The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-25


more Tolerant ef The slaUs-huntsr, who, under ID
safeguard, pursues his prey upon our soil? The
stamp act could not be executed here. Can the
Fugitive Slave bilR
The slaUe hunter is any citizen Of the South
who may come hither, under the authority d
the Constitution and laws Of the United States,
to reclaim his fugitives 1t is he whom this
lover Of the Uqipn-this abhorrer Of sectional
ism-would subject to the violence and outrage
employed towards the distributors Of stamps in
l765.
Again:
"Did the same spirit which inspired the fathers
inspire our community now, the marshals, and
every magistrate who regarded this law 40 having
than presume to execute It.. This, however, il too
much to expect from all at present. But will not
judge them. To their own condolences leave
them"
Well, this is very kind of Mr. Sumner. At
ter having denounced them in set terms, he
will not Judge them. If Judge Woodbury.,
and Judge Sprague, and all the commissioners
and marshals had the spirits which inspired
the Jtathers--not Cyprian, Chrysostom, &c., but
the Sons of Liberty, &c.--then, SC. This,
however, must depend upon one condition, that
they were SO insuherably stupid as to- see no
difference between the two occasions,
That man who throws every obstacle, in his
power to throw, in the way of the execution Of
an established law Of the land, and who en-
ploys every argument OF perverted reason and
ridicule to stimulate the sworn officers of the
law to violate their oaths, must set high
value upon the ''ende0ring name of country"
How "twice blessed" the Union must be to
such a mani How readily we yield our be-
lief, when he avows his purpose to ''discounte-
nance every effort to loosen any Of those ties by
achich our fellowship Of States is held in fra
ternal companyW Read this, gentle reader:
esThe magistrate who pronounces the decree Of
slavery, and the marshal who enforces IL, act in
obedience to law. This is their apology, and Il is
also the apology of the masters Of the lnquisition
they ply the torture amidst the shri ks of their
victim. But can this weaken our accountability
for an act Of wrong' Disguise it, excuse it you
will, the fact must glare before the world andlpen-
citrate the conscience, too, that the letters and
chains by which the unhappy fugitive is bound
are riveted by that ribunal-that his second life of
Indebtedness dates from their agency-that his
second birth as slave proceeds from them. The
magistrate and marsha of the United States do for
him here, in country which vaunts Christian
civilization, what the naked, barbarous Pagan
chief beyond the sea did for his grandfather in
Congo; they transfer him to the slave hunter, and
for this service the very price paid for his
grandfather in Congo-ten dollars"
How easy the sacrificed How light the task!
There is nothing in the way Of compliance
with the will and pleasure Of this discreet
young Judge but violation of the laws of the
United States, the remuneration Of the Consti-
tuition, and the commission of perjury and trea-
son. 1t is indeed considerate in this reasonable
gentleman to leave the judges and other officers
to their consciences.
The following, though quoted in former
he
of curiosities:
s'Sir, will not dishonor this home of the pill
grims and of the Revolution by admitting-nay,
cannot belicvethat this bill will be executed here.
('Never.'] Individuals among US, az elsewhere,
may forget humanity in fancied loyalty to law;
but the public conscience will not allow man who
has trodden our streets as freeman to be dragged
away a slave
Cheers" ''applausc," ''imn,ease sensa-
tion," appeared like insensible perspiration to
have relieved the assembly continually before
whom Mr.. Sumner spoke his remarkable piece.
Whatever he did or said, some one of these
tokens of wonder or delight was surely forth
coming. The reader may Judge how very
easily it was done by the following brief ex-
tract from the report:
first il back bone; the second is back bons and the
third is back bone" Loud cheers.
II seemed to me, as / read this passage
about the backbone, that it would not be alto
gether amiss If some men carried Lord Mon
boddo's appendage at the end of it.
Let us recur to Mr.. Summers letter to the
Legislature. Therein he says:
"But am cheered by the generous confidence
which, throughout heightened contest, persevered
in sustaining me, and by the conviction that,
amidst all seeming differences Of party, the senti
r. 1871 Al -
led to my original selection candidate dear
to the hearts ola large majority Of the people Of this
We have brought the reader to be acquainted
with some of Mr.. Summers sentiments Are
these sentiments ''dear TO the hearts of large
majority Of the people Of this COMMONWEALTH
God forbid. 1t never entered into the heart of
man to conceive Of any assumption more AFRO
giant and absurd.
After stimulating the people, and urging
them to be not more tolerant in regard to the
Fugitive Slave law than were the Sons of
Liberty in regard to the Stamp act, and rous-
ing the "ungouernabIc rage Of the people,"
find in some, but not IN all the reports of Mr..
Summers speech, an intimation that he was
not in favor Of torciblc resistance. From this
it must necessarily be presumed that he thought
his hearers would infer from his remarks that
he was. 81 counsel no violence," says this ex-
cellent citizen. 81 am entirely opposed to com
bustion," says the maniac, as he hurls fire.
brand into powder magazine; "Ionly propose
to burn quarter Of a pound"
DR.. Jonathan Mathew counselled no violence
when he garbled the words of St. Paul to the
Galatians, and expressed his benevolent wish
to the Sons Of Liberty, 1 ,ooild they ,oere eperl
cut Off that trouble you. But what is the stand
ard of that mans integrity who assures the
people that the law will never be executed
here-that there are among us those who will
protect the fugitive by force--reminds them of
the violent measures adopted by the Sons Of
Liberty nl765-earnestly holds up to them this
example in relatonto the Fugitive Slave law
the Ineligible question, "sSh0H we
be more folerant9" and answers it fervently and
".No, neuerw What, ask,
may be the standard of this mans integrity?
And this is the gentleman with when "the
Union is t,cice blessed" and who believes it to
be his duty "fo discountcnance every effort TO