The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-04-23

and threats OF rescue, must be regarded as
tho retreat of the federal government from
the opponents Of tho law.
The case had attracted the, attention Of
the whole Uhion through tho telegraph. II
was regarded ns q test. /. 1t was proclaimed
in Boston paper the dag before, that tho
slave would bu given up, and taken away
in opentay. But this was not done. There
are many Northern mon here who desired
the law to be enforced, and were confident
that its supremacy would be completely
vindicatcd OH this occasion. We have not
seen one who has not expressed his disgust
or regret at the nocturnal proceeding Of
the government.
For our own part, we think the officers Of
tho United States, from the President down,
have done their duty in this case faithfully
and we think it was better for the federal
government TO retreat by night, than to be
beaten in daylight, by the people or the mob
OF Boston.
We are not unmindful Of the necessity of
law, or Of the duty Of enforcing il against
mere rioters or mobs, or factions. But the
| resistance made to the fugitive slave law,
is that Of the people Of many States. In
such d case bloodshcd is no remedy. II
would probably make things worse. Whei
one people, or one section, differs from
another, force and blood arc uncertain and
UNI easonablc arbitcrs; and we should bc
sorry to see them rcsoricd to in any event,
and never until all other modes OF adjustment
fail.
1t is now wc suppose, obvious enough
that the fugit We slave law can be executed
only by stealth, ut great expense, delay and
danger, il is worse than useless as Erac-
tical remedy.
Where attempts are made to enforce it.
tho fugitive either escapes, or is delivered
| up in secret. II then he is taken home, or
taken any where in the South to tell the
story of Northern sympathy. aid, and re-
sistnncc, his influence would be worse than
Il half dozen AholitinnSts. II the slaves Of
the South understand that in case they
escape 10 tho North. they viii have all the
immunity resulting from the chances Of
eluding arrest, Of ample legal pc,,i,ogging
il arrested, and OF rescue before and after
trial, why then the object Of the con-
sltu,ional provision OH this subject is sub
stantia,ly deieatcd-the compact is broken.
Ii is stated in two ol the Northern papers,
that the fugitive, Sims, was purchased IN
Boston, and after bcn. formally removed,
is to be restored. II this is tho case. the
Compromise is very much as usual, when
the South is concerned.
The law is enforced, in form, by night,
and the fugitive IS to be free any how. Ills
owner gets the money, as Texas did. The
South takes the consequences Of pro-
cecdings that render her property in this
respect more insecure than it was prior to
the passage OF this law.
|, Such, however, is the cause that bclalls
had faith. For this law the border Stsics
of the South, deserted the rest. Behold
their reward.
These things must be making it rather
more and more obvious to the most ob,usc
and inscnsblc subniSsonisl, that great
questions nrc not to he settled by shuiilng,
subtcriuge and treachery. The surrender
of territory, ofan empire to section, under
pretcncc OF u people to choose their own
institutions, the dIsmcmbcrmcnt OF section
under pretence that particular S;nt':
within il had the exclusive right Ia decide
for the rest, and that there was such thng
as decision under N-reat o. force, uie .,1s..i-
-. - e. 81