The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-06

tcas manifested. At Lynn, Worcester, Spring
field, New Bedford, bingham, Syracuse, Buf-
falo, Albany, Pittsburg, and an uncounted num-
Der OF other places, these assemblies were held,
breathing generous rage at the enacted wick
edness. and a deliberate purpose to resist it."
Such is the testimony of the abolitionists them
selves.
Then. February Is, came the affair Of the
rescue of Shadrach. Members of this very
committee were present with the mob, aiding
and comforting, and counselling together, and
insulting the United States in the persons Of
their officers. No man was more efficient as
member Of this committee, by his activity, in
violating the law and the Constitution, than was
the mayor of the city of Boston, by his "mas
terly Inactivity" in accordance with that de-
claratiOn, which he made to the editor of the
Worcester Spy, as he has asserted and reiterated
that "no fugitive slaUe should be carried alray
from, Boston,"
Now, then, for the question. In view of all
this, is there a man in Massachusetts, or out of
it, who, having attentively considered the evil
dence already presented before Mr.. Conmis
sioner Hallett, will say, as man of honor, that
he believes the assemblage by which Shadrach
was rescued was nothing more than "Gn 0rdi-
nary mobs" Would not such an assertion re-
fer the declarant to the category of innocentsg
Who 50 stold as not to perceive at glance the
connection between those resolutioners at the
meeting in Faneuil Hall, with their attempts
to shame and browbeat the sworn servants of
the law into a breach of their trust-and with
their promises of aid and cooperation to the
fugitive slaves-and with their Vigilance Com
mittees authorized "to take all measures they
shall deem, erpcdient"- / ask, SO stolid as
not to see and clearly comprehend the connex-
ion between these resolutioners and their move
ments, and the act of the mob who rescued the
prisoner on the fifteenth day of February last?
Who doubts that the mob on that occasion
had assembled in conformity with a systema-
tized plan to prevent the execution of law Of
the United States2 Here must repeat those
memorable words Of the Supreme Judicial Court
of the United States, delivered by Chief JUS
tice Marshall ''.4I those aoho perform any
part, ho,ceper minute or hnweper remote from
The scene Of action, and rho are actually Isagued
IN the general conspiracy, are TO be considered
as traitors"
Was there not a time, even after his arrest,
when nobody believed that Dr. Webster, pro
fessor in Harvard University, would be hung
When some of these light and l0ue men have
outraged the laws little longer, and the pa
thence of the Government shall have had its
perfect work, we may be compelled to look
upon the melancholy spectacle of some one Of
these furious philanthropists dangling in the
air--white neckcloth, spectacles, and all
If the late occasion did not imperatively re-
quire of the President of the United States to
issue his proclamation, it would be rather per-
picking to describe condition of things which
would require him so to do. His oath demands
of him, to the best of his ability, to 'spre-
serre, protect, and defend the Constitution Of
the United States" When men, some of whom
are clergymen and lawyers, conspire to nullify
law, based upon one of the provisions of that
Constitution-that is, conspire TO leuy ,oar;
and, under their encouragement and assurance
of protection, men assemble, and actually lepy
,car, for such object, to say the proclamation is
unnecessary and aincalled fcr," savors prodi-
giously of the idiotic. SIGMA.