The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-06

creature Of the government, called commls-
siones," the authority to consign free man 70
slavery. is too nioIerable 10 be borne In any
long course Of prae licaI enforcement. The tTtaI
by jury in every case involving personal liberty,
is too precious To be surrendered at the desire
or the dictate Of any administration, or any seq
ton or the confederacy and the dem@,d OF
such trial in the case OF alleged fugitives. II,
moreover, too reasonable to be refused by any
Congress hich shall approach this subject IN u
spirit of Just regard, we will not say to the fun
damental rights of the citizen, but to his we'll
esta .lished and indubitable constitutional priv
ieges.
Thus it is we entertain no douUt mat me
question OF resistance 20 this law, now 80 ri1e,
and so distressing to all manner OF cattle siat
feed at the troughs Of trade aud the treasury, 30
alarming to aldermanic sensibiities and quilted
velvet patriotism in general, and the cause OF 50
many ugubrous jercmiads and mate PlatItudes
from gentlemen in high stations and in low, who
think their political or pecuniary fortunes de-
pend upon sustaining it in all its parts and to
the fullest extent will, after merging in more
substantial issues, soon fade entirely from sight
In Mr.. Claws elaborate treatment of the sub
iects embraced by the "Omnibus," he entered into
this question of trial by jury, and true to his own
instincts, and alive to what he feltto be the rea-
sonable demand ofevery clear-seeng man jealous
Of liberty, he acknowledged that the claim of
trial by jury for every person arrested was most
reasonable. And with his accustomed adroit-
ness he proposed to grant 30 much to the advo
Gates Of freedom. But he insisted that that trial
should be in the State from which the fugitive
was alleged to have fed, and not in the State in
which he was arrested. To this extent, Mr.
Clay, to be consistent with hiWself, must even
now be willing to 60 1t may be that he has
seen enough to convince him that it would be
best now to yield t, demand for such a modi-
fcation of the law rs would secure such trial
at the point Of arrest.
Impressed with these views and sentiments,
We are content patiently to wait the course of
events. We confide in the clairs of truth,
justice and propriety, which sooner or later make
their own way in the world and triumph over
all obstacles gro ut and small. Before those
claims names are nothing--men are nothing
Where Mr. Clay is, or where Mr.. Webster is,
on great questions involving the constitutional
rights of the citizen, or the fundamental rights
of man, is matter that concerns them and their
reputation far more than the cause itself, or
anything or anybody else 1t is not within
human power, at this day. long to successfully
resist the right and maintain the wrong. As
we'll might man attempt to gather the rushing
waters of river it pours its food through its
deepest channels, az undertake to arrest and
confne great current of events whose springs
are in the human heart and whose streams
forever swell the tide of human progress. Blind
craftsmanship, interested advocacy, selfish and
rotten support Of public measures, mark this
age as they have oil ages. For them we Of
course have no respect and we entertain no
fear that they can sensibly defer the hour of
jubilee, which assuredly awaits the oppressed
of all nations. Truth is mighty and will prevail.