Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-05-01
NO. 48.

a
deed, he would be unamiabe, disagrceabie and
termagant member of society in whatever situation in
life you might place him. Such men. large numbers
ia Legislative body, would bring legislation dead
stand lock the wheels of Government and arrest its
course, in social domestic affairs at home they
would keep nelghborhood or village in commoton,
church town meeting in confusion. My dispos.
ton and character unsnited % be represen-
tatlve OF such persons Though did for this
Fugitive slave law, regarding part Of the gener-
al adjustment Of these slavery Questions opposed
to touching It, deprecate and deplore the continued
agitation Of slavery questions in Congress think the
action OF the last Congress embraced every measure
touching the institution upon which there any
cessty for Congressional action. would discourage
and dIscountenance its further agitation productive
only of unmixed evil And allow me TO add, on this
SUBJECT that the very you and those you re-
present making, is, above all others, In my
humble Judgment, best calculated increase this evil,
If it attain sufficient generality and strength TO ef
feet its object. What is it 1t ayowed purpose
OF making this comparatively unimportant question
the Fugitive slave lawthe all-absorbing, verruing,
and controlling question in National Politics Every
thing else is overlooked and aside-you allude To
nothing else in your resolution OF enquiry. The great
constitutional questions and measures Of Administrative
policy growing out of them such Banks Tariffs In
ternal Improvements, the disposition and Of
our public lands the collection Management, and appro
pration of the public revcnues-these. and many kim
dred questions, hitherto regarded by great States
men, great and highly important questions. are not
included advered your enqunies-the in ercnce
IS, the candidate may hold such views, aud advocate
such doctrines, and vote he pleases thcm-they
and collectively oil compared
with the Fugitive slave lava law designed only TO
carry INTO effect plain provision OF the Constitution
dangerous in my opinion to one, except who
would desire to trample upon and disregard a coDsu-
tonal obligation. Your course, in Short If embraced
by the community generally annAilaes old par
ties and organizes sectional ones than which, if per-
sisted in, nothing would be more certain to bring ruin
upon this now happy and prosperous Union.
do you think injustice thus describing and char.
acerzng your purposes-the whole proceedings Of your
meeting indicate this settled design, if / read them
Ifrlf Aa fnafr
promise to vote repeal modify the law referred to-
but he must pledge hmsefto more it, if one else does
and he is not asked for s opinion TO make motion
upon any other question. This is rather a
platform for me. can join such party. j
cept seat IN Congress upon no such terms. not
ambitious 10 JOIN in such an uaenviable crusade.
Ii Is remarkable, bat 1t Is nevertheless true that
neither you far as have Observed very few of
those who sympatze with you the free States have
said ythng against the other fire embraced
IN the general settlement 10y the last Congress You DO
not ask your candidate repeal modify any OF them
The inference then is inevitable, that you satisfied
with them SEEING, therefore, that fire measures out
OF sir, suit free State people, mag not, without
very great stretch of charity and hberalty tolerate tho
sixth though it may not altogether coincide with
feelings and notions of proprety
Now, in the South all of the other FIVE measures are
violently assaied by hose who like you, dssats-
fed with this general adjustment. They talk OF them
in this way
California with boundaries embracing all the Paci-
c included in late acquisition Of territory,
stretching from thrtytwo orty-two degrees, is ad-
mitted into the Union Free State, with Consiitu
ton expressly prohibiting slavery-he door IS closed
against in all that large and clitteng domain iorev
er Utah is organized into territory without repeal
ing the Mexican law, which excludes slavery, and
without guaranteeing, we yainy attempted, the pro-
lection of our slave property there. New Mexico is
disposed of in like manner and not only this, the Slave
State of Texas is dsmcmbered and her slave territory
annexed to New Mexico, which is free Territory and
will ever remain So end than all taxed
pay for this robbery. The slave trade has been
abolished in the District of Coumbia-thus paving the
way a gradual emancipation there. 1t is thus
have been driven out Of the territory vaor and
money in part won and is thus have been insued
and wronged by the so-caled compromise measures"
This is the substance of the editorial articles and
stump speeches of the dsuniOnists of the South. OF
do endorse the truth business OF these
complaints-ar from il. Though it Is true, as they
state, that by the Of the settlement, slavery IS
excluded from every part OF the territory acquired
from Mexico the result of the late war and there
The remotes chance Of its acquiring ootho!d
npon any part of it, yet 1t IS Just cause OF complaint
from the South The people OF California had right
and done right exclude slavery in making Their Con-
sution. Utah and New Mexico were free when they
came into possession, they should and will remain
STILL il is all strange, that these kind of obec-
tions should be urged in the South, and that they
should have considerable effect And little intrinsic
justice and force think they have in them, must
be allowed to say that they bear, in tins respect, IA
vorabe comparison with those urged against the Eagi-
tive slave law in the North.
You seem urgent for the repeal oil that law. Whyf
For what reason What would you effect by Its SIM
pie repeal What great object would you obtain
thereby Would its repeal Insure the Fugitive slave
trial 10y jury in the place where taken Not word of
1.-THE law says nothing about trial by jury, and
therefore its existence does not prevent H. than
its repeal could insure restore il. Would II in any
way affect preserve that other bulwark OF civil her
ty, sometimes said be abolished by this law-the
writ Of habeas Corpus You know II would not, Tor
you know the law, by the decision Of the Attorney
General and of the Judges of the Supreme Court
of the United States. leaves the writ unmolesed and IN
fall vgor. Then what would its repeal do Simply
nothing bat TO leave, the only remedy Tor the slave
holder, the old of 1893, which, every respect
principle is precisely and undeniaby identical With
the amendatory of last session which you seek 10
carry them into effect; and the amount Of PEN
atty incurred by their volatonin nothing The
old says nothing about trial by jury the writ Of
Habeas Corpus-the new act says nothing 95out them.
Anything which would be offence aganss the one,
would be offence against the oher-the Inference,
repeats only to means and penalties-ihe latter
provides officers execute itself, and adds heav
Ter penalties for violation of it--this is ALL
The repeal of this law, now, would not only be re-
garded by the Slave States indication OF want OF
fidelity Constitutional obligation to "dever up"
their fugitive slaves but it would be regarded by the
slaves themselves sort OF encouragement and invita-
ton to make their escape to us desire, by no act oil
mine, in their minds such dangerous and false
hopes. do not want negroes among US even II irees
far less if runaway slaves
My answer is now, hope, sufficiently full and Eek
pict however, il may differ with your sentiments. and
If the issue Won present must come there should be no
equvacaton either by candidates voters. Let it be
decided possible, whether this great country
is to divide into parties by geographical lines ano become
the theatre Of constant and continued elimination and
recrimnatoa, between opposing sections, leading to
consequences the most alarming and disastrous, or,
whether now at period OF It's greatest prosperity and
brightest hopes, IL will sterny rebuke this dscordant
spirit. and march on in It's brilliant TO the high
and glorious destiny which the patriotic and good Of all
u - Io~.o =