The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-17

Of Boston by negro mob, and when that city
was almost in state of instruction against
the Constitution and laws Of the country, the
Aboliionists OF Massachusetts called conven-
ton to protest against this fugitive slave law.
and they invited Mr.. SEWARD TO attend |
will read the letter which he sent them in re-
ply;
AUBURN, April 5, 1851.
DEAR SIR Your letter inviting me to attend
a convention of the people of Massachusetts op-
posed TO the fugitive slave law, aud TO commun-
icate in writing coy opinion on that statute, if I
should be unable 10 attend the convention has
been received
While offering the pressure of duties here too
long deferred an apology for non attendance,
pray you TO assure the committee in whose
behalf you act, of my profound sense of their
courtesy and kindness. II would be an honor
to be invited to address the people of Massa-
ehuseits on any subject, but it might well salts
~ a generous ambition to be called upon to
speak TO that great and enlightened common
wealth on question of human rights and civil
liberty
! | confess, sir, that have earnestly desired not
to mingle in the popular discussions of The
measures of the last Congress. The issue ne
cessarIy involves the claims of their advocstes
and adversaries in the public councils, to the
confidence Of the country. Some Of those adj
yocates have entered the popular arena. crimi-
Mating those from whom they had differed, while
others have endeavored, by extraordinary means,
either to control discussion, or to suppress it
altogether, and thus they have shown themselves
disqualified by prejudice or interest, for prac
ticlng that inpartaliiy and candor which the
occasion demanded
am unwilling even to seem to imply by re-
| lteraLing arguments already before the public.
har Al.tr t,.rf &
whom stood in Congress, or impotence for
that favorable popular verdict which believe
to be near, and know to be ultimately certain.
| Nevertheless, there be no improperly in
my declaring, when thus questioned, the opinions
which Will govern my vote upon any occasion
when the fugitive slave law shall come up for
| review, in the rational Legislature. think the
act signally unwise, because it is an attempt by
a purely federative government TO extend the
economy of slave States throughout States
WHICH repudiate slavery MS a moral, social, and
political evil. Any despotic government would
awaken sedlllon from its profoundest sumbers
by such an attempt
The attempt by the government has aroused
constitutional resistance, which will not cease
until the effort saall be relinquished He who
teaches another faith than this, whether self.
deceived or not misleads. think, also, that
he attempt unnecessary that political
ends-merely political ends and not real
evils resulting from the escape of slaves, con-
stiluted the prevailing motives to the enact
ment
think also, that The details of the measure are
indeiensible that the denial to the alleged fugi-
tive of a trial of his alleged obligation to labor.
md of his escape from it, by a court and moth
ing less than a court of justice, consitutionally
organized and proceeding according to the
course of the common law within the State
where he is claimed, is palpably in derogation of
the Constitutions that the rules of evidence,
which the law prescrbes, are oppressive of the
the weak and defenseless, and that Christendom
night be searched in vain for parallel to provi-
sons which make escape from bondage a crime,
by law retroactive in its effect, and without
limitations Of time to favor the presumption of
freedom, which under rigorous penalties, COM
pei treemen - aid in the capture of slaves and
which offer unmstaken inducements TO false
claims and false judgments. Finally, whatever
changes ofopinions others may have undergone,
retain my earliest convictions that the cons;-
tutonal provision on which the law purports to
be founded is merely compact between the
States; and that the Congress of the United
States have no jurisdiction of the subject
Nor is the law, which is SO obnoxious in itself.
commended to my favor by its connection with
Compromise implies mingling of truth and
error, right ard wrong One of those affiliated
measures denied the admission of New Mexico,
b, cause she had determined to come in as free
State, and recommended her, with permission to
come back in the habiliments of slavery.
Another dis irctly intmated to the Mormons
the consent of Congress that they should, if
they conld, plant slave State in the very re-
cesses of the continent. A third abolished
public slavemart in the city of Washington,
without abaing either the extent or duration
of slavery in the District of Columbia A fourth
obtained peace on humatng terms from one
of the Youngest and ebest members Of the
confedercy, in an attitude of sedlion While
fifth only reluctantly admitted California as a
free State, when she refused to coniaminate
herself with slavery. Which one of these
measures has superiuous merit, to be received
in extennation of the fugitive slave law? But
we are told, that bad ms these measures are, they
were the best that could be obtained On the,
contrary, there were always votes enought for,
the admission of California. The Thirty First
Congress might have admitted her, and left the
other questions to another Congress- which in
structed by the people, might have done better,
and certainly could not have done worse
Nor do find the fugitive slave law growing
in my favor on the ground of the already falsl-
fled promise of an end of the agitation of slavery
in the republic; an agitation which, whether be-
ni6cent otherwise IS as inseparabIe from our
political organization, as the winds and clouds
are from the atmosphere that encrces the earth
| have weighed, moreover, the argr ment that
some portion of The people, in some of the
States, have made the perpetuity of the fugitive
slave law condition Of new declarations Of
loyalty to the Union. That loyalty is duty re-
suiting from the Constitutions and is equally
due, whether the measures of administration
are satisfactory or unsatisfactory. | regret that
anything should have happened to eneo urage
belief that loyalty could be accepted on condi-
tons, and especially on the conditions Of
forbeaging to repeal repealable statute
But since it is SO, can only say that We, on
VIII nj the recent action of the government bears,
as it seems to u.s. so unjustly, are in the Union
for richer or poorer, for better or worse, whether
in a majority or in minority, whether in power
or powerless, without condition, reservation,