Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-12-11

, attention. ailude TO the recommendation
for the appointment Of a commission TO
settle private CLAIMS against The United
States. Justice to individuals as well as
to the government, imperatively demands
that some more convenient and expeditions
modethan an appeal to Congress should be
adopted.
1t is deeply TO be regretted that in sev>
eral Instances officers Of the Government,
ia attempting to execute the law for the
return of luglives from labor, have been
openly resisted and their efforts frustrated
and defeated by lawless and violent mobs
that 10 one case such resistance resulted
ia The death Of an estimabIe citizen, and in
others serious injury ensued TO those off.
GERS and TO individuals who were using
their endeavors to sustain the laws. Pro.
secutions have been Instituted against the
alleged offenders, so far as they could be
identified, and are still pending. | have
regarded it as my duty, in these cases, 10
gave all aid legally in my power to the en-
iorcement Of the laws, and shall continue
TO do so wherever and whenever their exe>
cuions may be resisted.
The act Of Congress for the return OF
fugltives from labor is one required and
demanded by the expressed words OF the
Constitution.
The Constitution declares, "That no per-
son held to service or labor in one State,
under the laws thereof, escaping into anoIh,
er, shall; in consequence Of any law or
regulation therein be discharged from snch
I L. - L,g ,I al l.,
on claim oil the party to whom such service
or labor may be due" This constitutional
provision is equally obligatory upon the
Legislative, the Executive; and Judicial
Departments ofthe Government, and upon
every citizen of The United States.
Congress however, must, rom necessi.
ty,frst act upon the subject, by prescribing
the proceedings necessary % oascertaln that
the person is a fugitive, and the means tn
be used for his restoration TO the climate.
This was done by an act passed during he
first term Of President Washington, which
was amended by that enacted by tie last
/ Congress, and il now remains for the ta>
ecu,ive ard Judicial Departments TO take
care that these laws be faithfully executed
! This injunction of the Constitution is as
pcremDtory and IS binding as any other;
it stands exactly on the same foundation
as that clause which provides for he re-
surn of fugtives from justice, Or that which
declares that no bill of altdinder or eI post
fzct0 law shall be passed, or that which
provides for an equality Of taxation, ac-
cording 70 the census, or the clause De.
Glazing that all duties shall be uniform
throughout the United States, or the i'm.
portant provision that ihc trial OF all crimes
Shall he by jury. These several articles
and clauses Of the Constitution, all resting
on the same authority, must stand or fall
/ together. Some objections have been urI.
ed against the details Of the act for the re-
turn OF lngiliyes from labor but il is wor-
thy Of remark that the maiu opposition is
aimed at the Constitution itself, and pro
ceeds from persons and classes ef persons,
many Of whom declare their wish 10 see
that Constitution overturned. They avow
then hostility to any law which shall give
full and practical effect 20 this requirement
oGlbe Constitution. Fortunately, the num-
Der Of these persons is comparatively small,
and is believed to be daily diminishing, but
the issue which they present is one which
involves the supremacy and even the cx-
istence OF the Constitution.
Cases have heretofore arisen in which
individuals have denied the binding author
Ity Of acts Of Congress, and even states
have proposed 10 nullify such acts, upon
the ground that the constitution was the
supreme law OF the land, and that those
acts of Congress repu9nant 10 that instru-
menl; but notification is now aimed, no:
50 much against particular la"s as being
inconsistent with the ConStitUton,a ,as against
the Constitution Itself; and il is not 10 be-
disguised that spirit exists and has been
actively at work 10 reud usunder this Uni
on, W hich is our cherished inheritance from
our revolutionary fathers.
In my last annual message | stated that
| considered lie series Of measures, which
had been adopted at the previous session,
in reference TO the az talon growing cut Of
the territorial and slavery questions, rs Il
final settlement i'll principle and substance
ofthe dangerous and exciting subjects V hich
they embraced F.; and r, commended al
herence to the adjustment established by
those measures, until time and experience
should demonstrate the necessity Of furlh-
er legislation TO guard against evasion or
abuse. was not induced TO make this
recommendation because thought those
measures perfect, for no human legislation
can be perfect Wide differences and Jar
ring opinions can only be rcconciad BY
yielding somethinu ON all sides and this
result had reached after an angry conflict
Of many months, in which Ole part Of The
country was arrayed against another, and
violent convulsion seemed so imminent
Looking at the interests Of the whole coun-
try, | felt it to be my duty TO seize upon