The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-10

III al use peW HOsA P%PoEA u PFecaseIy Such
document, in relation to federal politics, as might
have been expected from its aDtecedents. New
York certainly is entitled to the credit of pro.
ducing the most jssuiticaI politicians in this
GLORIOUS Union" Of ours and the fame Of
MAKTH Van BUaEE, a q greater non-commit.
talist even than Gen. CAss, must pale before
that Of WAsHmGT os HUHr.
We append TINT portion of his message which
refers to tho Fugitive slave law /: in which the
Governor cries out Good Lordl and Good Devil
In the same breath aio }1
Ii cannot be denied, that the recent act Of Con-
gress for giving fuller effect 70 the provision re-
curing the return Of fugitive slaves, has excited
Dissatisfaction in many portions of the country,
carrying them almost 10 the extreme Of threaten
ing resistance to the law. But all good citizens
will recoect that whatever may be their individual
priety Of any Legislative enactment, it il their
plain duty, 20 long it remains in force, to sus-
tain the authorities legtimately charged with its
execution. Approximations have been entertained
that. under the hastily considered provisions Of
the act, passed during period Of unusual agita
ton, persons Of color claiming 10 be free, and
really free, are now allowed those reasonable OPP
portunities, and those customary legal afeguards
necessary to enable them TO establish by adequate
proof the fact oftheir freedom. A recent case has
shown this belief to be not merely speculative,
and that the danger that freeman, under the
summary mode in which that law can be exc
cutsd, may be hurried into captivity, 10 not wholly
imaginary. Va csnMos, and zoe do not believe that
the people Of The South, any more hss The .No@fh
aims al, sr desires such vessor sciA insist on re-
timing provisions leading to such ereiiins comse
quenees. We shal rely not only on their sense Of
propriety and reciprocal jnstice, but their calm
conviction that the lsp itself to be permanent, must
be reasonable, for their Mning, after due reflection
wiM Ateiv brethren Of the NORTH in kind and dis
passionate spirit in repieWing such clauses AZ may
be found dsJtcivs or Objectionable, and in consent
ing to saeh judicions modi fcations may command
general approval. In the meantime, our people
must be LEFT free to examine its provisions and
practical operation. Their vital and fundamental
right 10 discuss the merits of this or any other
the very basis Of our republican system, and can
neverbe surrendered. Any attempt to restrain it
would prove far more dangerous than its fteest
exercise. But in all such discussions we should
dyest ourselves Of sectional or partizan prejudice
and exercise spirit of comprehensive patriotism,
respecting alike the rights Of every portion Of our
common country. f
AS specimens of the reasons Why the Cover
nor thinks the Compromise ought to be salts
factory to the people Of the North, and agits-
ton be discontinued, we give two very preg-
nant paragraphs. 1t will be seen that he fol
lows in them the line Of argument adopted by
the Northern champions of the Compromise,
and which are certainly we'll adapted to reconcile
our Northern brethren to those peace meas
ures:" ms rs.
LIST. That the North gets by it all the terri
tory On dispute, and e ,ssde'
I'd That the great " national interests of the
Northeast and Northwest ought to be attended
to-and that cessation of the controversy be.
tween the North and South is desirable to Of
feet that object q s5o.se rs,a = 30
Thus descants he on the first head; ~
Since the adjournment of our last legislature
the grave questions respecting the organization Of
the newly acquired territories of the Union (which
had for some years involved the country in agita
ton and strife, have been definitely acted on by
Congress. California has been welcomed az the
thirty first State composing the Federal Union
the disputed boundary of Texas has been settled
while New Mexico and Utah have been organized
by acts which in effect leave the Mexican law pro
hibi4ing slavery in force, and refer the question OF
ADMISSION
ion of the people concerned. is generally believed
that IAe public sentiment in these ne,cIy organized
cosuities, cooperating sch other causes, sciA pre-
rent the introduction Of slavery, from chich the
try spss exempt sehe~ scss conquered BY our arms
Whit unreas enable fellows these New Workers
must be, not to consider getting the ,ohole the
BEST THEY CAN GET" Southern politicians arc
content with taking nothing, as the BEST THEY
CAN eEr"-and rejoice, and are thankful to the
North! for its national and patriotic spirit
But unfortunately, Gov. Hunt does not seem
to think even this sufficient to satisfy his Knick-
erbockers-so he slyiy tips them the wink about
more spoils, and more protection
Before dismisaing the subject Of our federal re-
lations, deem il my duty to advert to the serious
evils which some of our most important inter- sts
have suffered from the failure Of Congress TO ertend
that protection TO domestic industry Which experiences
has ocn TO be necessary to sustain certain branches
of manufactures against foreign competition We
see the effects Of the tariff of 1876, in the suspen-
sion Of many establishments, not only in our own,
but our sister States, involving large nvestm ents
Of capital, depressing not only the labor Of the
manufacturer and mechanic, but impairing the
market they had created for the products Of our
agriculture. 1t is reasonable to hope that this
state Of things, so injurious and unnecessary, may
be remedied, in degree al least, by jdcios and
timSly s,iion in Congress. 4.s,..-
The interests Of this State, in common with
other sections of the country, have also suffered
much detriment from the neglect Of the General
Government to make appropriations for the inn
provement OF Lake Harbors and the removal OF
distractions in the Hudson river For more than
twelve years, the great power conferred on Con-
gress by the Constitution to aid and protect navi-
cation on our national channels Of commerce, has
virtually been held in allegiance, dormant and un-
exercised. This dereliction Of duty has caused
great embarrassment to all the interests connected
with Our internal trade. 1t has compelled the
STATE to incur heavy expenditure which should
be borne by the Federal treasury. The canal au-
thorities engaged IN the construction Of an
expensive pier at the harbor OF Bao for the safety
and accs mmodaton Of the lake shipping entering
at that port. The expense Of this work ia esti-
mated at over 100000. I'm account offhis ezpem-
ditsre ,ciu be kept under The directions If the GENIAL
board, e~d at prope, jancsrs, the amount expended
ought, and doubtless soiu, be refnded to the State BY
the General Gorernment. Every consideration OF
interest and duty demands that the powers belong
ing to Congress for the regulation and protection
of commerce should be steadily and vigorously err
prrissd bv such constitutional action a. NAV beat