The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-22

but let II he considered. too, To whom It ID Of
fered- "Every man has his prise says die
tingushed personage and the price Of fugi
tive law commissioner upon any Just principle
Of APP saisement, ought TO be very low. In Z
word. sir, the system of adjudication provided
by the fugitive law, liz officers included, would
not ut the North be considered sufficiently safe
or dignificd for establishing the right of prop
erty in dog
And what is the effect Why, just what
might be expected The law is, aud for Nil
practical purposes will ever be, "A dead letter.
Incapable Of being executed to any extent use
fu to the South. because it is not sustained by
sound aud honest public opinion. The peo-
pie of the North have unbounded res aect for
good and wholesome laws The most humble
justice of the peace in New York may, on
proper cause issue his warrant against the most
distinguished and powerful aud constable, if
his precept 80 direct may take him, without
riot or resistance and lodge him in the county
Jail. But under your fugitive law, your process,
which runs in the name Of twenty -four millions
of people, is not sufficient without an armed
force, nor always with, to arrest a frieDdess
runaway slave.
The South is told by the North, that the fn.
gitive slave law shall be observed and executed.
Lot the State Of Pennsylvania, which is very
particularly sound upon this subject, be taken
as the best instance Of Northern State faithful
to the compromise. The recently elected gov
ernor of this State, in his inaugural, says:
"The loyalty of Pennsylvania to the national
Union cannot be doubted. She is now, rs she
ever has been, for the Constitution and its com
promises. Sine will maintain and execute, in
letter and spirit the several adjustment meas
ures, as passed by the late Congress, on the
| subject of slavery"
| There is little slurring Here of the "Whis-
| key Rebellon;" bat let that pass. The passage
reads well, and sounds well. Pennsylvania ia
"for the Constitution and it's compromises"
| What State is not!
| But further: In maintaining the compromise,
she will not disturb the law fixing the boundary
of Texas, aud giving that State $4,000, 900, for
the law is fixed fact, and the money paid she
will not eject California from the confederacy /;
she will not repeal the law establishing terri
toria government i'm Utah; she will not re.
establish slave market in this District; and
we all know that she will execute the fugitive
slave law, because she did so at Christiana and
the way she did it is caution to persons pur-
suing slaves under difficult circumstances.
But, practically, whit is this gubernatoral
rodomoEtade of Pennsylvania worth to the
South! In the city Of Philadelphia your officer,
cannot arrest fugitive without first getting him
into custody on a false charge Of an offence
against the State laws. At Christiana your
marshal and his posse are driven at full speed
through cornfeld, and the claimant shot dead.
At Harrisburg fugitive is arrested in the night
and tried before day-break for fear of the popu-
lace; and at Columbia the officer, unable to
make an arrest, kills the negro and then runs
away. And yet, the governor tells US that the
peOnta of papuaV " va mis- apund tho
subject, and upon such soundness her favorite
son is commended to the support of the South.
The difficulty of enforcing laws against the
convictions, the rejudices, if you please, of
people, is not confined to the North Listen to
the following, taken from a recent number of
the National IatelHgencer:
Dr. Thomas Hunt, who killed J. w. Frost
in duel last summer, at New Orleans, was
brought up for trial on Thursday last, with
the seconds, on charge of murder, when Judge
Larue refused to sit in the case, and excused
himself Judge Buchanan was sent for, but he
was engaged. Judge Strawbridge was sent for,
but he was indisposed. The district attorney
then said that he could not try the case without
Judge. He therefore entered a mol. pros and
the accused was discharged"
The circumstances of the case are unimport-
ant to my purpose. 1t is sufficient that no court
could be found even to 60 through the forms
of a trial Of al person charged with murder when
it was justified with popular opinion.
When the compromise as political test shall
have had its brief day. when the people shall
look in vain for its wonder working power of
quieting agitation; when they shall find the
promises of benefit to North and South alike
false, depend upon it, the South, yes, sir, the
South, aoW ask for repeal or mod fcation Of the
fugitive slape law. Aud this compromise, as it
has been described, is said to be settlement,
final settlement, of the slavery question, with
all its adjuncts and the North is told that il
must hereafter forever hold lis peace. A ques
ton which the Almighty has established in the
frosts and SHOWS and chilling winds of the Morrill,
compelling industry making slave labor unpro.
ftable, and, greatest of all temporal blessings
making white labor respectable and in the
burning heat and rocking masmas of the South,
making white labor reluctant, if not unprofita
BILE, is settled, is it, by Congressional enactment!
Believe it not. AS it was in the beginning, and
is now, 80 it ever shall be queslion-an open
question, debatable and debated question
not for any misch ievous purpose of disturbing
the quiet of the South it never has beon de-
bated for such purpose at the North; not for
the purpose of making it test of patriotism or
party fidelity 1t has never been moved for
|
impairing the constitutional rights of the South,
or avoiding the constitutional obligations of the
North. No discussion for such an object has
ever been sprung by the North. But whenever
and wherever this question assumes a shape
which shall involve the substantial, constitu-
tional and individual rights of Northern free
men, then and there we will debate with YOU
upon this theme until your eye lids will no longer
wag."
The compromise certainly has not suffered
by the modesty of its supporters; for the world
is gravely informed that it has saved the Union
Of these States. Partisan assurance can no
further go. Such a draft on popular credulity
is nowhere accepted ct the North. Proud of
the history of the past confident in the prom
Uses of the future; convinced by every days re-
port that our government is the admiration of
the world, our country the hope of the good
among all nations, the North has rested quiet
in the strong belief that the Union has never
been in danger; and this belief was confirmed
when they were told that it had been saved by
the compromise; for when patient is cured by
| Mill of hra,I fha info