Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-04-12
PlainfieId. Illinois.

Resolutions on the subject Of Slavery adopted unani-
mouSiy 6y tie For Rioer Congregational Union,
Plainfeld, Illinois, January Is, 1851.
In view of the fact that American slavery, while
it is producing evils of peculiar enormity in the
Legislation of our country, does still find refuge
and sanctuary in the churches where it exists it
therefore
/. ReSoLUed, That it is the duty of churches and
ecclesiastical bodies, after labor and expostulation
with those involved in this guilt to withdraw from
their fellowship if it is still cherished or suffered
among them.
g ResoIred, That it behooves the managers of
various benevolent societies, though they NAV
not abandon the South as field of their labors vet
10 make themselves there known as uncompromis-
ing in their hostility to slavery, and to beware lest
by their connivance at its usages they soothe the
disturbed conscience of the STAKEHOLDER.
8, Resolped, That regard the late passage of
the Fugitive Slave Law as bringing deserved re-
proach upon the American People. We deem it
peculiarly unjust, oppressive, and odous for the
following reasons
1t Is virtually an er post tacto law, furnishing as
criminals those who may have escaped from bond
age months and years before its passage.
1t denies to PERSONS, subjects of American law.
the benefits of trial by jury and of the writ of habe
as corpus; thus by a violent construction of one
clause of our Constitution repeating its most val
Of CIIr
liberties against itself
1t is a CORRUPT law, offering bride to the in
dlclal authority which administersit-a bribe which
mocks that Constitution expressly framed .eto nro
moe liberty" and insults the integrity of Ameri-
can Justice
1t makes the exercise of compassion for and hos
pltahty to one painting for freedom a statute and
punishable crime, thus numbering the plainest
Christian duty with the transgressions of law.
1t conflicts directly with the law of God of which
we have the letter in Deut xiii Is, 16-s.Thou
shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which
is escaped from his master unto thee he shall dwell
with thee, even among you, in that place which he
shall choose in one of thy gates, where it lketh
him best; thou shalt not Cypress him." and whose
spirit pervades the entire word of God and makes
the Bible the manual of the philanthropst: where
by
1t ofends the conscience of many, who willing
to be Subject to every ordinance of man for the
Lords sake fail to discern between two widely
different sorts of unjust laws, viz: such as on the
one hand are simply injurious and 5urdeasonae,
whereunto expediency may choose between obedi-
ence and the penalty of disobediene, and on the
other hand such as are immoral, which no man
csn' with conscience void of offence obey
In fine, contravening, as it does. the law of Ma
ture and the law of God it is at once VOID and un-
worthy the sacred name of LAW Void because
no human laws are of any validity if contrary
thereto, and such of them as are valid derive al
their force and all their authority from this orgi
nai-Blackstone, Lntrod., Sec. 2; and unworthy o.
the name, because of law there can be no less ac
knowledged than that her seat is in the bosom O
God; her voice the harmony of the world; all thing.
IN heaven and earth do her homage, the very leas
as feeling her care and the greatest as not exemp
from her power; both angels and men, and crea
lures OF what condition soeyer, though each in diff
ferent sort and manner, yet all with uniform con
sent, admiring her the mother of their peac,
and joy"-Rookcr, Ecc'. PaI. l. xvi, 8.