The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-30

i
executed in all their parts the various acts of Congress
tutpg wi at is known the Compromise and cspe
cisy the enactments Of that law relating to tho recap
ture by their owners OF fugitive slaves' answer un
/ hetiiatngy. Yes.
Ipresnne you alude to the Fugitive Slave law espe
claly because it is the Oily Of tho series
10 which there 0pp to be serious opposition
indeed 1T is the only with single other exception
susceplle of alteration or repeal The subject Of the
fendon OF fugitive slaves obstacle ut the period
Of the formation Of the constitution The recognition
the power TO reclaim them requisite to the
tablishmcn Of the Union and and IT, ex 'tiny
"compromise,n embodied into the federal constitution
Itself and making part Of it. The laws of l793 and
1850 ere but legal enacmens to carry il into effect You
enquire again Whether should you BE- elected President
Of The United States would scountcnance every
proper means all attempts to disturb change the pro-
viiors Of that law whereby these provisions might be
made less fcctr for securing to the people OF the south
their constitutional lights in the possession and enjoy
m nj Of their slave property and should unfortunately
law efcfrtd TO- TO impair it's present valuable enact
ments would you as President of the Republic veto any
Without entering into the inquiry, or making tho
sertion yet it is possible that OF the detail Of III
Fugitive Slave law dc.ecive-eyen TO carry out thu
intention q. its frerds but because il mpornn
feature IN compromise and now the only part. Of
practical character that Is susceptble OF modification
r.p'al and abeve all because would dcprccate and dc
poe renewal Of agitation upon that dangerous question
lwoud feel my duty to resist all attempts to reope
that subject OF lcgisation and IT, President of tba
United States bill should unfortunately be passed by
Congress- modifying changing the law referred TO-
to impair itS PRESENT valuable enacments." shoul
pionftly veto 1t
in conclusion allow to add however that my oppo-
son TO interference executive or legislative on the part
of the federal government concerning the institution of
tayeiy frrhr than carry out the compromises Of the
constitution on that subject, did not commence with
eth the conception or passage of the embraced
in TIE Compromise 10 which you allude, but II general in
its characttr and cf date coeval with earliest n.
jour ais Of the Legislature Of Indiana will testify Tho
e,en of the last three years have but tended to ri
into settled conviction opinion long entertain 3D.
that if the subject If slavery allowed to enter the halls
Of Cong and form eli mcnt in the general politics
of the country il must later. prove fatal to the
roaeo harmony and integrity Of tie Union am sir
JOSEPH LANE
LETTER FROM s. A. DOUGLAS, ESQ
WASHINGTON, b. c., May %. 1862
Silt have the honor to acknowledge the receipt Of
yonr letter Of the 18th instant and take pleasure in
spending directly to your nterrogatorics especially
my answer will only require r,iteratoa Of well ma
turd opinions, which have repeatedly been expressed in
place in the Senate and in the House of Representa-
uyes. and to my constituents at home
While the series of measures known as the Compro-
nise supported and opposed by democrats aud wings
indiscrminntey, and therefore, could not justly be
claimed as party measures yet deemed il my duty.
co,da oer ne .n TO give them IN s Senate
my return home, when assailed by my constituents
defended and vindcaed the provisions Of each and all Of
thoe acts and especially insisted upon the faithful
cution of the law for the reclamation CT fugtvcs from
labor My opinions upon these questions have under
gone no change and shall deem 1t my duty in what
official position may be placed to exert all legal
and constitutional authority to enforce the honest
cuton OF those as well all other acts pissed in pursu-
nnce OF the constitution lnanuch the constitution
Of the United States provides that person held to
service or labor in State under the laws thereof
Gaping into another shall in consequence of any law
regulation therein be discharged from such service
labor but shall be delivered up the claim of the purity
to whom such service labor may be due, IL became
the imperative duty of Congress to pass all laws
saiy to carry that provision into effect and act cal
cuatod to render that provision Of the constitution in
operative or to destroy diminish the force of the
is'ng laws for ts fulfmen to impair obtruct the
rights Of the citizens Of any State under it.
cciye my approval.
