Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-01

execution of that law But how she prohibit her citizens,
who though they may be sher and consabes OF Massachu
etts are not thereby such mighty men as to be charged
from obligation the United States How justify
herself? How any excuse palahon be made for it
when she has prohibited every who holds office under he
from yielding obedience TO command made by officer
the United States assist in the execution of lawful process
in his hands
Mr. President, that is the first step in these pro.
ceedngs II dates back to ls43. Here is law ineligible
"a the people of the United States. To this law
disgaceul that holding office under the State
Massachusetts, shall be permitted engage in such act Of
nfamy and to undertake to do it is commit offence
worthy Of two years imprisonment. He who does shall be
put in the common jail confined with felons treated as dis
grace to the State and gnomny to his fellow creatures
That the first step. Then have the meeting of the
abolition societies have public meetings Called we have
ecturesand that infamous TO whom the Senator from
Kentucky has alluded, and to whom no man can aude In
terms than his dement, deservesthat infamous
foreigner who has dared invade the shores Of this country
and endeavor stir the population to acts OF Violence and
resistance of the law and dissolution OF the Unionwe have
him and his associate lecturers we have these societies. we
have the puIpsye sir have those who affect to follow
the Divine teacher of Christian religion, and what have
they all taught We have too, the strain in all parts
of that section of the country, the law odous you are
fee the constitution which pronounced that the chains OF
slavery which around you In the country from which
you fled follow you here prohibited, and this is done by
shigher law You bound submit this collect
means prepare arms, defend YOURSELF and trust to every
fugitive slave in the country for assistance, for aid for pro-
lection"
That is what they have said and now, after all this has
been gone through; after the Legislature of Massachusetts,
have far they could established and fixed gnominy
upon this aw after they have declared that to aid in its
cution in any way is incompatible with the high dignity Of
office bearer 10 the State of Massachusetts, and that
constable sheriff must consider himself as degraded
wretch if he puts forth bis hand to assist in the execution Of
the awaer all these efforts have been made, through for
egn and domestic lecturers favor of sedon, through public
meetings and assemblies what do find Every species
of obstruction by peoggng lawyers false charges brought
forward false arrests made for the purpose OF lettering those
gentlemen who of slaves who had escaped
from them And, finally, find when slave has been
rested when examination is going and when delay
has been asked poessdy for the purpose Of procuring evil
dencebu the subsequent events show the covert
pose have opportunity to effect the violent rescue OF the
party in custody-when find these things followed by
certainly and most astounding exhibition in this
country, of collection Of free negroes members OF degrad
ed degraded way having the erontery to come
forward in the public view great city, and by violence
evepower and insult the officers of the law and the
prisoner becomes act of alarming Importance Not as
have menone account Of the degree Of violence or the
oumber of the parties engaged in the preparation of the
outrage but because it is the carrying out of what has been
indirectly inmated of the law Of the Legislature and what
has been directly consummaed by the public declarations OF
preachers lecturers, and public meetings held throughout that
State. Now, must say that under such circumstances be-
eye the President of the United States would have been
totally wanting to his duty if he had done less than he has
DONE very much question whether he might not with pro-
pey have done moe but mad he done less he would have
shown himself unworthy pacehe occupies, cm
aa nsensbe the great interests committed to his charge
Mr. President whenever outrage OF this kind Is COM
ed experience permit me to say has taught me that dan
ger be apprehended not from prompt interference but
from delay. We all ecoect the accounts given OF those
ouyages in 1879 and 1880, which dsgraced the island Of
Great Britain We recoect, and all know very well, that
had the attention of the Government been called to the first
outbreaks that occasion those transactions would have been
immediately suppressed and the supremacy Of the law would
have been established with but little difficulty and blood
ahad a yyas ne case rOnp an
the present outbreak Societies had been formed first of
obscure men, of little estimate or power consideration,
ho protesting themselves be the exclusive defenders of
the protestant interests endeavong to the seeds OF
dissenson among the people of Scotland and England
count Of measures in the kingdom accomplished, and
in the other projected, for removing small portion OF
the grievous Determinations then affecting his Majesty
Catholic subjects in Great Britain. When the first out
breaks occurred they small and inconsiderabe
The Government looked on inatientveiy No efficient
oo was put firth 70 crush them punis the parties con-
rned and all know what was the consequence from Is
criminal indifference and neglect These associations
CURED such power that for time in the year $780, they had
the city of London in their hands. Various murders,
robberes and pevaded the whole OF it, and at last
the outbreak had be extngushed in the blood Of the m
zen shed by bands of sodey called under the necessities
of the reduce them subjecon aud by offering up
great numbers of victims upon the altar OF justice In the re-
ula of Judicial proceedings, the outbreak sup
pressed All tell that had the Government struck blow
at the first exhibition of this violence prugng out of these
previous prepared for by the previous arrangements
the country would have been saved what stand
everlasting disgrace to Great Britain. Many innocent lives
would been saved, and of the property Of
the innocent inhabitants But the Government not having
put forth hand in the beginning to stop this these people
stimulated excessive violence and crimes, by the
supneness Of the Government giving opportunity to these
persons seduce the people from their duties and to engage
them in these hazardous expeditions.
In my opinion issuing this proclamation the President
has done wisely Sir know nothing OF any such PROPOSE
ton Government of laws that the question whether the
law be executed shall depend the opinion OF the
people whether they like He who obeys only those
laws that he likes obeys law he only follows his in
cnaion, and no patriot He is no man OF conservative
principles he no worthy Of being citizen of great
and free republic who does hold himself ready any
promptly lend his assistance to execute those laws
which are odous him. well those which he regards
being perfectly right
When therefore, we the test made in part of the
Enion that whether law is be executed no, is 10 de-
pend whether the people like it no-when we see the
Legislature of great wealthy, and populous State coming
forward and passing laws making such Discrimination al
lowing assistance the laws of the United States by Its own
officers when they like those laws, and Withdrawing and
prohibiting and treating the United States alien to their
affections and opposed their best interests and happiness
when they do not like the law which has been passed by the
United Sates- say when such things are seen, and when
under the influences suggested popular outbreak has taken
place. and person has been rescued from the hands of jus
tce the President who does consider that important
and of high Government to his country Is sig
nay deficient in the high intelligence which should belong
to his station and if concevng it does not act at least
with the prompude and energy which has characterized the
late Of the President of the United States he
himself tosy unworthy Of the confidence and OF the place
which he holds.
Mr. DOWNS. My object in rising the present
sion is to say that do not at all concur with my honorable