The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-29
The Hon. A Rencher, OF North Carolina
Has ccusations and Testimony against tn
President.

The Hon. A Rencher, OF North Carolina
HisAccusations and Testimony against the
President.
1t has perhaps passed out of the recollection
Of our readers that some time in the early part
of last winter we noticed certain charges and
insinuations of this gentleman against the
PRESIDENT of the United States--of indisposi-
ton and neglect to furnish aid in the execution
of the Fugitive Slave law-whch were so I'M
Just and untrue that we forthwith joined issue
with him, and called for his proof We did
not again hear of him until he made his appear
ance in letter in the North Carolina Standard
touching the same subject, in which he reite-
rates his complaints, but with several and very
material notifications, reducing them in reality
TO accusations Of hardness and inefficiency.
We proceed now to such further notice of
the subject as may seem necessary to meet
Mr.. REScHER's reckless assertions. Had
these been made in political harangue, as
an exhibition Of rhetoric, should not have
thought them worthy of special remark; but
they were ushered before the world IN the I'M
posing fo-m Ct The evidence Of witness iesti-
firing 10 MATTERS within his knowledge.
M. REECHEK, i appears, went to Boston.
after Inc passage Of the law in question, to en-
os1ror 10 regain fugitive of his own, but did
: not succeed, the slave having escaped TO Cana
da. After his return home, the Legislature OF
North Carolina being in session, in answer TO
inquiries from one Of its members, he commu-
nicated in letter what, among other things, pur-
ported to be observations and facts relative to the
axaoution ~ The Ero5-Iva ST.v. lar T., .bis
part of his letter he asserted, in substance, that
the people Of the South had much reason to
complain Of the PRESIDENT; that the marshal
of Massachusetts, experimenting resistance
from mobs in the execution of this law
had called on the PRESIDENT for United
States troops to assist him in executing it, anC
that the PRESIDENT had refused to order troop:
to his assistance, though quite ready to orde
them against weak and distracted State of thu
South-meaning, it is presumed, Texas; tina
the marshal had also asked for place in thu
navy yard, or on board public ship at Boston
TO confine such fugitives as he might arrest
and that the PRESIDENT refused this also; thai
the PRESIDENT, in fact took so little interest ir
the enforcement of this law that, when South
ern citizen had written to him concerning violent
resistance encountered in endeavoring to capture
slave belonging to him, his letter was not treat
ed with the consideration that its contents de-
served, but was delivered over to a clerk in a
Department to answer, with other remarks
and insinuations-all tending to create the i'm
preston that the PRESIDENT, being North
ern man, had no disposition to enforce this par
ticular law and, in fact, had done nothing eff.
fectual towards its enforcemnt.
Now we propose to show, that for what is
stated in this letter. as well as for what is not
stated, the PRESIDENT has much more reason
to complain of Mr.. RENcHER's injustice than the
people of the South have to complain of the PRE-
srDENr's failure in duty respecting the Fugitive
Slave law. We beg attention, therefore, to
few facts.
AS to the main allegation, that the marsha
of Massachusetts, called for the aid of troops i
is utterly without foundation, or any semblanc
of foundation. So far from it, when an oppor
tunity. was offered to him to ask for them, h
replied that he needed no assistance of that kind
He did ask to be allowed place of imprison
ment in the navy yard, or on board pubi
shp-not, as Mr.. r. would insnuate, becaus
he apprehended mob resistance; but because
by law of Massachusetts passed in 1913, tn
use of her jails had been forbidden for the con
finement of fugitive slaves. This request wa
not granted, because Congress had by expires
law provided for such case, by directing tina
the marshal should hire suitable prison, ant
draw on the Treasury for all necessary ex
penses on that account; but he was informed j
the very same communication of the fixed dc
termination Of the PRESIDENT TO see the lay
executed; and that if he Che marshal antlc
pated any other obstacle to its enforcement be
sides the want of prison, it would be his dut
to report it Immediately to the proper departmer
at Washington. To this he replied that he wa
misunderstood if his request was supposed to il
cludss any other assistance than place Of confnC
ment. All this is put beyond cavil in the lei