The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-06

ltoyos. ! hold It, then, to be reflection upon
th6 good faith OF the States, that II has ever
been found naeessary for Congress to psss laws
70 compd the observenee Of this plain stipula~
ton Of contract and that every State Is recreant
10 ita constitutional obligation which has not
passed the laws necessary for the recovery Of
fugitive slaves within their borders.
But, sir. at an earlier period in our history,
before the Constitution was formed, before the
obligation was imposed upon the States united.
It seems to have been recognized ~ require
ment Of the lew of honesty thing not dis
puted among the confsderated States, and which.
~ far az they were concerned, was admitted to
be worthy Of further extension, MS shown by a
then introduced into the Congress
with view to secure the rendition from foreign
States, and the surrender to foreign States, Of
slaves escaping from one TO the other. In the
year 1888, by committee Of the Congress Of
the confederation, composed of Mr.. Hamilton Of
New York, Mr.. Sedgewick Of Massachusetts,
and Mr.. Madison of Virginia, a report was made
containing this resolution, which will read to
the Senate, in exempli6cation of the morality
of our fathers:
"AsYLuM TO FUGITIVE SLAVES.
"Auousr 26, 1888.
son the report Of committee, consisting Of
Mr.. Hamilton, Of New Yora, Mr.. Sedgewick, Of
Massachusetts, and Mr.. Madison, of Virginia, to
whom was referred a report Of the Secretary for
the Department of Foreign Affairs ofthe 14th in
stant-
" ResoEved, That the Secretary for the Depart
ment Of Foreign Affairs be directed to transmit
copies of the papers referred to in his said report
to the charge d'afaires Of the United States At
Madrid, and instruct him to represent to his
Catholic Majesty the Inconvenience which the
States bordering on his dominions experience
from the asylum afforded to fugitive negroes be-
longing 70 the citizens Of the said States; and that
Congress- have full confidence that orders shall be
given to his governors to permit and facilitate
their being apprehended and delivered to persons
authorized to receive them; assuring his Majesty
that the said States will observe the like conduct
all such negroes belonging TO his sub
iects as may be found therein.
+" Resolved, That the said Secretary be also d.
rected to communicate the said papers to the En-
cargado de Negocios Of Spain, and to signify to
him that his interpostion to obtain proper regu-
lations to be made on the subject would be very
agreeable to Congress"
Then, sir, there was no question as to the duty
improved by comfy and good faith even between
friendly nations The men who formed this Union
did not deny or avoid their obligation to surrender
fugitive negroes even to Spain. They only claimed
that Spain should do likewise towards the States
Bnt in the course Of years and national growth
we have either lost something of that purity, some-
thing of that close adherence to the general rules
of justice between man and man which Character
lied our fathers, or men q minds have been warped
and wruns by visionary speculation until the
sense Of right is lost in the msts of false philos
ophy, and the voice Of old fashioned honesty, cal
ling for the fulflment Of specific contract. is
drowned in the clamors of the selfish, the igno-
rant, and the faithless. Hence the necessity for
stringent law,
But il we were to grant that this fugitive slave
law passed Congress because of it's connexion
with other measures; that It passed for conside-
raton that it was the price paid for the surrender
Of other rights; what would there be more offens-
i've to the heightened Southern mind than the
proposition that he should surrender part of his
constitutional right in order that his runaway ne
groes should be restored to him on demand. ac-
cording to the requirements of the Constitution !,
Would one, worthy to have inherited such GOV
eminent as this agree to traffic in his constitution
al rights to surrender the equality, the freeman's
immunites and privileges, for SO paltry a price !?
Though it has been used as an argument 10 show
how far the South ought to be satisfied, the pro-
position seems to me offensive to their understand
ing, to their maniness, and to the spirit for the
assertion of their rights. Take them az they
stand, separate and independents; give us at least
if we are to have no more, the poor privilege Of
believing that those who have been associated with
US are honest enough, without consideration an
nexed, to permit the passage Of law, in accord
anCe with the express provisions Of the Consti-
tution for the protection of the property in slaves
In relation to this particular case Of mob in
Boston, consider that it derives its importance
mainly from the fact that there is an organization
in one portion Of the States denying the right to
hold species of property possessed in another
portion of the States that this mob and violent re-
sstance to the capture of fugitive slave is but
sign of the times; and that, therefore, it is worthy
Of consideration which might not be given TO
another act Of equal violence, il unattended by
like circumstances. But while attach this i'm
portance to it, while recognize the obligations of
the President to see the laws executed. am vet
slow to believe that the President cannot execute
the laws by the means he already possesses. An
officer anxious to do his duty may assemble
posse, and if there be local feeling too strong for
his, he can call on the State authorities for fnrth
Or support. The power Of removal enables the
to obtain such officer, and the rest
follows wherever the State is faithful to the obi
cations of the Union. Ifthis be the action of a
State, repeat, what said on a former occasion,
fit be not negro mob Of Boston, but the action
IF the State of Massachusetts-if she is resolved
o cast off the obligations of the Constitution and
% absolve herself from those duties which devolve
upon her as member Of the Union-then she is.
by her own freewill and sovereign act, out Of it.
|, Tor one, Will never give dollar to coerce her
pack. In saying this | make no special attack
Ipon that State. / attack no State. And though
hose with whom am most identified have per-
,aps suffered most grievous wrong from the State
If Observation-Disclosures she has been in the
cad in all the agitation which has tended to de-
Drive us Of our property, and to subvert our con-
rights-stl remember the earlier and
more glorious period in her history, and still, II
,oud see the faintest ray Of hope for returning
snse ofjustice and comfy, would say
"Despite my wrongs, love the STILL"
five should have such ray Of hope furnished
" the action Of the governor Of the State-if he,
" the militia, will put down the power of the
mob and enforce the laws and the Constitution
low much better, how much more peaceful and |
fficient, how much more permanent than the co. |
rcion of State by the power Of the federal gov
rnment! But if not, / feel that she has dissolved
he bands that connected here to the other States
" repudiating the Constitution; and if she does
hat, | say let her go; go in peace; 70 in good
will; go with all our kind remembrances of your
arlier days; but go, if you will not maintain your
Obligations to the Union,
| have thought il necessary, Mr. President, to
ay this much, because of some remarks which I |
Understood to have been made-though did not
enr tbem-ether on Saturday or to-day, in rela-
IN INV IL