The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-06
From the Carlisle tPa.) Volunteer, July 8.
Ratification Meeting at Lancaster

The democrats of the city and county OF Lancaster
held very large and enthusiastic meeting in Lancaster
on Saturday last al which DR. Levi Hull presided, as
sisted by large number OF vice presidents and
ries. Our friend Capt Sanderson editor of the Inte
gencer as chairman OF the committee, reported series
OF strong and spirited resolutions, which unani-
mously adopted.
After the adoption of the resolutions, Mr.. Buchanan
addressed The meeting at considerable length IN most
claims OF Biger, Clover and the democratic candidates
for the supreme bench. and urged il duty incum
bent upon every democrat 10 yield willing and hearty
support 10 the whole ticket" He also referred 10 the
slavery question, and pronounced an eloquent eulogy
upon The Union. = ould Pennsylvania become an
abolition or free soil State" said Mr.. Buchanan
then farewell to the Union But it said the Union
in danger and men cried peace, peace did the
ancient false prophets. when there was no peace Look
at South Carolina which had already in February last
elected delegates to State convention with express
view TO separate In she should carry her
purpose into ehect--which he trusted In Heaven she
would not-no man could predict the consequences"
Throughout the other slavshoding States he believed
large majority would finally acquesce in the Compro
mlse hut upon one express condition. That condition
that the fugitive. slave law should be faithfully
ecuted In all the Union meetings, without exception,
throughout the slaveholdng States this condition had
been soemnly announced. He would cite the proceed
ngs of the Stale convention held in Georgia in Novem
Der last, example of what had been done at all the
other Union meetings He read from two of these
utions That the State OF Georgia, in the judgment Of
this convention will and ought 10 resist, eUen as last
resort, to disruption of every tie, which binds her
TO the Union," Sc, &c. "any act repeating materially
modifying the laws in force for the recovery Of fu
gtive slaves " and that il is the deliberate opinion of
the convention, that upon the faithful execution OF the
fugitive slave bill, by the proper authorities depends the
preservation of our muchlo Union" To say, then,
that the Union is IN danger, in case this law should
be repealed materially modified, TO pronounce that
all the southern States, without exception, have pro-
claimed falsehood 10 the world. And yet we are TO
have continued agitation in Pennsylvania for the repeal
or material modification OF the fugltive-save bill and
this ranscendenty important question OF Union or Dis.
union directly involved in our xubernatoal
election The late respectable wing convention which
sembed at this place had, by overwhelming majority,
voted down proposition which looked to the faithful
eutlon OF me fugitive law SO bitter mad been the
refused TO approve bill repeating section in act OF
s4 denying TO the government OF the United States that
right of courtesy which belonged even foreign nations
to have fugtves who had violated their laws confined
for seize. keeping in our jas.
Mr. Buchanan then expatiated at length upon the con-
shtuonaty, JUSTICE and necessity OF the fugitive slave
law. He said that the constitution of the United States
was solemn league and covenant between independent
State soveeignes, and that would have existed
without solemn pledge that fugitive slaves should be
restored to their masters and that if this pledge vio-
lated BY OF the parties. the other woull ee Them
selves 10 be released from its obligations.
Mr. Buchanan said that the southern States had acqui-
esced in the Compromise expecting that would produce
peace, and yet il now appeared that the agitation
continue for the repeal or modification of the fugitive
held most valuable the lives of those most dear to him.
as well his property, to be endangered by this
agitation in the North when all he desired was be let
alone and permitted TO live in peace.
Pennsylvania could finally decide this question. She
is alphabetically the Keystone of the Union. Let ma
oiiy Of her citizens steny decide that the constitution
and laws shall be faithfully executed-lha the fugitive
slave bill shall neither be repealed nor essentially modi-
fed-hat the of as shall be afforded the citi-
OF sister States for the safekeeping OF their
fuglives from labor whilst awaiting their ral--and the
danger will then have passed away Let her citizens de-
eide differently the approaching election and the
sequences may be disastrous.
He did not dread the dissolution of the Union, because
he believed that the kind Providence which had protected
in infancy, and had hitherto blessed us as ma
ton, would incline the hearts of people to do justice
to each other and TO obey, in good faith the constitution
and the laws, and this would render our Union perpetual