The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-25

y a. moi ne latter eear, Tor the court had not said that
the State could pre- Their prisons 10 DC useu o
confinement Of these well as oihsr prisoners
under the authority OF the UneJ States why, tnsn, was
the PERMISSION her prisons withdrawn why v"'
10 embarass 10 re and far depeuded upon Tue
action Of the legislature OF Massachusetts, 10 render im
possible the execution OF the law Then, ~ the mex
place the State stop with dschagng her oce's
IRON any .at on TO execute thus law That WAC un
for The supreme eur Mo- forbids
her officers, as SUCH from executing Tue iusuVeear
law rdoes stop here irgoes furbr1 ana .Np'sssN
and unequ'vocay prohibits all The Once ho 'es ~
usetls named in that law from rendering lhe'f assist
ance as citizens of The United States. when summoned W
the authorities OF the Uned States, 10 execute law o.
stables and other officers shall not officially execute me
law and they shall not in any way ad or ASSIST 10 ne
execution OF IT, Ii is evidentbeyond dispute NO hunai
ingenuity make a doubt upon IT, NO human skill can
avoid the conclusion that il that act is to be carried out
produces this result; that when the naisnai oi ne
United States with process in his hand elmer IS pre-
arrest under IT, assaed by overpoweng force and ms
prisoner about to be rescued from hm Al he calls upon
The officers and sherfs OF the State OF Massachusetts 10
aid him in the execution OF his duty they are liable 70
thousand dollars hne 10 two years imprisonment,
they perform the duty which they owe 10 me uhiten
States when thus lawfully called upon hat ls the law
of Massachusetts, The almost that could have been SAID
was that after the decision OF the case OF Pfgg Us rem
syvana, the State might she thought proper 70 TAKE
such an attitude have Withdrawn all voluntary a.l ana
the execution OF that law but now can se
prohibit her citizens, Who though they may DO sherfis
or consabes OF Massachusetts, are not thereDy maue
such mighty men as be discharged from all obligations
to the United States, How can she justify herself OF
how can any excuse paaton be made for her, IN pro-
hbi,ing every man that holds office under her, OF me
classes described this act OF the legislature from yield
ng obedience the lawful commands OF lawful ocer
OF The United States to aid and assist IN executing ala"
full process III his hands
That the first step the proceedings WHICH led 10
the Bos on riot and il dates back TO 1913 lhere Is
law announcing ntellis IDLY TO the people OF Massachu-
sets that execute thus law is SO disgracelui hat no
man holding office under that Stale shall De perint'eu
to engage in such act OF lniamy and degradation 70
undertake to do il is to commit offence worthy OF two
years Imprisonment that he who does shall be put mo
the Jail, confined with ieons, ana treated as
disgrace 10 the State and reproac TO his fellow
This opinion OF the law makers is soemnly propasaed
by this acl through the whole Stale OF MASSACHUSETTS.
That is the first step
Then sur we have the meetings of the abolition soce-
ties We have public town meetings called. We have
lecturers and amongst them that infamous man TO whoin
the senator from Kentucky has alluded and to whom no
man can aude in terms than his deInerit de-
seves--tha nsolent foreigner who has dared 10 invade
the shores OF this county, and 10 endeavor 10 stimulate
the public TO OF violence and resistance TO the iaw
and TO dissolution OF the Union We have HIM and ms
associate lecturers We have these societies. We have
the pupits-yes sir, have those who affect to repre-.
sent the Divine Teacher of the Christian religion; and
what do they all say Everywhere we have heard the
same strain addressed to The tuguves and their black
allies: The law is odious yoa are Tree The eonsplu.
ton which pronounced that The chains OF slavery winch
around you IN the country IRON which you He'd
shall follow you here is abrogaed and overborne by a
HIGHER Law" You not bound TO submit TO II you
bound TO escape; collect yourseves prepare arms
deie0d yourselves and trust 10 US lsay they to every
slave in the country for assistance for aid, tor Potec-
ton. That what they have SAID and now. Mr. Pres-
dent, after all lhis-ai,er the legislature OF Alassachu-
sets have far they could, stamped character OF
gnominy upon this awhave declared that all aid IN ils
execution In any way incompatible with the hlsh
dignity of officer the State OF Massachusetts. thai
the constable must consider himself d degraded
wretch who puts forth his hand the execution OF this
Iaw-aer all these efforts have been made, through The
pulpit through foreign and domestic lecturers IN favor OF
sedliion, through public meetings assembled every
where-what do we lind? Every species o obstruction
by peoggmg lawyers; false charges brought forward ;
false arrests made Tor the purpose OF lettering owners
from the pursuit OF the slaves that have escaped IRON
them And then finally ind, when a slave has been
arresled-when The examination IS carrying oh-when,
Mr. President, delay has been asked poessedly for the
purpose OF procuring evidence but which subsequent
events show with the covert purpose vi having an
opportunity the time of etiecng violent rescue
OF the parry IN custody when we mud these things and
lind them followed up by certainly most and
founding exhibition IN thai counS-a collection oil Tree
negroes, members OF degraded CASTE degraded every
where, having the eroniery TO come forward IN the
public view IN great cy and by violence overpower
and insult the officers OF the law and rescue the prisoner
why, SIR becomes OF alarming character; not
have mentioned the degree OF violence
The number OF The VAflts concerned IN the peera
ton OF this outrage, but because II rs following out oil
wha, has been indirectly aimed al by the act OF the legis
aure and has been directly consumma,ed by the public
declarations OF preachers and lecturers public meetings
held among them.
Now, sir, must say that under such circumstances
believe the President Of the United States would have
been totally wanting TO his duty II he had done less than
he has done. | veiy much question whether he might
not with pfopreiy have done but had he done less
he would have shown himself unworthy oil the high
place he occupies and crminslly n-enslbe the great
interests ntrused TO his charge Whenever outrage
OF tins KIND rs committed, permit me 10 say tina eXpe
hence has taught that danger Is 10 be appfehehded
not IRON too prompt interference, but ltom too long
delay We all recollect the accounts gwen oil those
ouuages IN 1879 and l7So which dsgraced the Island OF
Great Britain We all recollect aud know very well
that bad the attention OF the government been called to
the FIRST outbreaks that occasion, and It's power
promptly put iouh, these movements would have been
Immediately suppressed, and the supremacy OF the law
established with little difficulty and bood,hed What
was the case then IL bore strong analogy 10 the
outrage Societies had been formed, fret OF obscure
men, OF hue esteem, or power, consideration, who.
processing them selves 10 be the exclusive defenders OF
the Protestant interests were eDdeavoring TO the
seeds OF dssension among the people OF Scotland and
England, on account OF measures, in the king
dom accomplished, and IN the other projected for
ing small poton OF grievous restraint then affect
ing his MsIesiys Catholic subjects Grea, Britain
When the nfsi outbreaks occurred, they were smsll
and lnconsderable The government quietly looked on.
NO efheieDt power put forth for the punishment of
parties concerned in them. We all know what the
consequence OF this criminal indifference and neglect
These associations acquired such power that for days.
Fires, Iobberes, pervsded the whole Of il
and at last The popular outbreak had to be exngushed
by The blood oil clens, shed by bands OF soldery called
IN under the necessity oil the to reduce them sub
lection and the offence aioned Tor by Offering up
numbers OF victims the altar OF justice, in the regular
course oil judicial proceedings following the suppression
OF that outbreak All tell that had the governm sn
stfn hlntr hEaf ,L.