Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-08-09

odiy du occasion Tor IL 10 come or ltSe
That occasion they assure us will be the modifca
ton of the Fugitive slave law
f Whoever dares these boots displace
} Must meet Bombastes face to facet
t 1t is true that they have announced the same ca
tastrophe as sure to arrive on other occasions
on the admission of California, the separation O
New Mexico from Texas, or the exclusion of sla
very from the territories. And yet California wa
, admitted, New Mexico was organized as an indie
pendent territory, and we have yet to hear of th,
transportation of any considerable number o
slaves to New Mexico or Utah. But the grea
clmax of disunion has not been performed Anc
now, having been driven from these positions. the
same oracles of despair and destruction proclaim
either IN tones of menace or of fearful exhortaton
mat what they have not done when there was
something real at issue, they will now do when
the point is to them not worth farthing. If the
fugitive slave law is modified they will dissolve
the Union
And like an insubstantal pageant faded
Leave not a wreck behind
What degree of respect is to be paid to so sense
less q fodreang, how far we ought to regard this
awful threat, We have endeayored to show on for
mer occasions. But when we hear the menace re-
! peated, we cannot suppress the wish that these
silly boys might be gratfed for while, and al
lowed to quit the Union and left to take care of
themselves alone. Not long would they crave
such independence. Soon, like weary truants,
they would return to the genial shade and secur-
ty of the rooftree and the freside they had aban-
doned, and, grown wise by sad experience, would
never more desire to wander. But this is out of
! the question. They cannst be allowed 10 cut up
such capers, nor in truth anything further from
their intention. They wosld feel badly if the
chance were open to them. Ehey love bluster, but
hate action.
Nor shall we bestow any pleasure on these gen
tlemen when we assure them tiat the contingency
on which they have based the execution of their
grand scheme of pyrotechncs 1; not likely 10 occur
We look IN vQin for tie DroJa525ty of repeoE or
modification Of tie FugitiUe Slaas lar. That lar
ere suppose as destined to remain on TIE statute book
We could wish itwere otherwise. We could wish
to have 1t modified IN many particulars, especially
by the introduction of jury trial among its pro-
visions, But there as not the least indication hat
such a Mange aoaU be made. The next Congress
will moi make it. There is nowhere great party
demanding IT, Public sentiment regards it with
comparative indifference. There is no such over
Whelmng popular movement in favor of repeating
or changing this law there was at the North in
l848 and '49 against the extension of slavery
How then can this law be touched?
Nor an truth as The matter Of so great practical
consequence as has been supposed. To the ,SoutAf
the Laa as Of no real advantage because the expense
Of getting slave ander IS, after all, more than
he IS aoorh What is the market value of all the |
slaves reclaimed by virtue of its provisions who |
WoNld not have been reclaimed without it ? IoIt
$1,000 I? We don't believe it, but at any rate we
are sure that whatever it is, the captiVes have not
paid he expense Certainly, compared with the |
num5er9 Of Tyt1awagS tie handler Of those taken /
back to Slavery IS scarce drop IN the bucket. The
law is then orthLess to the South except so far as
may satisfy the susceptibilities and appease the
wounded dignity of slave owners.
Il IL. c-x1.. Al
er one of abstract principle than of universal +
evet-rcady interest. 1t is seen that the law is an
improper one, favoring slavery, and trampling on
the time -honored guarantees OF American freedom,
butstll this fact does not rouse the people to ac
ton Were slaves recaptured every day it would
be otherwise, but so are such captures, and
so various and easy the means Of conveying fugl-
tive into safety under the British flag, that there
is NJ general excitement on the subject. is seen
thai the main point at issue IN the struggle Of
'48'49 aCas sCon 6y freedom, and though an oc
casonal outrage on humanity may be committed
unoer the law, still IN the reaction which necessarily
succeeds warm popular movement, there is dis
position to let the law itself remain untouched and
subide into its natural place a dead letter.
Sometimes, indeed, when IN some rare case it is
brought forth and applied, sometimes happened
with the law which preceded it, there will be local
excitement, but warm general feeling is not to be
wisl this were otherwise But these are the facts;
the people will not act and in such we must
acknowledge their decision even while duty may
require sometimes to oppose It.
The truth is that the business of slave catching
would never had assumed such magnitude in the |
public view, but for the great controversy the
more important question Of SIa0ery ertension.-
The South would never have thought much about
it, had not defeat on the main issues of that con-
troversY made her strenuous about lesser things
The South annexed Texas to extend the power OF
slavery, and by the help of Northern Democrats,
1--WE will not now mention names, carried the day
in that struggle. But that was not enough The
Mexican war made and the territories acquired,
ali with view to the same end of extending the
Southern institution and perpetuatng its power
But here the North, which had meekly acquiesced
in the Texas operation, kicked out of the traces
and the Free-son agitation begun. In the contest
then set on foot, each party, Of course, raked up
every ground for compliant against the other, and
the South made great ado about the escape of
slaves. And while beaten on the main question,
thanks to Wing administration and the firm
ness of some gallant spirits among the Northern
members of Congress,-the slavery party got the
present Fugitive law enacted, and-much good
may it do them.
For the whole agitation the South is responsible.
Had it obeyed the dictates OF practical wisdom,
staid at home and minded its own business-had it
concentrated its population instead of dispensing
and had it let Texas and Mexico alone, the Free
soil party would not have been called into existence,
nor would there have been any necessity for saving
the Union. Nor yet would new fugitive law