The republic., 1851-02-22

sage did not the nofoha had been dis
missed He had no doubt the President wAs SUBJ
jectng the conduct Of tho marehal to scrutiny, in
order To ascertain whcther he dgerved dismissal
not. He had been grettfed at Ne general execu-
executed in Indiana under v(rY adverse circunl-
stances in Ohio in repeated instances; in Pennsyl
vania, at its capital and in Phiadelphia; ALSO in
the great metropolis Of the Union, Nav York. II
had been executed everywhere except in Boston.
In Boston two attempts to execute the law re-
suited in failures. When he heard Of the first fail
ure he had looked forward with anxiety to the
second arrest in order to see if the law would or
would not be executed; and he was surprised TO
hear that the law had been resisted by lawless
mob, who entered the urt-house and rescued from
the officers Of justice person legally in their Gus
tody. When he had alluded to the blacks, and
their outrageous conduct in this matter, he also
meant to include, in his denunciation the conduct
Of those, whether in high low places, who, by
their speech their advice, induced, led on and in
stigated those poor deuded creatures to this open
violation ofthe law He hoped that, If there any
defect in existing laws, provision would be made
by which those who instigate, induce, persuade.
violence, will be brought to condign punishment.
He earnestly supported the suggestions made by
the President in his message. and moved the mes
sage be referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. HALE was glad that the document just read
had been sent in, IL for other reason than be-
it showed that the President felt that his ad
ministration had made itself ridiculous by issuing
the proclamation; and the message just read was
the proclamation was necessary The idea of the
great republic of the United States calling upon
its army and navy to assemble and hold them
selves in readiness to put down q mob composed of
q mere handful of negroes, was, in his opinion,
ridiculous in the extrcme. Boston had a popula-
ton of hundred and forty thousand, and within
the sound of the bell on the old Stats House there
| resided half million Of people. In all Boston
there not over one thousand adult negroes,
and they doubtless skulking in alleys to avoid
meeting the constables. II was useless to attempt
l. Al. n
quence II was too absurd. He considered the
proclamation of the President improper impolitic,
unwise, unnecessary, and very weak He would
have nothing to do with it.
MIR. CLAY said that the conduct of the Senator
from New Hampshire on this occasion did not sur
prise him. 1t was in keeping with his general
course. The Senator had pronounced deliberate
act of the President-the President of the whole ma
tomas ridiculous. There two opinions on
that subject, there were two opinions another
subject-the oratorical fame and influence of Sem
ator On this last question, the opinion entertained
by the member was one thing, while that enter
tanned of his oratorcal powers, and the influence Of
those powers, was quito different one. The SEN
ator seemed to make it point to rise always after
of eloquence and oratory. He had no ambition to
contest this with the Senator. He relinquished
cheerfully to the Senator all the glory he expected
in such contest, and he hoped the Senator would
receive the REIMBURSEMENT with the same self COM
placency with which he always rose to address the
Senate. This mob was styled a mere handful of
negroes.
Did any one beside the Senator suppose that none
but the negroes were concerned in the violation of
law? The proclamation directed to the en-
forcemcnt Of the law. and was aimed at those who
took no active part in the mob, yet encouraged,
excited, and urged the negroes on to this outrage
upon the laws Of the country. 1t was said, how
ever, that there were others than negoes actually
engaged in the mob; it was said that one negro
white ncgro-stood 1t the door and bcckoned
them to come in. II was at such persons these,
who, by their course and advice by their instign-
tons and solicitations, by their lectures and
speeches, speeches here and in the other House, this
proclamation aimed. Not only are these me-
groes made the catspaw of miserable and design
ing men to bring odium on the laws, to violate JUS
tce and its officers, but there has been introduced
a named Thompson, who said TO be q
member Of Parliament, to disturb and agitatc the
people; and that police, which could find time and
the means to attend and protect this foreign ennis
sary in his disunon addresses, could not give their
aid to execute law of the United States. He lit
tie supposed that any member Of Congress would
be tolerated moment in England, who would go
to Birmingham and to Manchester, and there de.
and the crown itself Such man would Justly
be denounced and rebuked by every loyal British
subject, and he would be put out Of the country.
Yet here this Thompson is received with open
arms, and encouraged by men protesting to be
Americans, in preaching scdition and dsunion.
He had more anxiety TO have thesc men brought to
punishment than the poor deluded negroes.
Mr. MASON said the duty of rendering fugitivcs
Constitution. 1t part of the compact sub
scribed to by all the States upon forming the Union
He would take issue with the Senator from Ken
lucky on the question whether this law was exc
cuted or not He considered that the law so far as
its practical execution concerned, dead let
ter. He had full belief in the declaration of the
President that he would execute the law If he could
He considered, however, that the President had be-
gun wrong. In the frat case, where the Crafts
capped the slaves lost to their master because
Of the evasions, prevarications, delays, and equvo
-f L,A.x -
law and administer justice. 1t was the duty of the
President Immediately to have dismissed the mar
shall The law, if it was to be enforced, must be
executed with alacrity, zeal, and cordiality. 1t
must be executed with desire, on the part of the
people among whom it ia executed to have it car
ried out because it is the law and without any OBJ
stacles distractions being thrown in the way of
its execution. In this case the party arrested;
time given, properly, perhaps, to him for his
defence; there was no place prepared to confiue
him. it being the intention to keep him in the court
room from Friday to Tuesday. How could his
have been prevented? The laws of Massa-
chusetts prohibit the imprisonment of parties ar
rested under this law in the jails of that common
wealth. He thought it wrong to denounce the pop
ulation of Boston, when by the laws of Massachu-
scts is made penal offence for any of that pop
uation to aid abet in the arrest or imprison-
ment of the fugitive. The Senator from Kentucky
was right in denouncing the conduct Of those en-
gagged in this open resistance, but he should have
gone one step further and denounced the State of
Massachusetts false to her federal obligations
She false to those obligations, for making which
she received consideration. She agreed to this
compact to surrender these fugitives, and re-
ceived a consideration.
Her Legislature has been in session since the pas.
sage of this law, and these laws preventing the
execution of the Constitution still stand on the
statute book. The Senator from Massac chusetts
said the other day that the people of that State
were law abiding people, and would not resist
the execution of the law. He would ask the Sem
ator whether those citizens, by not orcibly resist
ing the law, were discharging their federal Oblipa-
tions to render up fugitves from labor service
If they were, it was keeping the word of promise
to the ear, but failure in complying with its de-
mands.
was generally executed, If he meant that il was
executed without open resistance, he was correct;
but if he intended to say il executed with the
aacrity in the spirit of the federal compact he
mistaken. Mr. M. then detailed the circum-
Of the Harrisburg cases, where the expenses
amounted to s l,450, and the negroes when sold