The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-27

U4 -
- ~ eap1symedG =, - otain 4Ac4ss e
sreesss ~ Ievs - ~ q 1ssd States. But
tolpn aeQsiepisg IL H. justies Of this
e1wgs, III ~ 3sdsss@ned Whist Massachu-
ss ~ - = sagupl 10 the restoration Of
ksrilivs ahvea 0he Mwdsrtook, ike NEST II
~ u ~ $780,, = 10y out The resolution
|& C~aGvsM ps~sd ~ l7s2, ialsspsstiaG Ia
Csss&i&stiss ~ THE psist Shs considered
abss ctssss IN ne Constitution. BY it, own
sssms, ssd BY ~ ssscls!iSa VI 1850, ~ inn
p~siag dsty ~ ths Ststs to isgislste for
III vssss~ " fugitive slaves She did lsgis-
ssis ~ last rwspsss IN good fsith, end at
~ tisss ~ &sFssms Court, in Prigg RI
Pssssy Ivas,a, derists1 ~ Isws cad the laws
n plhes t&sAss snco~ststatioHs!, her ststsses
we're y fstt fsses, ard shs hsd executed
thsm, ~ iss a kaow, In eoaDexion With
The Inv u The II ited Stairs al i7S3. When
the cesNitutiessl snthpsity declared that she
ksd ns power ~ tbs swbjsrt, thst she had
no righs 10 lsgislsse ~ 4, thea she changed
her sysssn cfief;ssssiss.
: New, whils ] d. not srpscvs, ia my
own Judgment, The extent u which her
srt ~ss carried, snsss ssy, in reply 10 the
senator fs"sa Virginia, that I ses no ol,iigs-
tscs, except m ohiigatAas VI rouslssy, "a The
part u ths State II Massachusetts, 10 en-
ploy her cticep, Of bss prisons, ~ trs lee;s-
'at'on, 10 execute o. carry inso effect. pro-
vis'oa soa6ned exclusively 10 the lutte !
Ststes. Tbs power n interference ~ q
State hsd been d<nwd 10 her by TIM compe-
ssAt tr'bsasls u The eountsy; sad there were
~ you know, or, aud ~ oahen know, 81
that time other eaases working, which, no
deuh., might BY possibility have crested, 10
soma extent, spirit u resentment, il il BE-
10 i u " BE- regretted, whstryes aad how
ever unjust The provocssien. do not think,
then, that IN this there is any procf Of wait
81 attachment u the Union, o. anv violation
on the part Of The State Of her Obligations.
The United Stsies had said that il Was their
duty, and their duty alone, to execute this
provision Of the Constitution, and The States
have no power, 40 ceat,ol over il. think
that that wss pretty char hist, 70 say the
Toast, that they would take their own busi-
nsss into thor own hands, and msnage Il in
their way, regardless oi the States. What
was leh TO the State, then, but To repeal her
Laval They were dead letter on the stat
uts-book, because they had besn declared 70
to be. There might have been some want Of
courtesy, perhaps, in denying the use Of her
prisons, IN denying the use Of her officers;
but ! think even the senator from Virginia
will not question the right W to do. nor will
he infer from il any violation Of federal obligs-
ton whstever. Then, what becomes Of the
declaration OF tho senator from Virgiu,u that
Ma ~achusctts has been false TO her federal
obligstious'
The SENATOR goes on still further to specu-
late on the 81 te ofpublic sentiment or public
opinion which exists there. He SAYS, and
so saysthe honorable scnatcr from South
Carolina, that there is public opinion exist
ing there which is un.svorabIe to this law
and hostile to it. ! sm not disposed 10 draw
in question the substance Of that declaration,
il il goes no further than to sllege dissppro-
baton Of some Of the provisions Of the act
! believe many Of lie stringent provisions arc
offensive TO the great mass Of the community,
aud il there wer, time think could state
very good reasons why they should be-
They would, therefore, in my opinion; IL
they could frame law, make one in many
respects different. Bot, nevertheless, I ho'd
that the senator is in no respect justified 10
drawing the inference that the people will
not execute the .aw. II il time enough 10
charge them with want Of patriotism, ,
want Of fidelity, and want Of attachment
to the Union, when they show some ei
dence Of it--when they refuse OF neglect
some duty.
Z Now, do the facts, az they appear in this
case, show any want Of attachment or fidelity
to the Union do they show any disre-
spect to the laws Of the Unit,d States, or any
purpose whatever Of resisting the law In
my opinion, 20 tar As respects the peopl. Of
Massachusetts,, they show mono At oil. They
may be less jealous, a. volunteer agents,
upon subject Of that description, than upon
some others they have more at heart But
when have they failed in their duties and in
their obligations Why, the senatr from
Kentucky says this il the second instance
where they have failed Well, he has him
self furnished the Justification Of the first
He has said that the facts in III, case Of
Crafts were all committed to tho law officer
Of the government, and the law officer Of the
government said the mafshal had done his
duty. What had he attempted to do All
he had failed in doing was in lis unsuccess-
ful attempts to arrest the individual. And !
take it, when the law officer Of the govern
ment declares that he stands justified on this
point, he means to say the fscs were such
as proved that he performed his duty do
not know what he did I have never seen
these papers 1t is enough for me tha. the
law officer Of the government, after examin-
ing the matter, saws he did his duty Tee
Attorney General, in his statement, as the
senator from Kentucky saws, was not en-
tirely satisfied with his conduct; but still
there was no such departure, no such neg
ect, as authorized any punishment to be in
ficted npon him.
Did the people prevent hin from arrest,ne
this fugitive Is that any part Of the c,i-
dence Was i owing to the citizens Of
Boston. or the citizens OF Mpssarhus~tta