The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-05-07
Tho su,remacy Of tho Law.

the laws, has been unshaken to find in rc.
cent events in Massachusetts the triumph.
ant vindication Of their aspcrsed faith. In
that Frec-soil and Abolition State, in Dos.
ton itself, the nursery Of those fair and love-
" plants, the supremacy Of the laws has no,
only been asserted hut maintained the law
loving ciiIzcns have vcntured TO face the
aboliiionists and lhe negro mobs and send
back to his Georgian master fugitive
slave. III this Important crisis, when an.
arcby and good orler seem struggling with
each other in n doubtful contest, the tri.
umph OF the latter, even in simple instance,
's matter for graduation. But this triumph
goes even farther and is still more signiii.
cant In many ofhr acts, extending through
some years past, Massachusetts, has evnccd
a Iesscning OF her attachment To this Gl0ri.
ous Union, she has seemed Indifferent to
her obligations n. member Of il and thus
has weakened iAc ties which bound tho
States together: she has exhibited such
hostility to the PECULIAR institutions Of the
Southern States that they have even
thought OF parting company with her US
dangerous ally. But her feelings have at
last been touch,d; like men generally.
who seem unmindlul of their blessings un-
I'll they are deprived of them, our common
history, with its glorious memories, the
value of our Uniu, under which we have
enjoyed SO much liberty and from which
liuve flowed so much prosperity and great.
ness, seemed have heen forgotten by her,
and shc has been squandering what was
priceless for the qualification Of the mere
whim Of moment. Happily, before it was
too late, her sensibiliiies have been touched
and her better, m2re generous feelings have
! been called forth by the coldncss cvinccd by
| the Southern States towards her. She has
seen with alarm tho almost entire cessa-
ton of that pleasant and profitable inter.
course which had subsiscd between her
people ard the men Of the South. The
hearts of her merchunt princes first felt the
rebuke. They saw and rcpentcd them
OF their errors, aud from them tho feeling
was communicated to others and self con.
dcmnation seized them for the inconsidcr.
aicncss they had displayed; and then, as
faith without works is dead, they sent
SIMMs back to Georgia. This, otherwise
amera act of justice, is made beautiful by
'Hf ~ih p9sa asss; sHiE5ht H ildle6
anu condemnation through her attachment,
to the Union, with generosity and magma
nimity that have been represented rs weak
ness and timdty. had forgiven all past
wrongs and coniumelies and only asked tina,
they should not be repeated in tho future !;
she held up the Constitution and the Fnei
tive Slave Act and made the just require.
mcnt that these should be regarded and
obcyed. And Massachusetts, her dcvot on
revived, her sense of justice returned, is
impressed with the noblcmcss o( the exam
| pie and lastens to reunite the links that had
bccn severed; SEEMS is transported bzrck TO
his scvyifIdc, is delivered up with ali the
imposing ceremony vbicII the occasion ren-
tcrcd puperr and thus she clasps hands
With he's Southern sister IN perpetual amiry.
But more than this the people OF Nassa-
chusetts, in their new loyuily to the Ftrgi-
tive Slave Law, are guarding jealously
against any further iniraction of it's provis.
ions, and arc making certain the impossible.
ty of any future rescue, within her borders,
of a fugitive arrested under its authority
Georgia regards principles and not dollars
and cents; she is no, SO much concerned at
the loss OF her slaves as at the violation Of
the law which entities her to the recovery
oft them. The two, lately alienated but now
rcconcilcd, sisters may hereafter move on
in the utmost harmony together, for, II
measures now OH foot shall be carried
through with rs much success as has at.
tended their commencement, even the Abo.
litionisls will not object that tho Fugitive
Slave Law shall hcnccior,h be enforced in
Massachusetts when ever there shall bc any
occasion for its application. The New Bed.
ford Mercury, of a week or two since, says
1--WE are pleased to announce that We.
ry large number OF fugitive slaves, aided BY
many OF our most wealthy and respecla.
bic citizens, have lrl, for Canadn. and parts
unknown, and that many more are in the
way OF departure. The utmost sympathy
and l'hcrai'iy prevails towards this class OF
our inhabitants"
Massachusetts having thus placed herself
far in advance Of her Abolition sisters in a
returning loyalty TO the Constitution, nav.
ing accepted the amjcablc proposals OF
Georgia and guar led against any future
collisions OF Philanthropy with the Law
should not the South with a proper appre.
ciaton OF her devotion, make her ,hut 70.
turn with which she would be content as an
ample reward !or all the sacrifices she has
made, renewal o! that commercial inter
course which had been so suddenly broken
off Abo'nionists shall hide their heads in
disgrace, the Boston merchants with CRATE