Weekly national intelligencer., 1852-05-29

that Congress was under precisely the same obligation
pass all laws which necessary execute the provi
sons of the Constitution that it abstain from the
enactment of all laws which prohibited under the
Constitution and when once Congress had passed law
execute the provisions of the Constitution II
unconstitutional to repeal it it TO enact
law which the Constitution absolutely forbid If he
right in this position, he certainly right in denying
the proposition that they had right repeal the present
law of Congress for the extradton of fugitive slaves
less the very law making the repeal substituted other pro-
visions equally effective.
The enemies Of the fugitive slave law, the most in
teigent of them seemed themselves to have seen this
and hence they had taken the position that this law Is
unconstitutional They assumed that that provision OF
the Constitution imposed this duty upon the States but
conferred power upon the General Government This he
denied and argued TO show that it was the plain and OBJ
vous meaning of the clause Of the Constitution in refer
the reclamation Of fugitive slaves that Congress
should act upon this subject.
They had been told that this provision of the Conttu
ton odous to Northern men, and that its exe
cution was painful them and he doubted that such
was the fact Objections had been urged against the pre-
Law growing out of its details and it had been urged
that the proceedings under it were summary and not ac
corng the usual rules of proceeding In reply TO this
he would say that the provision of the Constitution
tempated summary proceedings, and such had been the
decision of all the courts II had also been urged that the
law was too stringent and therefore the South need not
expect it to be executed 1t true that the provisions
of the law stringent and why they so 1t was
because the action of the people of the North had created
necessity for it. He then argued the necessity OF main
tanning the present law, and remarked that he did not
say that the repeal of the fugitive slave law with
the enactment Of equally effective would lead to
dissolution of the Unon-for he knew there many
who would be disposed laugh at such assertonbu
he could here prove to such men as were rational that
it would lead to such result.
He then proceeded to consider the second point,
that the compromise measures being laws Of the land
solutions to rearm them would be idle and mischievous
So did not think English ancestors The Magma Chdrd
ord Coke tOld ms thrty-twO times: and
this done whenever liberty in danger He did
not consider that the danger in reference to slavery
and he would be an unfahful representative If he
should tell his constituents that all danger had passed
The compromise measures several steps upon the
road that would lead them safety but they had not
rived at that point yet by great deal The country might
be firm if they persevere in putting down agitation and II
the great parties of the country would out and
conduct the with fidelity to the Constitution
these aliens would find their safety in quieng their ma
chinatons The monster which had been prowlng about
and disturbing the public peace had been killed. but be-
fore he received his death wound he had like the pest
lence that waketh in darkness crept into almost every
hole and Of the Union and left his accursed eggs
behind him. The patriots should hunt them out and crush
them forever Only let them bask in the sunshine and
they would hatch into life and become hdeous reptiles
which would defle the very ground upon which they
crawled.
MrACARTTER said that this constant untring and
ceaseess agitation from the South perpetrated upon
their from day to day. and he would enter his pro-
test against it. SO solemn had these compromise measures
become under the avowa just made that the gentleman
from Virginia who denounced portion of them
constitutional when they passed came forward
to canonze them into the Constitution and to pronounce
that the repeal of Of these would be repeal
of the Constitution and Congress had no legislative right
to do it.
Mr.. BAYLY. addressed myself to two points
Mr.. CARTIER. ] am taking up the first.
Mr. BAYLY. have spoken only of the Territorial and
fugitive slave bills.
Mr. CARTIER said that the language of the gentleman
from Virginia in opening his argument was that the
fugitive slave law law to execute the provisions of
the Constitution, and it would be unconstitutional to
peal it.
Mr.. BAYLY. / would inquire Of the gentleman what
law have asked be canonized into the Constitution?
Mr.. CARTIER The only one you like.
Mr.. BAYLY. The others have already been canonized
and irrepeaabe.
Mr. CARTIER denied the whole doctrine 1t was as
pure legal sophstry uttered To that
the body which created law had power to repeal it
amounted TO sefevident absurdty The refusal Of Con-
ges enact law carry the provision of the Con-
stitution relative the reclamation Of fugitive slaves
would be refusal TO do constitutional duty, and this
all it would be- and he agreed with the gentleman
from Virginia that if majority should refuse to carry out
this provision of the Constitution, it would authorize
volution-not peaceable secession, but revolution.
In relation to the second argument of the gentleman
from Virginia. he (Sr. c. thought it little remark
able that which scarcely received majority with all
the patronage brought TO their aida Of
which belonged to party, man-should become
vitality necessary TO the maintenance Of the Republic
If this So country In alarming condition
The bill under consideration then set aside to be
reported the House. with the recommendation that it
pass.
The Navy Pension bill then taken up and the
action taken on it as on the preceding BILL
The committee and reported its action the House
The House then proceeded consider the bills reported
by the Committee of the Whole, viz the Invalid Pension
and Navy Pension bls and they seyeray read the
third time and passed
The House then adjourned.