Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-27

LETTER FROM DANIEL WEBSTER TO THE
MAYOR OF BOSTON.

Boston, March 81.
The following letter has been received
from the Hon. Daniel Webster, in reply to
the resolutions of the city government rela-
tive to the late slave rescue in this city.
WASHINGTON March 10, 1851.
DEAR SR:-The President has had the
pleasure ofreceiving your letter of the 26th
of February, enclosing official copies Of
the order and resolves lately adopted by
the two branches of the government of the
city of Boston. 1t affords him great salts
faction to perceive that such measures have
been taken by the authorities of Boston to
give assurance that no other outrage, similar
to that which was, he presumes, the imme-
date cause of their adoption, will be per-
United to take place in your city.
From his earliest youth he has been ac-
customed to regard, with the greatest res
pect and veneration, the city of Boston and
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts. He has
been taught to believe their inhabitants,
almost above all others, the friends Of good
order and good overnment-intellige
enough TO appreciate the advantages of the
free institutions Of their own choice, and
capable Of solving that great political pro-
blem of the compatibility of freedom with
order-of liberty distinguished from hcen-
tiousness-and of sclfgovernment the far
thest removed from the danger of anarchy.
That they were especially devoted to the
Union Of the States, and the constitution
which establishes and still maintains that
Union, and that theirp patriotism never failed
to counsel them to fulfil all their obligations
under the constitution, justly and fully, and
in the very spirit in which such obligations
were entered into by their renowned ances-
sors. Entertaining thesesentiments, twas
difficult for the President to credit the ac-
counts which were received of the outrage
on all law pcrpetrated in Boston on the
18th of February last. That prisoner,
IN lawful custody, within the precincts of
the court house, in the centre Of the city,
and in full sight ofthe offices ofall the mu-
nicipal authorities, had been at noon-day
forcibly rescued by a mob of one or two
hundred persons, from the officers of the
law, carried out ofthe building and through
the public streets in sort of triumph, and
enabled to escape altogether without an
attempt on the part of any of the authori-
ties, or any of the citizens, to preserve or.
der and maintain the law, or to pursue and
retake the fugitive, was a statement that
seemed to him too improbable to be true.
1t was with feelings Of great relief that
hereceived such explanations Of this strange
occurrence, as showed it to have been an
entire surprise upon the citizens and upon
the authoritarian act of successful teme-
rity on the part ola very inconsiderable
number Of persons, which only needed to
have been apprehended the shortest time
beforehand to have been prevented. The
President is confident that the great MAORI
ty Of the citizens of Boston are entirely
loyal to the constitution-that they view
with just Indignation all such outrages, and
all attempts, whether by writing or speak
ing, to incitc the ignorant and unthinkine
to such acts of violence, and that they are
ready to discharge the duties incumbent
on them by the constitution and the law
Of the United States, faithfully and fearless
y, under all circumstances, whenever call
ed upon by the proper authorities.
The occurrence of the 18th of February
IS certainly greatly to be regretted, as i,
gives occasion to those not unwilling to
seize upon it; to question the disposition OF
your fellowcitizens to comply with the
constitutional obligations in good faith; and
the history of such an outrage, spread far
and wide, reaches where an explanation
may never follow, and creates i'll feeling
towards those whose only connection with
| 1t is that they are residents of the place in
which it was pcrpetrated. But, if, as the
President doubts not it Will, this event shall
arouse the attention Of all good citizens to
the sense ofthe dangers to be unprecedented
from the inculcation of such doctrines as
have been spread abroad in the country,
tending to shake the authority of law, to
unsettle society, and to absolve man from
all civil and moral obligations, and shall
put them on their guard against the further
diffusion of such pernicious sentiments, it
may in the end he productive of happy
results; and certainly the almost unanimous
expression of indignation which it called
forth among our citizens, balances, to some
extent, the i'll effects following from it.
The President does not doubt that the
people Massachusetts perfectly well I'M
derstand the difference between the lust
discussion of political measures and oppo-
siiion to legal enactments already made
and established. He is quite sure that
they regard the law of the land, not as a
sentiment of opinion, but as a rule of con-
duct prescribed by the general authority,
which all arebound to obey at the risk of
the penalties attached to its violation.
The President directs me to tender YOU
his thanks for the transmission of the reso-
lutions.
remain, Mr.. Mayor, with great respect,
your obedient servant
DANIEL WEBSTER.
John Z. Bicelow. Mayor of Boston.