Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-08

% sos 10 ony because such discharge OF const,h
requirement will be welcome offering to good
suppositon in keeping with the position Of the
never has demanded any thing bat the strict obse ~
institution But deny that the South asks l. ..wsnt
propitiation at the hands Of the United SatG 80 cam
They have claimed that the execution Of his ~ $500,
plance with the obligations Of the constitS 80 ;Jsr "a
properly view as favor granted the. ,;,;on csnd;
cognition Of an express provision Of the = =. r;obt NOT
ton to be treated for They must hv b v.ns of bs
to be estimated as some seem to involved Senators
property, but for the principle Which, so,,b.,D nans
make great mistake when they s.;Ss.os S,.,p - A.
who loses slave by the refusal Inv $50
liver him demand is most s.,.ta - INV .nnnoss
ne is deprived; They make sas,er would ordinarily wish
- h,;na lave h.cI - hs State. The common
feeling among planters w. t1hk % NO. 70 1as n'
back contaninate the ore iannel servants een
m,ortv and ,hsres is that the minority sternly insist
- m ;,h, "a - demand faithfully and summary the
rendition Of their sves from service labor that their
constitutional gp may not be ramPed upon by those who
seek to en- the compom . Tnen nave udsS
This e I'm eat question that is, in my view, involved in
the erecnc the law for the delivery Of fugitive slaves
The enen OF this law has been spoken Of as resulting
from the tem of enacted at the last session OF
CONGRESS II So then let the South the faith OF the
Nob II they have observed the constitution, If they have
nassed law to carry of its express provisions mere
" as aoniract means by which they should get some
thing ley desired loahe the motive, and scon the pit
IL nad CidlTn 70 our ConhuohCo VI cePOSS
saye,o far as was received tribute to constitutional
riebs But is it the offspring Of the "compromse, as It
he been called, Was Il so enacted Who framed it
he Senator from Virginia. (Mr. mason, who was not one
Of those who advocated the compromise measures VINO
snsnded to s present form Who sustained In argu-
t and voted for Il Sir, the Northern majority on that
o.siou allowed the Southern minority TO pass the bill The
Nor, did not pass t. They did not meet their obligations
to the constitution and their faith to the Union Seats were
vacated and tho Southern members were allowed TO pass
Law which had to be executed the North. That the
history nf the transaction Ws there, then not reason to
suppose that law which could only be passed by system
Of absenteeism would be failure have not all inc eais
been more than realized Why refer to events in
Illinois and Indiana They executed the law Of 1898.
WIN refer to the State Of Iowa That State has always
been sound this question, and required no addoha egs
aton That law for States In which aooon
ruled the civil government Has 1t there proved effective
That is the question Not whether there non-slavehod
ing States true to the constitution and true TO their obga
tons in relation this species Of property but wnener
those States where il sought TO destroy the g OF inc
STAKEHOLDER to his fugitive slave have been checked inc
law Of the last session Of Congress If not then the Sena
tor from Virginia right when he denies that has not borne
fruits.
Nor Mr. President has it been nay good fortune to per-
ceye that improved Of feeling which IS said has been
poduced in the country. Never within my remembrance
have there been so many and such excited meetings as
the last session of Congress- Never have seen such nu
merous accounts of ansavery conventions since tnen
British aboonst has to reap harvest from the
element which has been spread broadcast over one %
the country Is this the evidence of improved state OF
feeling which we are told now in existence so what
went before must indeed have been gloomy
But we are told notwithstanding the beneficial results
which is said been the consequence OF these
that the Union is in danger Is il true II So whence
came the DANGER Where this cloud which lowers over
our house Was the Union in danger when Congress met
in December, 1s49' Did any body say sol II 1t be IN
danger now has fallen into that danger since the passing
of these great medcatory measures Where men, ASK,
MT DrOOf. We
must have the evidences Of changed state OF feeling or
better before we called upon to return thanks and JOIN In
TIE Deum for deliverance
Since have held in the Senate have not been one
of those who have threatened the dissolution OF the Unon
have felt that stood here part of the Government and
that il was my duty to maintain it. That was bound py
principle when ceased to be willing preserve the Govern
pent to vacate my seat post could olonger honorap
hold. hold that Senator stands mere on mssoh rou
bis State to the Federal Government and that the honor
his State would be involved if any Senator used his
to destroy the Government which he accredited En-
pertaining these opinions have not heretofore discussed TIM
question: and do not propose to do 1t now.
0ar back to the earlier period OF our history
Union If the sentiment which prevailed then
the country there could be danger of laws being nue
by the resistance of mobs of dissolution of the Union
because OF the States claimed that the property he
under their laws if found within the limits of another State
should be faithfully surrendered on the owners demand Ii
the earlier days Of history honesty deeper and
broader than this not merely between States of the
Conedeacy but between coermnus countries held to be
obligation return fugitive slaves. The obligation in
copoated in the constitutions the compact between the States
If may draw illustration from my homely pursuit.
it is if two farmers living each other should agree to-
geher that the stock Of escaping into the enclosures
the other should be returned upon demand Would it be
deemed good faith if of the neghbo should conceal the
property Of the other escaping and prevent its return
demand Would be deemed good faith to resist the agent
who should come to claim the property Would honesty
not require assistance be given for the capture and delivery
Such contract is that between the States for the surrender
of fugitive slaves hold that is reflection upon the good
faith of the States that has been found necessary for
Congress to pass law upon the subject at all.
Sir, at earlier period Of history and before this obi
cation written in the bond between the States, in the
Congress Of the Confederation resolution introduced to
the rendition, from and to foreign States, of slaves
escaping from the Confederacy thence the find
in Hamiton's works the following:
s'xsrLuM FueIrIvB SLAVES.
"AuaUsT e. 1888.
Son the report of committee consisting Of Mr.. Hamil-
tom OF New York, Mr. Sedgewick, of Massachusetts, and
Mr. Madison, of Virginia. whom referred report of
18th Instant
Resolved That the Secretary for the Department of Fo-
reign Affairs be directed transmit copies the papers refer
red to in his said report the Charge the United
States Madrid and instruct him to represent his Catholic
Majesty the Inconvenience which the States bordering his
dominons experience from the afforded to fugitive
goes belonging to the citizens of the said States and that
Congress have full confidence that orders shall be given his
Governors to permit and facilitate their being apprehended
and delivered to persons authorized receive them assuring
his Majesty that the said States will observe the like conduct
respecting all such negroes belonging his subjects be
found therein.
Resolved That the said Secretary be also directed to
communicate the said papers the Encargado de Nesocos
Spain and to signify to him that his incorporation obtain
proper regulations to be made the subject would be very
agreeable to Congress-"
Thus is that the who formed this Union did
. 4 In