The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1851-12-11

20 put legislation should he frfwcvc5
md ! slnr-rly hoe .ha. he r'rssa;
.uugj"'s viii not ciose thor ialiut,
vi'Non' ado ticg e'ii,icnt mtans,n sap.
ily 'h' omissions Of these who have,
preceded them.
An Agricultural Bureau. charged
with the duty Of collecting and dis.
.emins,ing correc, irforms'.on a. 'e
the beat modes Of cultivation. and Of ,hc
mos, efec:ual means q preserving aud
restoring the fertility Of tic soil, AID OF
procuring and distributing seeds aud
plants and other vegetable prohibitions.
with instructions in regard TO the soil.
climate. and treaimen, best adopted ~
their growth. could not fail to be. in the
language Of Washington, in his last al.
nual message in congress. a very cheap
instrument OF immense national benefit.
Aud in conclusion the President says
Of the compromise measure that:
1t ia deeply TO be regretted that i'll
several instances officers Of the Govern
mcn', in attempting to execute the law
for the return Of fugi,ivcs from labor.
have been openly resisted. and their
efforts frustrated and defeated by law.
less and violent mob. tina, in one case
such resistance resulted in the death Of
on esiimable citizen, and in others Sc
riouS injury cnsncd TO those officers and
to individuals who were using their en-.
desvOrs to sustain the laws. Prosccn-
tons have been instituted against the
alleged offenders, so far AS they could
be identified, and are still rcnding. I
have regarded it As my duty. in these
cases, TO give all aid legally in my pow
er to the enforcement Of III. laws, aud
| shall continue to do 80 wherever and
whenever their execution may be re-
sisted.
The act Of congress f,r tho return Of
fugi'ivcs from labor is one required and
demanded hy u. express word. o. the
constitution.
The Constitution declares, That no
person held TO service or labor in one
State. under the laws thereof, escaping
into another, shali. in consequence OF
any law or regulation therein. be dis
charged from such Sc vice or labor, bn,
shall be delivered up on claim OF the
party to whom such service or labor
may be due. This constitutional pro.
vision is equally obligatory upon the
legislative. the executive, and Judicial
Departments Of the Government, ar
upon every citizen Of the United States
/ Congress, however, must, from ne
ccsslty, first act ulon tic subject, b.,
prescribing the proceedings Necessary
TO ascertain that the Ierson is fu
gi,ivc, and :hc means to be used FOL
( his restoration to the claimant. Ihi
was done by an act passed during thu
frs, term Of President Washington
who was amended by that enacted
by the last congress, and it now re
mains for the Executive and Jn1l
cial Departments to take care tina
these laws he faithfully executed
This injunction Of the Constitution !;
as peremptory and binding as an.
other. Ii stands exact y on the sam,
c-..~i".:~" 90 .'.". .i".,~ which p,V
vides for the return Of flsitiycs from
Justice, or that which declares tina
no bill Of attainlcr or cy post fact
law shall b. passed, or that which
provides for an equality Of tayat;oy
according to the ccnsus, or tie claus,
declaring that all dates shall BE- uni
form throughout the United States
or the important provision that TIT
trial Of all crimes shall be By jury
Tnese several articles and clauses .
the Constitution, all resting on tn
same authority, must stand Or IA!
Together. Some objections have
been ur5el against the details q IT.
act for the return Of fugitives from
l.5or, bn. i. is WORTHY q remark tia
the main opposition is aimed aslins
! the Constitution Itself, and proceed
from persons and classes Of persons
many Of whom declare their wish t
see that Constitution overturned. -
! Thoy avow their hostility to any la,
which shall give full ard practical c
feet to this requirement Of the Go,
stitution. Fortunately, the numbc
Of those persons is compara.iyei
small, but the issue which they pre-
sent is one which involves the supren
acy and even the existence Of til
Constitution.
Cases have heretofore arisen
which individuals have denied til
binding authority Of acts Of Congress
and even States have proposed
, nullify such acts, upon the ground
, that the Constitution wa. tho SUI
RENE law Of the land, aud that thos
acts Of Congress were repugnant t
! tina. inatrument--but notification
now aimed, not so much against Ia
ticular laws as being inconsistcr
with the Constitution, az sgaias. tt
Constitution it5eli:-ani it is no. t
be disguised that a spirit exists an
has been actively at work to rcnd a
sundcr this Union, which is our che
. lshcd Inheritance from our rcyolutio,
ary fathers.
, In nv las. annual meSsaro sta