The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1851-05-10
From the Charleston Mercury.
TESTING THE PRINCIPLE OF LAW

Ho AAN0 Il z TNlN\AK LIZ oE LA ~
The Savannah Morning News Of some
days back, after alluding to and contra
dieting the report that the Abolitionists of
Boston had purchased the slave Sims Of
Mr. Potter, proceeds to state, as the result
| OF a personal interview with that gentle
man:
'Mr Potter has not been influenced by pecu-
mary conside ratons in the pursuit of his slave,
but has been actuated by principle alone. He
desired to test the operation of the Fugitive
Slave Law, and to demonstrate to the country its
consttationallty and its efficiency in protecting
| the rights of the South, regardless OF cost. He
has made the test. He has required his property
at the hands ofthe law, to which even the Anati-
cism of Boston has been forced to yield reluctant
| obedience. While he is gratified at the result,
as exhibiting the fidelity of the federal and mun-
clpaI authorities Of Boston, he is nevertheless
opposed to any compromise ofprncipie with the
abolitionists, and assures us that no amount of
money that they could offer, could purchase his
slave to be set tree among them. This - the
correct principle, and we conceive that Mr. Pot
| ter is entitled to the appreciation all true
| friends of the South and the Union, f"r the pa
tliotlc example he has set in this matter"
We have no fault to find with Mr. Pot
ter's behavior in this waiter. 1t has been
spirited and consistent, and we feel obii.-
ed to him also, for atfording such "a test
Of the efficiency Of the law in protecting
W
der at exceedingly. is that man of his in
telligence, an editor as independent AZ he
of the Morning News. should treat this,
efficiency Of the law.
AS an individual case it stands thus.
Several attempts had been m ade to recov-
er fugit,ves from Boston, and they had
signally failed. The Administration had
become excessively alarmed by the effect
these instances of resistance to an impor-
tant law were exerting thrOushOu the
South. They had taken measures to use
| all the power Of the Government in carry
| ing through the next case that should occur.
That case proved to be Mr. POtter's. He
is rich man. lf-Nor,hern and half
Southern, and a devoted friend of the
Compromise. He wished to prove, cost
what it mis- ght, that the Fugitive Ac: could
be carried out at the North, and IN this he
was moved by the same feeling as the Ex-
ecutive.
Mr. POtter's servant was arrested the
fact of his being fugitive was established
by the most positive and conclusive testi-
mony the case was one of the simplest
that could occur, and the decision was in
accordance with the evidence. But the
expense Of carrying through the case
amounted to $4,000, of which much the
largest part fell on the master, and when
it was brought to an end, there was no
other way of carrying OF the man, than by
chartering a brig, drawing out a regiment
of police and militia, and removing him
before daylight in the morning to escape
a mob.
This is what Mr. Potter calls testing a
principle and proving the efficiency of a
law! We doubt if there ever was a law
enacted. from the creation to this day, that
could not be enforced at such cost as
! this.