The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-31

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e0e3aae = eAesyine Int eject the coustitutonal
ohnev1oxs npon that subject
bp1isws MI ths repeal or an essential modi-
Aestiam At thle Isw, impairing it efficacy, would
do mare - ALLEVIATE the South from the North
than sny evsnt-than al the events, indeed
which have led to those sectional differences
that have marked the progress Of our history.
and which have happily yielded to spirit Of
concession and Cancellation. Such measure
would destroy al confidence, both In the good
faith Of the North, and in the value everywhere
Of tho constitutional guarantees; and, in my
opinion. would lead inevitably to dissolution
Of the Union So believing. believe it is the
duty Of every true American 10 hold on 10 this
compromise. 10 al it, parts, as he would hold on
to those blessed institutions which bave made
us the fteest the happieat. and the most prosper
ous nation that the sun Of heaven ever shone
upon.
And, beaides, 1t 10 obvious to the most super
6cial observer that spirit has gone forth in some
Of the States Of the Union which, were it not
checked BY sound public opinion. might pro.
duce tbs most dangerous consequences. The
right Of property is called in question, and the
securities that protect il, AZ sacred as any which
anywhere guard the social or political system,
are derided and disavowed, and doctrines are
ItGutC8Scu UtkCIIy 1ttdOLlPdttUlc VIII VIC oAlb.
tence of the Union itself, or with peace among
it, members, should God in his wrath separate
them into Independent communities. It be.
comes every one who loves his country. and
who dssires that its future should be glorious
and not disastrous, to discountenance these Of.
forts, and to maintain in their integrity the true
principles of the Constitution. firm determi-
nation TO do this, and not to yield to this dan
gerous spirit, would soon render it harmless
for am perfectly convinced that the great body
of our fell0w-citizens in the non -slaveholding
States consider the rights Of our Southern
brethren as sacred and involable as their own
With respect to- Withholding the executive
approval from bill modifying or changing this
law I" 30 as to impair it's valuable enactments,"
| have to remark, that there are various consti-
tutional guarantees Of the highest importance to
the people Of the United States, and without
which this government would never have been
established, which depend for their efficacy upon
congressional Legislation, while without it they
are mere barren declarations. Among these il
the right of trial by jury, and the benefit of the
writ Of habeas corpus, both of which would be
dead stipnlations, if not brought into life by
Legislative action, and by the powers it confers
upon the judiciary. And among them, also, is
the obligation to surrender fugitives from labor,
which furnished strong inducement to many
of the States to adopt the Constitution, and
without which, and firm belief in ts faithful
execution, they would not have Joined The new
confederation. It was certainly the consttu-
tional duty Of Congress to pass efficient laws
upon these subjects, and having passed them,
it is equally their duty not to repeal nor so
modify any ofthem as to leave the constitution
al obligations wholly unexecuted, or so executed
as to fulfil neither the dictates of duty nor of
good faith, the just expectations of that
large portion of the American people much of
whose property depends for it's value upon the
faithful observance Of one Of these guarantees.
From circumstances arising, subsequent to
the passage of the original law for the recapture
of fugitive slaves, that law became in effect in.
operative, leaving stipulation Of The Constitu.
ton, vitality important to one half Of the States
of the Union, almost as useless as If it hid had
no place in that great charter Of the govern.
ment.
A short extract from some observations made
in the Senate on the 18th of March, 1850, urg
ing the necessity Of the immediate passage Of
more efficient fugitive slave law, will show
that the opinions here advanced were then
svowed and urged by me as the motives for le-
gslative uction:
my own opinion is, that we should take up
the bill for the recapture of fugitive slaves, re-
ported by the Judiciary Committee
Il am disposed to suspend all our discussions,
and to lay aside all other business, with view
to act upon that bill without unnecessary de-
lay, and to pass it in such form as may be ac-
ceptable to a majority Of this body. That is
the point upon which the South feels most
acutely, and in regard 10 which it has the most
serious canse of complaint. have heard but
ona ms in this hndvy dop., fho ork =,
evil. or the justice and necessity of providing an
adequate remedy.
II, for one, am willing to take up the subject
and provide the necessary means for carrying
the provision of the Constitution into full effect
Such procedure would have the very best effect
upon the South at this time 1t would be
pledge of our sincerity, and of our desire to do
justice to that great section of our common
country"
A conviction Of the injustice of this state Of
things, and of the justice of the demand for an
efficient modification of the law, led to the pro.
visions now ingrafted upon the original statute.
and which together provide adequate means for
carrying into effect the constitutional obligation
It is my opinion that laws Of this nature present
peculiarly grave considerations, and that their
efficacy cannot be impaired without The neglect
Of undenable constitutional duties Essential
to the fulhlment of fundamental guarantees,
they in effect constitute portion of them, and
so far partake ola constitutional character as to
be guarded against repeal, or any modification
by which the faithful execution Of these mpor-
tant stipulations might be impeded or prevented
And in conformity with these sentiments,
have voted to lay upon the table, or, in other
words, not to consider the petitions presented
at the present session asking for changes in the
fugitive slave law. was determined, for one,
not 10 touch the law and prevent, if possible, the
renewal ofthe agitation.
Applying the principles here advanced TO the
law in question, and especially having reference
to the condition Of the country and to the crisis
through which it has passed, l have no hesita-
ton in saying that whoever ia President, it
would be his d.ty to withhold his appoval from
any bill SO modifying or changing that law s.as
to impair its present valuable enactments,"
which give to it the necessary efficiency.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient SER
want, LEWIS CASS.
Oopr ~ Ccorr $50 D:oLr.n~l W.