New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-02

secured by the friends of Freedom, in the
late contest with Slavery, will GLOW with
IN ever increasing lustre, and develop
from sge to age in an ever increasing mag
nitude.
The Law Of 1850 must turn out to be an
imperative enactment. Indeed, it is pr8c-
ticalIy null6,d already, when it costs, as
in the case of Sims, five thousands dollars
TO catch and return a single runaway. Bat
if it is to be anything but self-n1llifying
act, lying dead on the Statute Book. its re-
peal, or essential modification, is ioevita-
BILE. It's one hideous feature, giving to
creature Of the Government called Com
missioner" the authority to consign Free
man to Slavery, is too intolerable to be
borne in any long course Of practical en-
forcement. The Trial By jury, in every
case involving Personal Liberty, is too pre-
cious to be surrendered at the desire or the
dictate of any Administration, or any sec
ton Of the COnfederscy; and the demand
of such trial in the case of alleged fugitives,
is, moreover, too reasonable to be refused
by any Congress which shall approach this
subject in a spirit of just regard, we will
not say TO the fundamental rights Of the
citizen, but to his well established and in
dubitable constitutional privileges.
Thus it is we entertain no doubt that the
question of resistance TO this law, now so
rife, and so distressing to all manner OF
cattle that feed at the troughs of trade and
the Treasury, so alarming to aldermanic
sensibilities and quilted velvet patriotism
in general, and the cause Of go many lugu-
brious ieremiads and inane platltudes
from gentlemen in nigh stations and In
low, who think their political or peeun'ary
fortunes depend upon sustaining it in all
its parts and to the fullest extent; will
after merging in more substantial issues,
soon fade entirely from sigh.
In Mr.. Clay's elaborate treatment of the
subjects embraced by the " Omnibus" he
entered into this question of trial by jury,
and true to his own instincts, and alive to
what he felt to be the reasonable demand
of every clear seeing man jealous Of liOer-
ty, he acknowledged that the claim of
Trial by jury for every person arrested was
most reasonable. And with his accustomed
adroitness he proposed to grant so much to
the advocates of freedom. Bat be insisted
that that trial should be in the State from
which the fugitive was alleged to have
fled. and not in the State in which he was
arrested. 10 this extent, Mr.. Clay, to be
consistent with himself, must oven now be
willing to go. 1t may be that he has see
enough to convince him that it would be
be best now to yield to a demand for such
a modification of the law as would secure
such a trial at the point of arrest.
Impressed with these views and senti-
ments, we are content patiently to await the
course of events. We confide in the claims
of truth, justice and proPriety, which
sooner or later make their own way in the
world, and triumph over all obstacles great
and small Before those claims names are
nothing-men are nothing. Where Mr..
Clay is, or where Mr. Webster is, on great
questions involving the constitutional rights
of the citizen, or the fundamental rights of
man, is matter that concerns them and
their reputation far more than the cause
itself, OF anything or anybody else. 1t IS
not within human power, at this day, long
to successfully resist the right and main
tain the wrong. As we'll might a man
attempt to gather the rushing waters of
river as it pouIs its flood through its deep
est channels, as undertake to arrest and
confne tho great current of events whose
springs are in the human heart and whose
streams forever swell the tide of human
progress. Blind partisanship, interested
advocacy, selfish and rotten support Of
public measures, mark this age as they
have all ages. For them We of course
have no respect, and we entertain no fear
that they can sensibly defer the hour of
Jubilee, which assuredly awaits the op-
pressed of all nations. Truth is mighty and
will prevail.
Democracy and it's Critics.