The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-26

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oil the eenale proposition 10 dispense WIN H. II ~
woud not. think il is evidence that IT has producee
some fruits think it has done so, a. least and there
fore wish TO see it preserved and carried out lhere
were some other points to which would have adyerted
but have made my remarks short purposey, as the pc
rod OF The session and the time wanted for other busi-
ness would not allow me TO pfolong them. ;.
| Mr CLEMENS The senator from South Carolina
Mr. BuTIERl stated yesterday that he had determined,
a. Inc oes,nnng OF The session. TO take no part IN any
formed any resolution all upon the subject But ceT-
| tanly have felt extreme reluctance 10 engage in any
OF the Sort and my practice has been not to do
80. | not among the number OF those who favored
the compromise measures of last session did not expect
from them those immediate healing results predicted by
the laws OF the land, seemed to to be the duty
OF every good citizen to give them fair and impartial
trial II they worked well, the quiet OF the country
wOnld be restored, and institutions freed from great
danger II. the other hand, they should tnva Out 70
be Inadequate TO the purposes OF their adoption IT would
then be enough seek other OF redress, and
resort to other remedies, however painful Tor an evli
which experience had demonstrated the inability of Con-
gess to cure Acting upon this principle, earnestly en-
freely s,aked my political fortunes the result may
well be Imagined, therefore, that have watched me
course OF events with socltude although have
watched them in silence.
! There is bat one of these measures which, in the
ture of things, is capable of repeal or which can be
made the subject Of agitation That one we are sow
considering And if believed that ii was practically a
dead letter. should at once say the time Tor dssou
ton of this Union had come. If believed that this law
could not be executed should not hesitate to say that
government weak and so inefficient could moi afford
security the citizen, and that the experiment OF self
| government made by fathers, failure. 1t
seems to that those who entertain the opinions we
have heam expressed--those who believe that there is
practical efficacy in the law, and that II cannot be
executed, ought al openly to advocate the disso
luton OF the conederacy for surely that IS what they
must mean, if they mean anything beyond an almless
agitation 10 US. in Alabama, this law, IN pecunary
point OF view, is vaueess We do not lose, on an
average one negro in five years But there are 9'he, ts
constitution be nuhed al WILL we have no security
that other provisions of that instrument Will not meet
similar fate, and, finally, that state OF things may be
brought about, compared with which, revolution, with
all lts admitted horrors would be trlhlng indeed say,
then, that this law cannot be executed and
you that this government is and ought to be
| at an end.
! Bu, what sir, are the iacls' 1t is proper that the
country should know and understand them. w hat are
need not repeat the instances cited by the senator from
kentucky Mr. CLAYl yesterday, and the senator from
Louisiana MIR Dowssl to-day But, sir, there is one
thing they did not state, which important to be known
In the States OF Illinois and Iowa ugtves have actually
been arrested by citizens OF those States and taken back
to their owners wIhou any previous demand, or any
made the slave States themselves IN like Ii
admitted by the senator from Virginia Mr. MAsoNl
iha, the whole Northwest was sound upon this subject
Ii admitted by him that the law could be executed In
the State OF New York. admitted that II could be
executed in the State Of Pennsylvania, and the senator
from New Hampshire Mr. HALEl told the other day
that had been overexeculed there that free had
been kidnapped and sent into slavery.
| This was double mistake, and il was one OF those
mistakes which it the senator's misfortune frequently
make The person arrested was not sent into slavery
in the FIRST place. and in the second place he not
free man. The mistake was that the wrong master got
hold OF him and there person present to clam
him, he permitted to 60 free, although he then
in the heart OF a slave Stale have known wider ms
takes in the State OF New Hampshire and the
senator ought be charitable when he has occasion 10
speak OF such things There ia story that, upon
tme in the State OF New Hampshire, negro made his
way the house of ctzeh OF that Stale, high in office
and, 10 the phraseology OF the senator from New
York, MIR SEWARD laid his weary limbs at the door,
and poured out the tale OF his suiengs to sympathzlng
ears He drew moving picture OF the horrors OF slavery
and with his eyes ecouned the means by which
he had escaped from the lash OF the taskmasier lie
pointed 10 his limbs, and assured his heaer that the
aces had just been stricken from about them He added
that the boodhounds were still upon his trail and pleaded
in the OF humanity for succor and Tor shelter Well
II so happened that IN the bosom OF that citizen the milk
OF human Kindness abundant He listened believed,
pitied and sheltered the hosptaes of his house
freely bestowed. But 10, and behold, alter while II
turned out that the fugitive no fugitive at all lie
free man. and had his free papers IN his pocket al
the time-a discovery which, OF course, when made.
cluied him from all sympathy, and was an ehectua bar
to any claim for assistance. When such mistakes are
made in the State OF New Hampshire, submit that the
senator should be little charitable ii similar mistakes
occur in Pennsy ylvania or other States.
But, to return to the matter more Immediately before
us has been established by senators who have pre-
ceded that everywhere II has been attempted this law
has been faithfully executed except in the State OF Mas
/ sachusetts.
Mr.. HALE. Will the senator give way TO an inquiry
The senator from Alabama To refer the story
1t is entirely TO me- The facts are as new TO
to any member Of the Senate. do not undertake to
/ ,radic them, but every word is TO me.
/ MIR CLEMENS. | cannot answer for the difference OF
memory the senator from New Hampshire manifests at
different times but he certainly told me the story
some ten months since, IN presence of Others including,
think, the senator from Tennessee, in reference to
/ himself.
/ Mr. HALE Mr. President
! The PRESIDENT. Does the senator give wayi
| Mr HALE | think the senator will give way when
he questions my veraclty IN that manner think do
remember the which the senator from Ala
bana has reference ecollect telling the senator that
attempt had been made upon IN that way by an ndi
vidua representing himself TO be fugitive from slave
~ He 10 my house, but, after lew minutes con-
versaon was satisfied that he not slave bal an
impostor; and told the senator that distinguished him
from this fact that he stood in my presence with hs hat
on and knew that slaves at the South were well ed
uca,ed that they would stand with their hats in the
presence OF a gentleman.
I Mr. CLEMENS. | do not recolleci how long he was
there and II is not material The har boring, or the in
enon TO babor slave and the refusal to assls, free
man. the main point and that do not understand 10
be denied said that everywhere, except IN the State
of Massachusetts, this law had been aih uy executed
There, we all know, il once evaded, and u was
once openly naught Bot what does that establish
That the law is a nuliyi Far from IT, That the people
of Massactu determined to array themselves IN
open opposition to the general government! NO such
thing This very furnishes evidence that the law
can be executed in Massachusetts. This fugitive,
from Boston, dared attend abolition meeting in in
,eor until he disguised himself as female-a clear
proof that the aboonists themselves not only believed
The law could be executed, but would be II the iug.