. RENcHER
to Boston to recapture fugitive slave, who, it
seems, had left the city before his arrival, and
| the result of his observations on the probable
execution of the Fugitive Slave law at the
North. The letter strikes us as being de-
signed for mere party ends, as is mani
fest from its wanton and scandalous charge
| against the President of the United States of
indspositon to execute the Fugitive Slave
law 1t asserts, among many other false i'm
| putations and insinuations, that the marshal of
| Massachusetts called on the Executive Gov
eminent for authority--lst, to use the ships in
| the harbor of Boston for the confinement of flu
| gitive slaves; ID to call on the United States
| troops at Boston to overcome combinations that
might be formed to resist the execution of this
|
duty, refused both.
We have inquired into the facts pertaining
to these occurrences, and are authorized to say
that the latter statement is utterly false. The
marshal of Massachusetts never asked the aid
of troops of the United States in the premises,
and of course they were never refused to him.
Mr. RENcHER, therefore, is bound to retract
or prove his allegation
The marshal did ask for an order to allow
the navy yard, receiving ship, or revenue cut
ter, TO be used by him, place of confne-
ment for such fugitives as he might arrest-al-
eging the sole reason that the jails ofthe State
had been forbidden to be used for the confinement
offugitive slaves by statute and that the sheriff Of
Suffolk had actually refused to grant him the
| use of the prison of that county He did not
allege in his application, Mr.. RENcHER
| would represent, that he was afraid of mob,
and had no confidence in getting aid from the
| civil posse. On the contrary, when asked to
report whether any other distractions existed
to the execution Of this law except the want of
prison, he replied in the negative. In reply
| to his application, the marshal was referred to
the joint resolution of Congress, approved
| March Sd, 1920 which is as follows:
"Resolued, &C., That where any State or States,
having complied with the recommendation Of Con-
| gress in the resolution of the Odd of September
| 1889, shall have withdrawn, or shall hereafter
| withdraw, either in whole in part, the use Of
their ails for prisoners committed under the author
ty of the United States, the marshal in such State
or States, under the direction of the judge of the
| ...n - l. -, i
quircd to hire a convenient place to Jail,
and to make the necessary provision for the safe
keeping of prisoners committed under the author
| ity of the United States until permanent provision
shall be made by Law for that purpose; and the said
! marshal shall be allowed his reasonable expenses
incurred for the above purposes, to be paid out OF
the treasury Of the United States"
| This resolution provides for the very case
then existing, and, Of course, rendered the order
requested-for the use Of the vessels or navy
| yard-unnecessary at the least; and ofcourse the
| application was declined. But the marshal
was informed, in the very letter containing this
! declension, Of the determination of the Presi-
dent to see this law executed and was rejoiced
to give immediate information of any difficulty
he might encounter in the performance of his
duty under it.
Candid men Of all parties admit the fidelity
Of the President to his constitutional obligations;
and the people Of the South are warned against
the Vaccinations of Disunionsts, who, under
! the guse of zeal for the South, are aiming
blow at the Chief Magistrate of theTcountry,
and, through him, at the Union Itself. Mr..
RENcHER affects to speak. not upon nforma-
ton. but knowledge. Again we say to him,
the issue is joined--make good the proof, or
withdraw the calumny,