The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-01-10


NO. 30.
| Slave law, passed to carry out clear constisu.
liona provisiony It is the only compensation
which they have received for what they believe
TO be the great injuries they have sustsined.
/ Willthey then patiently submit to have this law
repealed, essentially modified or nuIlified? Be
/ fore its passage. the Constitution had become,
in regard to fugitive slaves almost dead letter.
1t is notorious fact that all along the border
/ which separates the free from the slave States,
every facility was afforded for the escape Of
4 slaves from their masters. II they could pass
the line their safety was almost certain. They
were scarcely ever, in the language of the Con-
sttution, "delivered up on the claim Of the party
TO which such service or labor may be due"
! In many instances, the master or his agent who
pursued them was insulted, assaulted, beaten,
and imprisoned and few men could be found
bold enough to incur the hazard of such a dan-sa
/ gerous undertaking. In this manner the South
ern people were annually deprived Of their pfep-
1 erty, guaranteed TO them BY the constitution. to
the amount of hundreds OF thousands Of dollars.
/ The constitution was nullified. and this law
passed for the protection of their constitutional
| rights! Will they tamely surrender it7 Let
the voice which speaks in tones of thunder from
will at last trust and believe, submit to all the
provisions Of the compromise provided the fug-
tive slave law be faithfully executed IN the
North; but they will go no further. AL the
resolutions even Of the Union meetings n the
South Speak tais language. Future aggress.
ions must cease, or the Union will be IN immi.
nent danger.
Let us then resolve to put down agitation at
the North on the slave question, BY the force oi
enlightened public opinion, and faithfully eSe-
/ cute the provisions Of the fugitive slave law
| Should this be done. it will eventually extfna
/ guish those geographical parties-so dangerous
! to the Union and so much dreaded by the Father
/ of his Country-whiclr-have sprung into exist
ence; it will ameiorate the condition OF The
| slaves by enabling their masters TO remove she
restrictions imposed upnn them in self defence.
1 since the commencement of the present trou-
bles. and will restore the natural and constiiu-
tiona progress Of emancipation which has, IN
several States been arrested BY the violence OF
abolitionists.
/ The Union cannot long endure, If it be bound
| together only by paper bonds. Il can De firmly
cemented alone by the affections OF the people
oe the different States for each other. Wonld
TO Heaven that the spirit Of mutual forbearanes
and hrothery love which presided at lis birth,
could once more be restored to bless the land:
/ Upon opening volume few days since, my
eyes caught resolution Of Convention Of the
Counteq of Maryland assembled at Annapolis,
| in June. l774, in consequence Of the passage
| by the British Parliament OF the Boston Port
Bill, which provided for opening subscription
sin the several Counties Of the Province, for an
immedat collection for the relief of the distress
ed inhabitants of Boston, now cruelty deprived
Of the means of procuring subsistence for Them,
selves and families BY the operation OF the said
\ act for blocking up their harSor." Would that
the spirit of fraternal affection which dictated
4 this noble resolution, and which actuated a.! the
conduct of our revolutionary fathers, might re-
turn to bless and to re.animaie the bosoms OF
their descendants. This would render our Un-
ion indissoubie. It would be The living so'il
infusing itself upon the constitution and inspif-
ing it with irresistible energy.
am not one of those who can ever consent
to calculate the value Of the Union. Its bens-
fits and its blessings are inestimable. God for
bid that fanaticism should ever app,y torch to
this the grandest and most glorious tempe
which has ever been erected to political free
dom on the face of the earth! Whilst the friends
J of human liberty throughout the world would
forever deplore the irreparable loss of our exam
! pie to the nations. thus catastrophe would be the
pTOlfIlc SOURCE OF eYtl 10 al tHS kotdtSsiNO'ta
South, East and West--from the enumeration
of which my mind recoils with horror.
i Would any or all Of the injuries which the
! South have suffered or which they suppose
they have suffered, from the agitation at tho
{ North, and from the Compromise. justify resort
. to the last dread extremity of dissolging the
: Union? believe moi; and after sober second
: thought, the patriotic people of the South will,
4 have 20 doubt by large majority arrive at the
: same conclusion For such causes they will
S never forfeit all the innumerable blessings Of
Y tie Union, and subject the country and the low
D ers Of rational freedom throughout the world
n to the most astounding political calamity which
: has eyer befallen the human rare.
y 1t is not every wrong,--nay, it 10 not every
e grievous wFo1g-which can justify, or even
e paltiate, such fearful alternative. In this age,
e and in this country, there is an incessant fux
II and refux Of public opinion. Subjects which
e but few wears ago excited the public mind 10
Madness, have passed away and are almost for
# gotten. To employ the eloquent language OF
e Mr. Burke, they are "Volcanoes burnt ont
y and on the lava and ashes and squallid scorie
/ Of old eruptions, grow the peaceful olive, the
/ cheering vine, and the sustaining corn.
i The agitation at the North on the subject o.
e domestic slavery in the south like every thing
u nnHiau VIII nave FfiS Gay we nave ohe"Hy
reached, and ] trust passed the dangerous crisis.
. Should this prove to be the case, the tempest
r which has been raging will purify the political
i atmosphere, and impart new and healthfal life
i and vgor to the body polite.
) But if. IN the midst Of such temporary ex-
| citement, the Union should be desolved the mis-
chief will then be irreparable. "Nations m.
born, and ages yet behind, will curse the rash-
y ness of the deed. Should "the silver cord be
!. loosed and the golden bowl be broken at the
] fountain" human power will never be able to
! re.unite the scattered fragments. II the Al
: mighty Ruler of the Universe has, in his Proyi-
? dence, destined the dissolution Of the Union, as
: punishment for the sins Of the Nation, hope,
= before that day, may be gathered to my fathers
: ! and never witness the sad catastrophe.
= Yours, very respectfully.
? JAMES BUCHANAN.
e pie IF rfol vofo of sha nannIa of Tavas nv