Acc, riding TO the construction have been inclined TO
place upon your letter the foregoing furnishes m and
complete answer to all ycur interrogatores but the
clause in which you inquire whether would discoun-
terance by every proper means all atcmptsto disturb
a change the provisions of that Inv whereby those pro-
visions might be made less efieotua' may possibly be
construed TO imply that the Executive would be expected
10 influence restrain the action of Congress by other
means than those enjoined by the constitution Lest
my answer may not be deemed full this point 1t is
due to candor to state that should not feel ut liberty
the purpose of influencing the legislative c,on upon
that any other subject but would leave TO Congress
the independent exercise Of its constitutional functions,
and reserve to the Executive the full Of respon
sihy attaching 10 his approval sapproval of all
posed by Congress have the honor to be- very respect
fully. your obcdient servant, s. A. DOUGLAS,
LETTER FROM JAMES BUCHANAN, ESQ.
EoprHT G. ScoTr. Esq May 81 1852
Sui have received your communication of the l7lh
int. asking me whether in ofmy nomination and
election to the Presidency, would in the administration
o The government sustain and enforce tho various
mise, and eslocialy the cDactmeuts Of that law
atng to the recapturo y their Of fugitive slaycs
And also. whci her " would dseountt nance by every
proper means all attempts to disturb or ch,ngc the pro-
visions OF that law whereby these provisions might he
made less cicctna for securing TO the people of the
south their constitutional rights in the possession aud
oJoymeht Of their slave property?o
And again whether, 'should unfortunately bill be
iaSsed by Congress, modifying changing the law
i,rred 10, impair present valuable onacmcnts
would (you) as President OF the Republic, veto any
These tiroo several questions / answer without the
slightest hesitalion in the Affirmative In thus
ing uo repeat thc iaDguage Of my Richmond letter Of
February lasD, puposey refrun from discussing the
original merits Of the Con pomie, because consider it,
t. employ the expressive languate Of the dty, u
Gnaliiy, fixed fact, most important enactment Of
law, The agitation or disturbance OF which could do
10 possible good, bat might produce much positive evil
our noble vcfs Of state feished with the hopes of
nanhtd 10th for tue present and future generations,
is passed through tho most dangerous breakers which
'hc has ever encountered anil has riumphantly ridden
cut The storm ECth those Who supported ths
tf the compromise ard necessary and those who,
regarding them in daciet light yet uiesce in them
the sake Of the Union have arrived ut the same con-
oluiothat IL must and shall be executed. They have
thus Tor every practical purpose adopted the same plat
oIm and have resolved to sustain it against the
emmy Why. then. should they wrangc. and divide
ara waste Their energies not respecting the main qcs-
tion which has already been denitivey settled but in
'EiTd 70 me process which has brought then 'nougn
IN different directions to the same concuon hbofo
M Why should the strength of the democratic party o
tie country be impaired, and its acondancy Jeopardie
rainy such We who believe that the triumph
o cratic principles is essential not only for the pros
rrty Of the Union but to the preservation Of tho
constitution o,ght IeciTrecaly o forget and If need be-
to forgive the rat. ana cordially unite with politica
brethren in s tanning for the future the good old
dt mccracy. 1t must be source Of deep and lasting
pleasure 10 every patriotic heart that beloved country
has 80 happily passed through the late trying and dam
eerous crisis. The volcano has been extingushcd l
trust forever; and the man who would apply frebrand
ut tho present moment to tho combusiblc materials,
which still remain may produce eruption to overwhcm
both the constitution and the Union y
In my opinion the contingency to which you refer Is
remotcsnd highly improbable that Congress will pass
bill modifying or changing the Fugitive Slave law
to impair its present valuable enactmcnts This law
contaminated the bond Of between savehodng and
the states at the late very critical period
of our history. Had 1t not passed the remaining
suies OF adjmment however wise in themselves would
have deserved the name Of Compromise between these
two classes of States 1t s the single measure OF the
whole series in which the slave holding States with the
exception Of Texas have any peculiar interest. 1t Is the
only compensation which they have received for
sacrifices which many perhaps majority, of her citizens
believe they have suffered Besides nearly all the other
measures Of the Compromise, certainly tho most i'm
poitant OF them In their mature final ana cannot
be repealed by Congress Under these circumstances 1t
would ONLY be uniust In bad faith. TO deprive