Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-01

follow in b train. II il my mind more fearful than the
pestience, and desire to avoid 1t as much SUCH ."
sure, the sentiment Of my constituents Tnes called
promise of the last session were passed uo
not like hemwe did think they did justice to 'ne SCUM
Yet they the laws of the land and although ,hey were
such satisfy US, deemed i proper ana paI
to bear the evils they inflicted rather nan ny ~ Ia h
we knew not of but which did believe iay piu ~ W
dark abyss of resistance and revolution In TINS Acquires
cence, however there consideration OF muon, :. no
controlling weight indeed, may say IL was al
bile condition. II was that should have peace AZ least Us
rrosad no tho compomse" We felt that our rights
had been nfringed-that equality had peen impaired
We were conscious Of the terrible price we mao Pad o 10
and did deem ourselves ~ Su ,aa
Condition so simple in ITSELF should De observed repeat
WAS least in halls OF Congress-and thal the
business Of the country should be transacted ana us interests
taken care Of Upon arriving here, them this winter II was
nv first care TO lock around and satisfy my own MIND 70 what
this natural and reasonable desire Of my constituents
Vas kely to be eraed confess that found better state
IL ,hngs-a encouraging prospect than mao expected
md in response inquiries received rom nome
had real pleasure in saying that we nad the p!osPec.
least one quiet session. period OF three months before
s during which this dark and would De kept
beyond these walls and that last one green spot along inc
waste time had been found upon which the
of the States and people might rest and have peace or sea-
son. to meet friends and men and patriots perform the
practical and useful duties for which they were sent here
and which their constituents require at their hands Some
of my have been made public and have GOOD rea
sop the replies which have come back 70 me- 70 Dee'e
that soothing and healthy influence upon the public mind
in my State had resulted and growing from Inc contem
aton of such prospect Until short time since this pros
meet remained to uncouded certainly far action OF
Congress concerned In the early part Of the session an
attempt was made introduce this hydra into the other
House. Il met prompy and put down 50 enectuoy
at the me the friends Of good order every where herald
ed abroad the harbnger of peace and the people OF the
South hailed Of the good "sgns OF the times But
sir who say that these good signs continue above
the horizon that this cheering prospect remains
For one cannot cannot now write to my people that
that the public business is receiving that care and
attention much needs few weeks ago, scene not
very unlike this resulted from the introduction OF the slave
trade, subject of debate The spirit OF harmony seemed
then strong enough to expe the before serious harm
was done Relief then the subject Of congraulation,
for that experiment showed how little the temper OF the times
could bear upon the question Of slavery in OF Its aspects
But now, when the short waves OF that excitement nave
scarcely subsidized another and deeper rises upon our
vew and threatens with trouble and disaster Who can
say how far it shall 60, wherei it shall end MY
poor vision extends not far enough but il we may Judge
from the past is almost too much to hope that VIII have
any end all And what consequences will follow It's con-
tinuance this time Apart from the feeling it cannot
fail excite and from the malgn influence 1t is likely to
duse through the public mind what VIII be It's effect upon
the public business now hands Our committee
yet full of business and calendar is literally
loaded down with bills whose passage necessary to the pub
lie indeed, to the current functions of
the Government And yet counting to-day, only eight days
Of the session remain which, if done at ALL must do
this important work All of yesterday consumed BY
this agitaon-a of to-day is likely to be and how many
days, who tell Such state of things needs no
comment.
In conclusions Mr.. President among the many things
which strike me with much and painful force, in this
nexon there circumstance which greatly surprises me-
Not sir that question any mans motives Tor what he may
say do hee-not that doubt his patrotism-no that
shall undertake arragn the wisdom of any measure
which any Senator may feel dsposed deem it his duty to
introduce But am surprised that this occasion for excite
here should have from the quarter has. must
sir tbaU vvh
from which, think the country least expected It, From
the quarter had received the which
to bring peace and which, by the authority were
assured had brought peace Congress and the country
from that quarter the only force which has
seriously disturbed capable of disturbing, that
much desired and loudly proclaimed peace ] am very
my constituents and think the whole country, will
take Of my SURPRISE God grant that the arm which has
raised this storm, may find power with what
i am must be its will TO allay it!
Mr.. TURNEY. am of those who advocated the
passage Of the fugitive slave BILL not because thought
would be productive Of much good the Southern section of
the Unon but that carrying out PROVISION OF the
constitution But did not believe it would 90 much good,
because did believe it would be executed in good faith
But while make the broad declaration of the opinion which
entertain, confess that did expect to the law
and put down by mobs in open days has been done
had from the Northern papers that clubs and societies had
been formed there for the purpose OF defeating the execution
of the law, and that these clubs and societies existed not only
in the Cities but every district of country and that they
in the habit Of watching strangers who entered the
country to ascertain the object of their visit In order to
find their business whether they have arrest
fugitive slave not, they will have Of the club
contve lodge the they will travel In the
car that nothing be done by any sach stranger
which is known. All his movements watched, and
if they find he in pursuit Of slave they will find where
the slave is possible and give notice to him and assist him
in making his escape In this supposed the object
of the law would be defeated entirely for did not suppose
that any civilized community force would be necessary
be resorted for the purpose Of carrying the law into execu
ton. Hence easily account for the fact that while
there fifteen thousand Of these ugves in the free
States only four FIVE slaves have been recaptued
under this law They be caught before they be
tried and before they be released by mob But under
this discipline and in the Northern States they
can be caught very rarely indeed.
Now, far this speaks the state Of public sentiment at the
North in regard faithful and honest execution of this
law. We all know that raise mob and rescue negro
when he has been arrested very hghhanded and awess
act That not to be expected and presume no man in
the South anticipated any such thing Their fears not
that force would be resored to in order evade the law
But knowing that many believed the law to be violation Of
the constitution, and violation of the higher law aud that
they would give every facility they could for slaves TO escape
by watching the movements OF who should come
among them for the purpose Of securing his slave and by
notifying the slave in time allow him to make his escape
they felt convinced that the law would be of very little value
We hear Northern Senators admitting that the public sen
ment in the North is opposedt the law is in Massachu
sets, and perhaps in other States And yet have
gument from Southern gentlemen to show that the law will
be executed there in good faith Now, Of those
who did not believe il would be faithfully executed hut
say greatly surprised the outrageous in the
law and although knew the anslavery feeling had reach
cd hiob Of did