The republic., 1851-04-16
MR.. Rhett and the Execution OF the Laws
From the Southern Press.

From the Southern Press
"The Republic of the 9th instant contains the
following assertion
"'The Abolitionists and Disunionsts have taken
the ground that no federal law, to which any por.
ton of the people is opposed, can be executed in
any one of the States. This understand to be
the position of Mr.. Rhett and Mr.. Chase, and the
parties which they respectively represent. The
result of such doctrines Of is that there is
| such thing as government, and that organized 30
ciety is at the mercy of any mob of ruffians who
may get together to impede the execution of the
laws. The expression Of such sentiments in the
Senate of the United States has tended to produce
the consequence foretold.'
"The same paper of yesterday contains the fol-
lowing
"sMr. Rhett announced, on the floor of the Sem
ate, for the encouragement of notification in South
| executed to which any portion of the people of a
State were opposed His associate Dsunionsts
proclaimed the same doctrine in the same place.
'sThe Republic has made this assertion at other
times We say that it is utterly unfounded, and
defy the Republic to produce any passage in Mr..
Rhett's speeches that would furnish even re-
spectacle prctext for ascribing such declaration
| 8 to him.
| 1t is true that the Republic has made an as
sertion similar to the above at other times
We do not know whether the passage to which
we refer appears in the official report of the
speech in which it occurred. The speech was
made by Mr.. RHETT, in the Senate of the Uni
ted States, on Monday, the 24th day of Feb
ruary last, in the debate on the motion to refer
to the Committee on the Judiciary the mes
sage from the PRESIDENT in relation to the late
resistance to the law in Boston. We heard the
speech, and were standing within a few feet of
the orator at the time of its delivery. When it
was concluded, Mr.. RHErr in our hearing re-
quested the reporter on the floor to withhold his
remarks until he should have an opportunity Of
revision. We cannot say whether or not Mr..
RHErT may have modified or softened the pas
sage in the printed speech. We all know
that 1t has been repeatedly stated on the floor
Of the Senate by Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS, and
other members Of that body, that in the "revi-
sion" of their speeches some gentlemen indulge
in liberal alterations. Mr.. RHErr's speech may
have been ''revised," !" therefore, to such an ex-
tent as to expunge the passage in question, on
the exposure of its absurdty.
We do not, therefore, think it worth while
to consult the "official' debates for the purpose
Of learning what was actually said by Mr..
RHETr on this occasion. Turning to our own
files, we find in our reporters column the fol-
lowing sketch of his remarks:
"Mr. Rhett did not believe the law could be ex-
ecuted even by all the force and power Of the
Government to enforce il. No Ia,c could be ers.
cufed uniea there concurrent fesling in fa.
vor Of the lao in the people among ,chom ,cas TO b.
enforced. 1t could not be executed in those
States where there may be majority in favor OF
its execution. A well organized minority could
resist it successfully. 1t could be cvaded and dis
regarded without open resistance. Clubs and or
ganized bodies could be formed to give notice to
fugitives to escape, TO give them the means of
cape, to throw obstacles in the way of executing
law, to put the master to costs greater than tho
value of his slave. This could be done bu a small
minority Of the people"
| We apprehend that if law cannot be exc
cuted unless there is concurrent feeling in
its favor in the people among whom it is to
enforced, no law can be executed to which any
portion of people are opposed. To have cited
Mr.. RHErr strictly we should have substituted
for the words "any portion" the words "small
minority" We have not assumed in the par
agraph cited to give Mr.. RHETr's very words
but we have rendered his sentiment with en-
tire accuracy. II the Press will send us the