The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-03-18
The Source of lhC Evil.

The Washington Republic of Tuesday
takes some pains to viIIdicate the necessit,
OF the recent proclamation of the President
in answer to the denunciation of it by the
Bos:nn Atlas as unnecessary and uncaled
for" The Charleston Mercury remarks that
TO do this the Republic is obliged to prove
that the resistance tc the law, in the recent
case, was not accidental, but deliberately
prepared. and part of the operations laid
down by wide and powerful combination
of citizens of Boston. 1t shows that this
case was only all instance and consequence
of measures distinctly indicated in the pro-
ceedings of great public meeting held in
FaneuI Hall in October last. The call for
that meeting was signed by three hundred
and forty respectable citizens it was pre-
sided over by son and grandson of an ex-
President of the United States, and its otli-
GERS were among the men of weight in Bos
ton. Among the resolutions unanimously
adopted by the meeting, were the following ::
"ReS0tved That we cannot believe that
any citizen can be found in this city or vi
clnlty, so destitute of love for his country
and his race, and so devoid Of all sense of
justice, as to take part in returning fugitive
slave under this law
"ReS0lrcd, That we individually pedge
TO our coored fellow citizens, who may be
endangered by this law, all the aid, cooper
alton, and relief which the obligations of
each OF US to the supreme law OF God and
right impose upon us; and we accordingly
advise the fugitive slaves and other colored
inhabitants of this city and vicinity to re-
man with us. We have no fear that any
one will be taken back to the land of bond
dage, and we trust that such as ha e already
filed ill fear, will return to their business and
their homes"
What was the recent mob and rescue,
but the faithlul carrying out of the recon-
mendations of the previous public meeting
Ihe Republic clearly makes out its case, so
lar as show that the determination to re-
slst the law, extends to arge and iniuen-
tlal portion of the people of Boston. 1t
might have gone much further and shown
that tho who do not favor resistance, still
give 1t the negative support of opposition to
and denunciatlon of the provisions of the
act, and seek to prevent explosion of vio-
lence against it, by encouraging the hope
that more moderate measures will secnre its
abrogat;on. The Boston Courier closes an
= Of the late
With paragraph that has q WhoIe volume
81 41asaaIa&aa aaIa&a III lis asssGss ,,a, .
ave have already alluded to the disas-
irons effects likely to be produced at the
South by the lawless deed of Saturday.
Another may now be specified. In the de-
bate in the United States Senate on this
subject yesterday, Mr.. Clay remarked that
the fugitive slave law neUer aoouid be re.
Eedled, y such outrages aoere committed.
Ihe antl-slavery mad-caps now see the con-
sequence of their insane doctrine and pros
porous acts-tley 7oe,petuate the uery eUn
seh'ch IS the object Of their denunciatioas.
Every outrage like that we have inst wit
messed puts off, further and jsuther, ,s,tlae
dag Of delaDeyance far the Stage. Yet these
men tell US their conscience bids them prac-
tse this unspeakable folly"
This is the language of the moderate men
OF Boston, those on whom the South is to
repose its hopes of the faithful execution of
the fugitive law. 1t did not suit the Rcpub-
Tic to quote evidence like his in proof that
opposition to that law was so widespread
and powerful in Boston, as to call for an ex-
efaordinary manifestation of the Presidents
authority.
In another respect, too, the article of the
hepuo'lc is very defective. 1t does not pre-
tend 10 show that the Proclamation meets
me evil complained OF. or has the least now
er to suppress it, The "combina,;ons TOO
powerful to be put down by the ordnar ~
process of civil authority" consist in III
case, OF elements on which the warnipos of
the President will fall innocuous. Ibev
consist, FIRST of a universal sentiment of hos.
tllity to slavery and 10 the very object of the
law; second, of Abolition societies. emhra.
cling nearly third of the entire adult popu.
latlon OF the State, and organized on the
principle OF active and ceaseIess warfare on
the South in every form of practical mis-
emef; third, Of laws of Massachusetts for
bidding the use OF our jaiIs for the detention
u iugltlves, and making it penal offence
ior any officer OF the State to aid in the re-
SI0Fatlon OF slave. What power has the
residents proclamation over any one Of
sasse influences, when all coalesce to OBJ
4uu The execution of the law? Will il
Heuale to the roots of that diseased pub.
ns Cplhion which presents the whole body
Northern society in state OF either active
F'''''e hostility TO the security of slave