The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-12-11

should therefore as lar as practicable not only be
made accessible to all, but be expressed in Ian
guage so plain aud simple as to be understood by
ALL and arranged in such method as 10 sise per-
spicuiiy to every subject. Many ,of the States
have revised their public acts with great ard man
ifest beneit; aud recommend that provision be
made by law iuT the appointment of commission
10 revise the public statutes Of the United States,
arranging them IN order. supplying Deficiencies
correcting ncongruties. simplifying their lam
guage. aud reporting them to Congress for lis &C
ton.
An act OF Congress approved 30th September.
1850 contained provision tor the extension Of
the Capitol, according To such plan as might be
approved by the President, aud appropriated one
hundred thousand dollars 10 he expended under
his direction by such architect as he should ap
point 10 execute the same, On examining the va
rious plans which had been submitted by differ
ent architects, in pun suauce Of an advertisement
| by committee of the Senate, no one was found
| to be entirely satisfactory. and it was therefore
deemed advisable to combine and adopt the ad-
vuhiages Of several.
| The gleat object To be accomplished was 10
make such an addiinn as would dtfDru ample aud
convenient halls for the deliberations OF the two
houses Of Congress. with sufficient accommoda.
| lions for Spectators and suitable apartments for
the committees aud officers Of the two branches
Of the Legislature. IL was asO desirable not To
mar the hnrmony aud beauty of the present slrnc.
turo which. rs a specimen Ofarchitecture, is so
universally admired. Keeping these objects in
view, concluded To make tue addition by wings
detached from the present building, yet connect.
ed with il by corridors. This mode of enlarge
meut will leave the present Capitol uunured, aud
afford great advantages Tor ventilation aud the adj
missnn of light, and will enable the work 70 pro.
sress without nerrnpting the deliberations OF
Congress. To carry this plan into effect have
appointed an experienced aud competent urchl,
tect Tho corner stone wasad on llle 4th day Ol
July Inst, with suitable ceremonies, since which
time the work has advanced with c0mmeudable
rapidity. and the foundations OF both wings are
now nearly complete,
again commend to your favorable regard the
interests of the District Of Columbia, and deem ii
only necessary 10 remind you, that although its in.
mbitnnts have no voice in the choice OF represen.
tatiyes in Congress they are not the less entitled
u just and liberal Consideration in your leglsla.
tiuu. My npiniJns on this subject were more iu.
| ly expressed in my last annual communication.
| Other subjects were brought to the attention OF
Congress in my last annual message. TO which |
would respectfully refer. But there was one OF
more than ordinary interest to which | again invite
J'lu PIot'h' dlluub " Tue
dnion for the appointment Of a commission to set.
tle private claims against the United States. Jus.
tice To individuals as well as TO the Government
imperntiyely demands that some more convenient
and expeditions mode than an appeal 10 Congress
should be adopted.
1t is deeply to be regretted that in several in
stances officers Of the Government, in attempting
to execute the law for the return of lugitives from
labor, have been openly resisted aud their efforts
| frustrated and defeated by lawess and violent
mObs; that IN one case such resistance resulted in
the death Of an esIimabe citizen. aud in Others Sc
rlOus iuiury ensued TO 10 those officers aud to in
dvidunls who were using their endeavors to sus
tain the lnws Prosecutions have been instituted
against the alleged offenders so far rs they could
he identified. aud nro sliIl pending | have re
garded il my duty in these cases 10 give all aic
legally in my power IN ;he enforcement of tn,
laws, mud shall continue to do so wherever ant
Whenever their execution may be resisted
The act Of Congress for the return Of fugi
tves from labor il one required and demanded by
the express words of the Constitution.
| The Constitution declares, That no person held
to services or labor in one Stnte, under the laws
thereof. escaping into another, shall, in conso
qnence Of any law or regulation therein, be dis.
charged from such service or labor, but shall be
delivered up on claim of the pnrty to whom such
service or lnbor may he due This constitution
al provision is equally obligatory upon the Legis-
lnlivo, the Executive and Judicial Departments Of
the Government, aud upon every citizen Of the
United States.
Congress however, must. from necessity first
act upon the subject 10y prescribing the proceed
ings necessary In ascertain that the person is iu
glive, aud the means 10 br used for his restora
ton tn .he claimant This was done by Rn ac
passed during the first term of President Washing
ton, which was amended by that enacted by tn,
last Congress, and il now remains for the Execu
tive aud Judicial Departments to tuke care tina
these laws be faithfully executed. This iniunc
ton OF the Constitution is as peremptory and n
binding as any other; II stands exactly on thu
same foundation ms that clnuse which provide
Tor the return Of iugitives from Justice, or tha
which decurea that n0 bill Of atminder or &c pos
tdefo law shnl he passed, or that which provide
Tort equality Of taxation, ncc0rding to the census
or the clause declaring that all duties shall be uni
iUrm throughout tho United States or the impor
tnt provision that the trial of all crimes shall b
by jury. These several articles and clauses Of th
Constitution, all resting on the same authority
must stand or tall together Some objections hnv
been urged ngninst tbs details uI the net for tn
return oi iugltlyes from nbOr; but ii ia worth,
oi remark that the main opposition ia aime,
, against Tile Constitution suli aud proceeds iron
pers"hs hhd clHsses oi persons many Ot whom de
clare their wish to See TINT Constitution oyerlurn
cd. They ayuw their hostility In amy law whicl
shn give lnll and practical effect to this require
| mont ot tho Constitution Fortunately. the nun
her oi these persons is comparatively small, ant
Is believed To he daily diminishing, bat the issu,
which they present 10 one which involves the su
premacy aud evcn the existence Of the Constitu
ton.
Cases have heretofore arisen in which individn
ns have denied tue binding authority Of acts O
CongresS aud even States have proposed to nu
y such meta upon the ground that the Constlu,
lion was the supreme law of the land, and that
lhose acts ol Congress were repugnnnt 10 TINT n
slrumont but qualification is now aimed not All
much against particular laws as being inconsistent
with tho Constitution as against tho Constitution
itself; aud il is not 10 be disguised that spirit
exists and has boon actively at work TO rend as
Anndcr this Union, which is our cherished inheri
lunco from our revolutionary fathers
| In my last annnal message | stated that con.
sldorrd tho herlos Of measures, which had been
adopted nt the previous session in reference to the
agitation growing ont Of tho Territorial aud sla
worry questions, us u hunl settlement in principIt
aud substance, ul the dangerous and exciting sub
locls which they embraced aud recommended
adherence To the adjustment established by those
measures, until time aud experience should dem
onstrntc tho necessity Of further legislation Ia
guard against evasion or abuse. | was not indu
ced 10 mike this recommendation because
thought those measures perfect, for no human leg
islatlon can he perfect Wide differences and lar
ring opinions Gun only he leconciod by yielding
something on all sides aud this resnt has been
reached nlter an angry conflict OF many months, il
winch "no pun ol the country was nrrayed against
4 another, mud violent commissions seemed To be i'm
q m'nont Looking AT the interests Of the whole
country lcI ii to be my duty to seize upon thi,