Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-06
THE COMPROMISE MEASURES.


Hon. S. s. PHELPS, late Senator from Vermont,
has written letter TO LUcIUs B. PEcK-who de-
clined to be the Amalgamation candidate for Gov
ern0r Of that State, on account of the abolition
character of the resolves of these who nominated
him, in answer to one from the latter giving hisviews
of the constutonality of the fugitive slave law, and
other matters connected with it. We need not say
that Judge PHELPS defends the constitutionality of
the act for his opinions.up it are well known !;
but he does SO in most thorough and convincing
manner. On the " higher-law !" doctrine, and its
concomitants, the Judge has the following pungent
remarks:
n me that we have but alternative, either
to carry out the law epudate the Constitution The In
justice Of suenderng the fugitive there be any, originates
in the Constitution, and in the law. So conscious are
its most violent opposers of this that every blow aimed ny
them at the law falls upon the Constitution, and they are
driven either to denounce the Constitution ITSELF to the
sophisry Of higher law which shall override and abrogse H.
This law is to be found they hold in the breast or con-
science Of every individual and is to be what his own
peculiar mode Of thought bliss Of education, prejudice or
passion may choose to make it. greater absurdy cannot
well be conceived than proessed government OF laws 10
which the obligation force, and efficacy Of tho law depends
upon each mans conscience, what he may imagne or
profess be its Dictates and he at the time the keeper OF that
conscience Should such principle be found at the oo OF
our institutions Is much be feared that the thousand
opinions, toims ,Ohas and iss, revolutionary and DIS
organizing in morals, religion and politics. which character
zs this age Of esesnes and progress will not only make
strange shpweck Of institutions, but will solve at once
the great problem Of the capacity Of man for sesovenmen
Socialism, Fanny Wightism Mormonism, nay, Infdsy it
self will rse each upon the wings Of its conscience to
iunine and govern the world One may lay the at the
root of private property and throw all into stock
another may and obleate the domestic relations and
herd US like the beasts of the sa third may reduce
to the AFFECT spiritual slavery and rob him Of that very
conscience which is the Of this higher law and
fourth will have nothing to do when all this shall have been
accomplished mans earthly prospects already blasted
but to rob him Of bis hopes Of eternity Of what value
that law which nobody bound to regard unless they choose
What security is to afford il it depends upon the conscien
ous approval Of each individual whose standard OF obed
consciences governed by rules, is subject to
no CONTROL and de6es all Judicial Investigation Does not
this at last that after ALL the experiments that have
been made further the great objects Of human association
security in life liberty, and properly, the only security We
shall have for all or either to be found in the free and
restrained indulgence by fallen Of his vicious and de-
PRAYED proPensites ~ ..ass4s. Eli
COINCIDENCE will prove practically the worst Of all tribunals If
YOU admit its jurisdiction IN you must in ALL You
can neither control its operations question s Dictates nor
appeal it, decisions Nay, more; you cannot even ques
ton the report which the keeper Of this oracle may choose to
make Of its responses There will be remedy for error
ahacs folly and passion. and no restraint upon evil and
corrupt purposes Il easy perceive that such doctrine
abrogates at oil legal authority and that system OF
upon which such element ia ngraed must
be emphacaly Government without law, force, eff
cacy." FL sle aAH
After dsposing Of the subject of the constiutionay of the
law the Judge the habeas corpus act of the last Lee
gislaure Of Vermont for the purpose Of preventing the
cuon Of the law in thai State, Of which be says: " If the
States can egsl.e in such override control
the acts of Congress, the power of that body nugator,
and explains that the act the Legislature conflicts with the
law Of Congress, adding
The radical objection to the act of Legislature, in
short is this Having themselves power rghtfnl
troll over the subject they have attempted take it out Of the
hands Of the judicial authorities Of the United States where
consituonaly belongs have yet seen paus
bic argument defence the act Of Legislature What is
said Of the sacred Of the remedy BY habeas corpus
well enough but it must be borne in mind that as this sub
jss commisted By the Constitution 70 the legislative and
judicial authority Of the United States, tho remedy whether
by habeas corpus otherwise must be sought there The
right and duty Of Sats to protect its own citizens a. an
abstract propositions will not be Questioned but it must be
remembered that al those matters committed the
Of the United States they the State 1t is the duty
Of the State protect the industry of its citizens but nobody
supposes that the Legislature Of Vermont establish tariff
for that end"
Senator PHEIrs says of the agitation which is continually
going on in regard the law and of those who
ed init:
Whoever would wipe away the present laws, and sd
lust the matter in way in oil respects satisfactory al will
find himself engaged in hopeless task Il cannot be DONE
If the present adjustment stand venture the preic
ton that no other be obtained know something Of
the difficulties Of the subject and the unavorabe temper Of
the times do not desire to controversy renewed
the oor of Congress which, fear has already proceeded
far for the stability Of the Union"
He concludes with expressing his appreciation Of the
pursued BY Mr.. PEcK "on recent occasion" The high
judicial and senatorial reputation Of Judge PHrLrs, acquired
during the many years he the Bench Of Supreme
Court and Senator in Congress- will justly give great weight
to his opinions this subject not only in VKRMoNT but in
all the Northern States. We have not given his consitu
oual argument comedies With most others the
subject but may have occasion to refer to it again.
MonrAL1rr AMONG PEnsoss OF IsrxMrERArE HAsITs.
Al meeting Of the Statistical Society Of London June 10TH
"a paper read by f. G. p. Nelson, Esq, from which
data 10 regard the longevity Of persons who
are habualy incorporate The mortality of this class Of
persons 10 shown be fghuy high In years Of
e which his observations extended 357 deaths had taken
place but if these lives had been subject to the rate
Of mortality the general pulaon Of England and Wales
onethird AT the Of life from twen,yone to thirty the
mortality upwards Of five times that of the general COM
muni and in the succeeding twenty years It was above
four times greater An incorporate person Of twenty
Of age has equal chance living 1885, Of thirty years
sgs 1875 and Of forty years 6 years, while per-
son the general population Of the country would have
equal chance Of living 442 $685. and 2S8 years, resPec
lively. The influence Of the different kinds Of drinks
the duration Of life also shown. Beer drinkers averas
ing 2l7 years. spirit drinkers 1871 years, and those who
drank both spirits and beer Unfortunately 1871 years The
average duration of life after the Of ntempe