The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-10
Fugitive Slave LaW.-PolIey of the North.


We copied on Tuesday an article on this
subject from the most influential paper in the
Northern States-the New York Tribune. We
now subjoin letter of the son of the late JOHN
@. ADAMS, corresponding in sentiment with the
TT bune article, and which may be regarded as
Indicative Of the policy of the anti.slavery party
in reference to this law
it will be seen that the main point aimed at is
to amend the law as to require a jury trial of
the fugitive BET, re delivery that he may, through
the forms of the statute, receive the benefit of
their conscience" or "higher law" Such a
trial, in State whence fugitive escapes, would
not answer their purpose.
Mr.. ADAMS does not want lis unconditional
repeal, because it would revive the act of 1893,
which he regards "quite as subversive of the
principles of liberty this, and only less odious,
because it is less Indignantly effective in its de-
tails" The repeal of both would not repeal
the constitutional stipulation, which his father
once denounced as an engagement positively
prohibited by the laws of God, delivered from
the things that are Caesars" would still be there.
Hence he proposes, as "a choice of evils" to
submit the fugitive to examination Of a legal
tribunal, to the ordinary laws Of evidence, and
to the verdict Of twelve good men and true"
The probabilities of the efficacy of such a
provision, aside from the positive hostility and
bad faith which exists at the North, may be seen
10 the difficulties frequently encounterd there in
obtaining jures whose "consciences" are not
opposed to capital punishment And yet tae
anti-capital punishment sentiment is but spec
on the face of public opinion there, ed
with the overshadowing prevalence Of the anti
slavery sentiment.
We have italicised the passage in Mr.. ADAMS
letter, recommending process by which their
assaults upon the law should be conducted, and
some other passages.
The Tribunss article, it will be recollected
treats the law as already practically nullifed'
and imperative" and thus plumes itself upon
the engrossment by the North Of all the prac.
teal benefits of the compromise. In the pleni.
/
over its clear gains" and goats " with proud
satisfaction" on The rich harvest" it has made
| in securing the Mexican territories to free
DOM" where otherwise slaves would now be
washing the golden sands of California" But
in the event that the federal power should be
able to breathe sufficient vitality into the law
10 enable il TO rear its hideous features" the
trial by jury is threatened in the following para.
graph, which we re-quote:
"The law Of 1850 must turn out to be an in
operative enactment Indeed, it is practically
nulliied already, When il costs, as in the case o.
Sims, FIVE thousand dollars TO catch and return
a single runaway. But if il is to be anything
but self-nullifying act, lying dead on the statute
book, its repeal, or essential modification is in
evitable Its one hdeous feature, giving TO
creature Of the government, called a "commis
sioner," the authority to tonsign a free man Il
slavery is too intolerablc to be borne in any
long course Of practical enforcement. The trid
by jury, in every case involving personal liberty
is too precious to be surrendered at the desir'
or the dictate Of any administration, or any sec
ton of the confederacy and the demand o
such trial in the case OF alleged fugitives, is
Congress which shall approach this subject in
spirit of Just regard, wewill not say to the fun
damental right Of the citizen, but 10 his well
established anu indubitable constitutional priv
leges."
It then goes on gently suggesting that as Nj
CLAY has already admitted the reasonabienes
Of providing for a trial by jury in the Stat
where the fugitive is claimed, he may have sine
seen enough to convince him that ID would b
best now to yield to demand for such mod
fcation Of the law as would secure such tria
al The point Of arrest" But whether he yields o
not, il afTirms that II il not within human
power at this day, long to successfully resist il.
AT previous stage Of the crusade agains
slavery, the "right Of p etition" was the "wooder