The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-09-19

on IOWA,
D.iuered in he Senate. Monday August %, 1852, on
Mr. summers MOTION 70 repeat me Jagnspe-savs law.
| Mr. DODGE said.
Mr.. PRESIDENT | was OF those who voted for the
law which has been eoquenty and 6ercey denounced
by the senator from Massachusetts lMr SuMEERl and
here elsewhere am ready, IN my feeble way vim
dictate that VOTE and the law which helped to enact
Sir had read the constitution OF my country, aud having
found its language as thought clear and explicit on this
point and having taken solemn oath TO support that
cred instrument, did not consider that could disregard
lis pointed injunctions.
The words OF the constitution are
"No person held service labor In State under
the laws thereof escaping into another, SHALL in conse
quence OF any law or regulation therein, DO discharged
from such service or labor; but shall be delivered
claim OF the party 10 whom such service labor may be
due"
/ Could human language convey in terms less ambig.
the obligation return the person held 10 service
or labor! think not. The Supreme Court had decided
that that portion OF the act OF 1893. for the OF fu-
gtyes from labor and iugtives from justice, which de-
VOWED certain duties upon the officers OF the States. was
unconslltutiona-tbe federal government having pow
er 10 impose duties OF any kind upon the officers OF the
State governments In view OF this decision, and of the
fact that in many of the States in which the abotionss
had achieved an ascendency those States had denied the
use OF their prisons, and actually forbidden their officers
under severe penalties to assist in the recovery OF ug
ves IRON abor-a law OF The United States, and strn
gent law was necessary, unless we willing 10 ac
know ledge that the constitution failure, and it and
all government were TO be surrendered to The genus and
domination OF abolitionism To these audacous demands
was not then, nor am now, willing to accede. Be-
sides, this law came up for enactment during the
most gloomy period of those sectional difficulties which
grew out OF the extension OF territorial limits
at the termination of the Mexican war. The south
ern States being greatly excited at the admission OF
California, and their virtual exclusion, as they main
tanned, from all the remaining territories OF the Uni
ted States, | was glad to assist in doing them an act
OF justice calculated TO allay excited feeling and to
to them the practical benefit of clearly expressed pro-
vision OF The constitution 1t represented on this
floor and denied by that the citizens of the States
OF Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland each lost yearly
about $4,000 worth OF the species Of property which
The law under consideration was intended TO protect,
II lost, TO reclaim. Whether the statement
aggerated one not every knows that the loss oil
the slave States in this respect anterior TO the passage
OF the law which is proposed to repeal, enormous
and that the people OF those States seriously medita
ting reprsas the property of the people of the free States
voted for the fugitive slave law because did not doubt
It's constltutionay, and understood and believed would
be satisfactory TO the people OF the southern States That
law, like the constitutional provision on this subject
was intended for the benefit of the slave States. Our
State having no negroes, aud not wishing to have any,
whether they be bond free, felt interest in the law
it's provisions other than that it should be satisfactory
TO those ior whose benefit i was to be passed. and that
should effect the purpose for which il designed Ii
the law Is too stringent as some contend, and is not,
therefore, as effective as might otherwise be- the fault
is not mine. 1t framed by those who had an mme-
date interest in the matter, and voted for it in good
faith My object was that the law should accomplish
the purpose Tor which II was enaced-o witt the
return OF the negro TO his lawful Ga this
subject wanted ilusoy dead letter statute upon
The book much less do want law which, while il
shall make pretence OF complying with consiitu.
ilonal obligations, in reality does nothing but inerpose
obstacles to those who asking their rights under
the sacred compact which forms our Union These
stated TO be my objects, both here and to my consiu-
ens, when supported this with the other compromise
measures; And sir, if AT any time while have seat
here the law is likely TO fail OF lis purpose willing
70 strengthen Its provisions, and to arm the Executive OF
the United States with every power which time and expe.
repce under lis workings may show to be necessary to
It's iull and complete enforcement
Sir have read and heard much the subject of sa.
very agitation. Among the speeches which served TO
make up my political opinions upon this subject was one
made by distinguished senator from my native State,
(Mr Benlon,) who occupied seat in this chamber for
more than thirty years, aud IRON whose great productions
have derived nearly all of my limited stock OF political
information More than twenty-five years ago. the pro-
pheuc vision OF Colonel Benton foTesaw thus slavery cr
ss He predicted that ambitious aud designing dema-
gogues In the free States would for the sake of political
advancement, seize upon this sensitive, exciting, and
dangerous element in our complex but admirable system
OF government 10 ride INTO power and place. and IN The
language OF patriot and statesman he thus spoke in this
Senate, on The I'd day OF February, 1880:
eyes sir slavery, as IL is and as exists among US,
would have lever advocates 4 nose who have nothing TO
geographical party and chiefly Rolltca caste, are In
the States, inrude into mus chamber, display them
selves in FORMS and the tbcken OF the signs
announces the forthcoming Of some extraordinary
nent Sir regard with adniraton--lhat is say with
wouderlhe sublime morality Of those who cannot bear the
hundred thousand miles or Ii is entirely abovc-that
is say, affects vast superiority overthe morality OF
the pimuNe OF Cnfls', Ohfs
himself Christ and the apostles appeared in province
of the Roman empire, when that empire called the
Roman world, and that world filed with slaves Forty
millions the estimated number, being fourth OF the
whole population. Single individuals held twenty thou.
sand slaves. freedman, who had himself been
Save died the posessor OF four thousandsuch
numbers The rights of the this fnultude OF
human beings that and death, without protection
from law mitigation rom public sentiment Tbs sconrge
the cross fshpond the den of the Wild beast and The
arena of the gladiator. Of the slave upon the
slightest expression OF the masters will law OF incred
ible arocy made all slaves responsible with their
lives for the io OF their master; II the law that
demned the whole household of slaves 10 death, in OF
the assassination OF the law under which ms
many four hundred have been executed a time And
these slaves the white people OF Europe, aud OF Asa
Minor the Greeks aud other nations from whom the
ent inhabitants of The world derive the valuable
ductions OF the human mind Christ saw alt ihs-the
number OF the slaves their hspess condition. and their
white color, which the with his yet he said
nothing against slsvery be preached no doctrines which
led TO and which, In their
pcauon 10 the state OF things In county, would Nu
thorizs inferior Of blacks that
rlor OF whites, whose ranks he himself appeared
upon earth He preached such doctrines, but those
contrary tono,, which ineucaed the duty Of fidelity and
the part Of the His apostles did the
ST PaEl sent back runaway slave Onesmus to his owner
with letter of apology and duplication lie the
man to harbor runaway. much less TO euuce him from
his master and, least Of ALL to excite nsurreciion
Slavery which filed the Roma world, has disa
pesred from OF the countries which composed
great dominion. Ii has dsa from all Europe
and rom halt the States Of this Union There and hers
las ceased upon the prncipeupon the pfincs OF
economy, and calculation OF interest a calculation
which, IN certain density OF populsoa and difficulty oil
subsistence, makes 1t cheaper hire
him cheaper pay Tor the work he does and hear
Of him, than TO be burdened with hts support from
cradle the Slavery ceased where
of of