The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-04-09

T. sisiing - aforesaid. when so arrested.
pursuant 10 The snihsrily herein given and
.deriartd; OF sl,zll sid. abeL or assist such
!. person so owing servife of labor - aloTe-
said. directly or indirectly. % es~spe from
such claimant. his agent or attorney. or
other peuon or persons legally sulhoriz-
: ed a. aforesaid. nr shall hsrbor or conrral
. surh fugitive. 50 ss TO prevent The dis
corery and arrest of such person. sfer
noiire or knowledge of The laei that
sneh person was fugitive from service
or labor as aforesaid. shslI. for eIlher nf
said offences. be subject 10" fine and inn
pIisonmens.
have lhus. as proposed. eslled yanr
attention 10 certain acts OF Congvess and
provisions 81 The Constitution. They are
ihe law OF the land. and i; is our maslso-
lemn duly fsi,hlslly 10 execute lbsm. In
The words Of the oath which You have
just taken. you are 10 do this without
fear. favor. affection. or hope OF reward"
presenting things truly as they come 10
your knowledge. according 10 The besi Of
your understanding"
Here | might rlnse; but ss great ef-
forls have been made 10 convince lhe pub
lie that the recent law cannot be enforced
with good conscience. but may be con-
scieniiously resisted. and an impression
may have been made on same of Jour
number. thus presenting an obstacle h The
discharge Of plain legal duty. deem IL
proper 10 advert briefly 10 The moral as
poets Of The subject.
In this part OF The country the consic.
lions Of our understanding. ouI moral SEN
iimenn and our religious opinions. are
adverse 10 The institution OF slavery.
Hence some are ready 10 conclude, in
the first place. thai The provision of the
Constitution for delivering up fugitive
slaves must be morally wrong and, IN
! The next place, that laws made 10 carry il
into effect are 10 be disobeyed and resisted.
Neither Of these propositions legitimate
ly follow from the premises.
/ As 10 the first. The States, without
, the Constitution, would he 10 each other
+ foreign nations. The irsl duty Of every
4 nation is the preservation and protection OF
/ its own citizens. II is for This primarily that
8 political socic,ies are formed and their res
9 iraints submitted To. II. then, any nation
@ finds Ina, hospi sliiy 10 fueilives Is incon'
e sisient with lis own peace and safety, \
N has a right to refuse such hospitality, and
y 10 say TO all such foreigners, we cannot
D. receive you among us, and il You come,
v VIC must deliver you up TO the dominion
le of your own government and II may
\. righllully make compact with sucl
al government for such delivery. Whether
r., The peace and safety Of The nation do il
{. fact require or authorize such compact ]
le is for the nation itself 10 decide, and il,
decision is TO be submitted 10 and il
re engagements faithfully performed.
Of Those, therefore, who have The strong
i. est convictions OF the immoialiIy Of ih'
Q. institution Of slavery, are mol thereby
re authorized to conclude thai the provision
IN for delivering up fugitive slaves is morally
N wrong, or Thai our fathers in Massachusetts
ri did not act wisely, justly, humanely. il
IS acceding 10 The compacls Of The ConsiiIu
70 lion.
il But. secondly, even those who 60 4
,e the extreme OF condemnins the Consii,u
n lion, and the laws made under ID, as un
r. just and immoral, cannot. even upon sucl
ce an assumption, justify resistance. In the
views, such laws are inconsistent with ih,
es justice and beneyolence and against ,h'
lr. will Of the Supreme Lawgiver, and they
ed emphatically ask, which shall we obey
10 the law of man or the will Of God I!
d. answer--obey both. 7 he incompaibiliiy
ed which the question assumes does not ex
to isl. Unjust and Oppressive laws may indeet
es be passed by human governments. Blu
", il infinite and inscrutable wisdom permits
~ political society, having the power of hu
,s- man legislation, TO establish such laws
he may not the same infinite and inscrutabl
he wisdom permit and require the individus
10 who has no such power, TO obey them.
he Can you say that it is His will tha
ire we shall rise up in forcible resistance
De overthrow the power ofthe Government
he and, instead of the peace and securlt
of organized society, introduce the dc
10. minion of anarchy and violence Ar
be such the appointed means for their abre
ss- gationi Unjust laws have always exi'
ID ted. Until resent period, poor an
or honest debtors were even here oppre'
BY sively imprisoned and in England
10 stealing, to the value of more than
lp. shilling, was punishable with dealt
in and their code numbered more than on
hundred and fifty capital offence
Ter The wise and the good saw that the'
i've laws were cruel and unnecessary. The
ar. did not rush to arms or counsel disobed
eds ence. But by the diffusion Of fknowledg
my by reason and persuasion, they chang
,lly the public mind, and the laws we
M peaceably ameliorated. The fruits
son Justice and benevolence, like those
, or the natural world, are to be matur
ON by mild and genial influences. I
ou, punishment Of death is still nfic1
or by our laws. Many good men firm
ser believe that society has no right to ti
/ "A Nc