The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-24

Of the COURTEOUS, in he cssstre Of the city, and
IN full sigh Of The officers Of all the municipal
outhorlies had beers dt noondey torcibly rescued
by ns0b Of oae or two hundred persons, from
the officers Of the law, carried out OF the build
ing and through the public streets in sort of
triumph, and enabled to escape altogether with-
out an attempt ON the part Of the authorilies, or
any Of the citizens 10 preserve order and maintain
the laU, or 10 pursue and retdke the fugitire, was
statement that seemed 10 him too improbable
TO be true.
| II was with feeling Of great relief that he
received such explanations Of this strange occur
renee us showed it to have been an entire sur.
prise upon the citizens and upon the authorities,
an net OF successful temerity on the part of a
very inconsiderable number of persons, which
only needed to have been apprchended the short
est time beforehand to have been prevented.
The President is confident that the great ma
iorty of the citizens of Boston are entirely loyal
to the Constitution; that they view with Just in
dignation all such outrages and all attempts,
whether by writing or speaking, to incite the
ignorant and unthinking to such acts of violence,
and that they ready 10 discharge the duties in
cun,bent on them BY the Constitution and la,os ot
the United STATES, faithfully and tearlessly un-
der all circumstances, whenever called upon by
the proper authorities
| The occurrence Of the 18th of February is
certainly greatly TO be regretted, as it gives oeca
sion to those not unwilling to seize upon it, to
question The disposition Of your fellop citizens 10
comply 10Th their constitutional obligations in
good faith. The history of such an outrage is
spread far and wide, and reaches where an ex.
PLANTATION may never follow, and create i'll feel
ings towards those whose only connection with
/ it is that they were residents of the place in
which it was perpetrated.
But, il as the President doubts not il will
this event shall arouse the attention of all good
citizens to a sense Of the dangers to be appre.
hended from the incubation of such doctrines
as have been spread abroad in the country, tend
ing to shake the authority of all law, to unset
tie society, and to absolve men from all civil and
moral obligations, and shall put them on thei
guard against the further diffusion of such per
ncious sentiments, Il may in the end be produc
tiue Of happy results; and certainly the almos
unanimous expression of Indignation which i
called forth among your citizens balances, Il
some erteni, The III effect fowing from il.
The President does not doubt that the people
of Massachusetts perfectly well understand tn.
difference between the freest discussion Of polit
zeal measures, and opposition to legal enactment,
already made and established
| He is quite sure that they regard the law O
the land, not as sentiment, or opinion, put a
a rule of conduct prescribed by the general an
thority, which all are bound to obey, at the risI
Of the penalties attached to its violation.
The President directs me to tender you hi.
thanks for the transmission of the resolutions
remain, Mr. Mayor, with great respect
Your obedient servant,
DANIEL WEBSTER.