Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-29

in New York in 1886 in regard to the adj
mission Of Texas, which he regards as the
origin Of the present slavery agitation. He
agrees with Mr.. Jefferson that it is uncon-
stitutional to admit new States out Of for
eign territory, and he for one would never
consent to admit any more slave territory.
He believes such power was not in the
original scope and design ofthe Constitu-
ton and he could not therefore consent to
it. He regrets the existence Of slavery
which he deprccates as moral and politi-
cal evil just as many Southern men, he
says, deprecate it themselves. But it is an
institution belonging exclusively to the
States wherein it exists, and Congress has
no constitutional power to interfere with it,
which he regrets. "But when he stands
up before his country, as one appointed to
administer the Constitution Of that country,
by the blessing of God he will be just.
Great applause)."@
Mr.. Webster defended his action on the
Compromise measures which he believed
had saved the country from dissolution
Had not the Texas boundary question been
settled, we should inevitably have been in
volved in civil war, and that would have
been an end Of the Union. He gave the
abolitionists Of the North aud the agitators
of the South some "sharp shots" and pro-
nounccd the former insane whose denun-
Citations Of him had never yet destroyed his
talent for sleeping. He spent his nights
quite as agreeably when labouring under
their curses as he did when freed from
them
But we cannotpursuc the synopsis further
and yet we cannot resist the temptation to
copy the following extract from that part
of his speech in which he discusses the fu-
gitive slave law:
'Gcntlemcn, that the great question: the len
ding question, at the commencement of the year
1850. Then there the other and that was the
matter of the Fugitive Slave Law. Let me say u
word about that Under the provisions of the const
tuition, in General Washinglon's administration in
the year 1893, there was passed law for the res
toration of fugitive slaves, by general consent No
one opposed it ut that pcrod-it WINS thought to be
necessary enrry the constitution into efect-the
great men of New England and New York all CON
Cured in it. II passed. and answered all the pur-
poses expected from IT till about the year 1871 or
1912. when the Suites n,eriered to make ennet-
monts in opposition to it. The law of Congress snid
that State magistrates might execute the duties Of
the law. Some of the States passed penal enact
imposing penalty any who exercised
authority under the law-oth6rs of them denied the
of their juis TO carry the law into effect and
generally, at the commencement of the year 1850
il absolutey-1 say it WINS ubsolutcly--indis
pcnsibc that Congress should pass law for tho
execution Of this provision Of the constituion OF
else give up that institution entirely. That WINS III.
question. | was in Congress when the question
was proposed. | was for proper law. had in
decd, proposed different law; was Of opinion thaI
| a summary trial by jury might be had. which would
sutsty the prejudiccs of the people; but left the
Senate and went to another station before the law
was passed. The law Of 1850 passed. Now an
dertalc, as lawyer, and on my professional char-
actcr to say TO you and to all that the law Of $50
is decidedly more favorable to the fugitive than
General Washington's law Of 1893; and tell you
why. In the first place. the present law places tho
power in much higher hands-in the hands of indie
pendent judges Of the Supreme and Circuit Courts,
and District Courts, and Commissioners who arc
appointed to office for their law learning. Every
fugitive Ia brought before n tribunal Of high carnc.
ter, of eminent ability, of respectable station. Well
then, in the first place when claimant comes from
Virginia to New York to say that or one Ii has
run away or is fugitive from service, or labor he
brings with him record of the country from which
he comes, and that record must be sworn to before
magistrate. and certified by the county clerk,
its correctness The affidavit must state that or
b Gas the mny bel had departed under such
and such circumstances, and had come here; and
that record, under seal, by the constitution of the
United Sfatesis entitled full credit in every other
Stntc. Well the clnimont or his agent comes here
and he presents you the seal of re courts Of Vir
GINA, that A or Is had escaped from service. He
must prove that he here. He brings witness and
asks If this is the man. and he proves it or, in ten
cases out of eleven the would be Eyes, mas
sa, nm your slave; did escape from yonr service.
Such is the present law; and so much opposed and
maligncd ii Is, il Is moro favorable law to the
fugitive slave than the law enacted in ashingtons
time, in 1898, which created no disturbance at the
time il was passed. and which was sanctioned BY
the North as well by the South. But this oppo-
stion is a sentiment Of modern times. From whom
does this clamor Gomez why, look At tho proccc-
dings Of the anrislavery convcntions-look at their
resolutions. Do you find among nll those persons
who oppose this Fugitive Slove law, any admission
whatever that any law ought to be passed To carry
into effect the solemn stipulations Of the constu-
ton? Tell me any such casc--tell me fany rcso-
luton passed by the convention NJ Syracuse fa
voring the carrying out OF the constitution Not
one. The fact is, gentlemen, they oppose the
whole-they oppose the wbole--not n of them
admits that there ought to be any law on the sub
iect They deny altogether that the provisions Of
the constitution ought be carried into effect
Well, what do they say7 Look at the proceedings
Of the anti-slavery conventions in Ohio, Massacbu-
setts md Mt Syracuse, in the State Of New York.
What do they sayf THAT, so help them God. no
colorcd man, shall be sent from the State Of New
York, BACK to his master in Virginia" Don't they
say that l-and, for the fulilment Of that they
"pedge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honor" Laughtcr) Their sacred honor -
Oaughter) They pledged their sacred honor TO
violate the laws Of their country-thcy pledged
their sacred honor to commit treason against the
laws Of their country! God bless them and help
them who pledge their sacred honor in such cause
ApPlause.)
have already stated, gentlemen, what your OBJ
servation of this must have been. viii only
to it for moment for the purpose Of pcrsuading
you as public men and private mcn--as good
and patriotic men-that you ought, to the extent of
your ability and influence TO see to il TINT such
laws established and maintained a. shall keep
you, and the South, and West, and all the country
together, as far it is just and right and as far
the constitution demands. / shy, that what 10 de-
manded Of us IA, to be up our constitutional du-
ties--to do for the South what the South have
right to demand.
. . -
To Mr.. Thos. NJ. Galley,whosc visit to
our town was connected with the Odd Eel
lows celebration, dressed a very large au-
dience on the subject Of Temperance at the
Methodist Z. Church on Tuesday night
last. Mr.. G. is a young man, but he is a
veteran in that cause. His name is connec-
ted with the Temperance reformation