The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-19
Editor & Proprietor.
NEW SERIES, VOL. !. NO 70.

income reaches thirty pounds year, will
stake professional reputation on an opinion
against it. IF he does his reputation is not
worth the thirty pounds. (Rcnewed laugh
ter And yet this law is opposed-violcnt-
" opposed-not by bringing this question
into Court--these lovers Of human liberty
these friends of the slave---the fugitive slave
don't put their hands in their pockets and
draw funds to conduct law suits, and try the
question; they are not in the habit much
(Laughter.) That is not the way they show
their devotion to liberty of any kind But
they meet and pass resolutions-theyr resolve
that the law is oppressive and unjust, and
should not be executed at any rate, under
any circumstances. 1t has been said in the
State of New York, Massachusetts and Ohio,
over and over again, that the law shall not
be executed.
That was the language of convention in
Worcester, Mass, infSyracuse, n. Y, and
elsewhere. And for this they pledge their
lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor!
Laughter. Now, gentlemen, these PRO
ceedings-L say it upon my professional rep
utation-are distinctly REASONABLE. Resolu-
lions of Ohio, certain resolutions in n. York,
and the conventions held in Boston are dis
tinctly reasonable. And the act of taking
away Shadrach from the public authorities in
Boston, and sending him off, was an act of
clear treason. | speak this in the hearing of
men who are lawyers speak it out to the
country say it everywhere, on my profess
slonal reputation. 1t was treason and moth
ing else-that is to say, if men get together,
and combine together, and resolve that they
will oppose law of the government, not in
any one case, but in all cases-I say, if they
resolve to resist the law, whoever NAV be at
tempted to be made the subject of it, and car
ry that purpose into effect by resisting the
application of the law in any one case, that,
sir, is treason. Turning to Mr. Spencer,
and stamping with emphasis) You know
it well. Continuing to address Mr. Spcn-
cer.) The resolution itself, Enacted on, Is
not treason-it only manifests reasonable
purpose. When this purpose is proclaimed,
and it is proclaimed that it viii be carried out
in all cases, and is carried into effect, by
: force of arms or numbers, in any one case,
that constitutes case looking to war against
I the Union; and if it were necessary, 1 might
cite in illustration the case Of John Shays,
who suffered death in Washington's time for
being concerned in the whiskey Instruction
Of that day. (There is probably mistake
I, here. Shays' rebellion was in Massachusetts,
: and the whiskey instruction in PENINSULA
; MAJ Now, various are the arguments, and
various the efforts to denounce this law. to op-
J pose its execution, to keep it up as question
I Of agitation, and they are as various as the
n varied ingenuity of man, and the various as
It poets of such questions when they come be-
e fore the people. And common thing it IS
al to say that the law is odious; that it can't be
y executed, and will not be executed That
e has always been said by those who don tmean
it shall be executed, not by anybody else.
d They assume the fact that it can't be execu-
l. ted to make that true which they wish shall
y turn out to be true. They wish that it shall
n not be executed, and, therefore, announce to
te all mankind that it can't be executed. When
n public men, your conductors of newspapers,
er thus deal with the subject, they deal unfair
D ly with it. Those who have types at COM
IN mand have perfect right to express their O.
a pinions; but doubt their right to express
a. opinions as facts. Idoubt whether they have
to a right to say, not as matter of opinion but
at of fact, that this particular law is so odious
n here and elsewhere that it cannot be executed.
, a That only proves that they ale of opinion
er- that it ought not; that they hope it may not
d. be executed. go that length. [ do not
en- find any of that description of the public
ne press who say we wish it were otherwise
1t, They do not say, see if any wrong is infict
as ed on any body by it; [ hope to find in Its
up operation no wrong or injury to any body
he Does any of them hold that language? No
le, one The wish is father to the thought
nd They wish that it may not be executed, anC
aw therefore they say it cannot and viii not b
ere executed That is one of the modes of pre-
senting the case to the people, and in my o
ra- pinion it is not quite fair mode Of doing i
. There are other forms and modes, and | Nigh
IN omit to notice the clustering abolition socie
ich ties of Boston and elsewhere, as unworthy c
ro- regard, but there are other forms more insid
i've ious and equally eficacious; there are me-
ned who say, when you talk of amending tina
of law, that they hope it will not be touched
You talk of attempting it, and they dissuad
1t you. They say, Let fireman as obnoxiou
IDS as it can be, and so much the sooner will
riot disgust, and be detested by the whole con
ned munity." / am ashamed to say that sue
ers, sentiments have been avowed BY those
- Massachusetts who out TO be utterly ashame
all to utter such opinions For what do the
Ised meant They mean to make the law Obno
ton ious; so obnoxious that it shall not be exec
ted. They SUGGESTING otherlaw they oppO
Jeen all amendment; oppose doing any thing tn
n shall makeitless distasteful. What do the
try mean? They mean, and they know it, tn
fore there Shall exist no law whatever for carryiI
TIED into effect this provision of the constitute
urts of the country They wish to strike it Oh
very to annul it. They oppose 1t in every pos
dyes bic form short of personal resistance, aud
need othis, they say the worse the law is the b.
dyes ter. They say we have now topic and !
t of mercy's sake don't amend the horrible L
nan Of 1850. Laughter.l Then, again, til
ex- say, We are for an eternal agitation d
Mas discussion of the question; the people cai
---u- be bound ut Every member of gongr
d so has right to move the repeal of this rs v
and as any other Law. Who does notknow th
lent, A member must act according to his own 9
ton, erection. Nodoubt he has right to-Inorfs
cal O. If Congress WereiD session, to move aFep
ndul- of the slave Law; bat this takes With Is.
' onlother. He has just as much right to NOV,
artIy tear down the capitol, until one stone 81
,tion, not stand upon another; just as much ri
inion to move to disband the army, and to thl
Yer the ordnance and arms into tho sea. lie
efore lust as much right to move that all The 81