The daily union., 1852-10-01


law they have determined by all means far or foul 10 re-
ssl, and hnay 10 overthrow. IN violation oi consi uona
obligations and the indspuiahe OF the
South. Sir, when body OF men discard the constitution
OF our country, and trampe Il under their feet because
does not happen in certain provisions to square with their
noions--when men, warned beforehand. still bend all
their energies 10 produce state OF things which must
should they succeed end IN anarchy and civil warwhen
fanatics rampe the sacred Scriptures in the dust. be-
cause those Scriptures do not ncucae the one idea OF
anailcsm aud denounce and anahematze all The world
calls good and holyl say, sir, when men 30 Tar forget
themselves, and their obligations to their country and
their God, as 10 commit such il is but OF tle use 10
attempt 10 argue with them l. thereore speak only or
myself to this honorable body, and through this TO my
fellows citizens, who recognise their obligations men
and as citizens to the constitution and The lawsto God
and their country
consider the constitution of the United States as my
political oracle. and deem thai II shond be considered
by every American citizen. There may be provisions ~
that 'me-honored instrument which might be modified
with advantage, and possibly dispensed with altogether
But IS the palladium OF rights Framed BY as wise
aud patriotic body OF men adorned this or any
other country aud thr rnls OF long and mature de bera
on, IN the mids: OF conflicting interests, II I'M
holeS all that rs necessary jor rule OF government
and TO provide for The prosperity and happiness Of
country. This same constitution was deliberately and
soennly adopted BY the S,ales though with hesiiancy
and Tears BY some OF them, ami even 10 thisday 10
crates, and sustained by The people, II has Disappointed
the fears oi its early opponents. aud than realized
The sanguine expectations Of its friends This consu
on coniers on Congress certain powers. These powers
are defined and limited These powers Congress cannot
themselves certain powers and certain rghla limited and
defined only by will, long they interfere not with
The powers vested in Congress By these reserved pow
ers, IN accordance with these reserved rights, certain
States recognise property IN slaves The consultation
guarantees protection this property certain
eamstances, and this guarantees the Congress Of the
United States, by virtue OF lis constitutional obligations
Is bouad to execute This Is one OF the conditions OF
political compact and, sir, much love the Union,
hold that no State Is bound by or can be bound by 1T,
politically morally longer than the constitutional guar
an,ee for the protection of life and property shall be
tlnne and faithfully carried out Aud sir, wha, - the
fugitive slave law but law 10 execute tins guarantee
People may honestly differ even in regard to qaesIcns
of morality We varousiy constituted ind rear
ed under such great variety OF circumstances, that we
cannot all look al things through the same medium |
may think that property in slaves cannot exist on the
ground Of moral principle My friend from slave Stale.
himself slave-owner. may think differently Well II y
be offence against morality TO own slaves the sin Is
his, not nine. Il need not disturb my conscience The
slavery OF the South--if objectionable sn--ls
not TO be answered and aloned for by the people OF the
North. They have nothing TO do with IT, Slavery IS an
institution OF the States themselves and we make our
selves just ridiculous by decryng those States, and al
tempting 10 drive them out OF the Union, on account OF
slavery, as we should In refusing TO consummae treaty
! with some foreign nation because that nation held
slaves bowed in devotion 10 heather god.
feel tree to say that regret that slavery was ever
introduced into any OF the States OF this Unon and were
the question tor its Introduction into the United
States no could more heartily oppose it than would
would move heaven and earth TO save us iom the
mighty evil. would invoke Heaven with all the
estnes and zeal of parent pleading tor his first born 10
avert from my country curse so heavy But sir, 1t is
not So The evil is among nshe curse rests upon us
and no way remove il, without the creation OF
evil greater-l curse more heVy-tbe rum oil the master
and the destruction OF the slave.
But. sir The fugitive lawthe law for the rendition oil
fugitive slaves 10 their ownersis the great bone OF
contention And certain people seem horrhed a, The idea
that they or anybody else should he required 10 all in
the execution OF this law and not be saved harmless Tor
it's violation. Does tnis law violate any OF my personal
rights citizen Does II violate any OF The personal
rights OF any citizen oi tree Saes Certainly not, ex-
ha rix tha
law may mol happen TO like That incalcuIable mis-
chief, and even the destruction OF everything IN the form
Of government would result from such state OF things,
requires but lew words 10 show.
Take the rule laid down BY the opponents OF this law.
and make universal application OF it, and see what
would be the results The rule has been denonnated
the "hgher law :; in other words, the moral law or, in
the words OF the New Testament "As ye would that men
should do unto you, do ye so unto them" Sir,
give in 10 in my veneralion for and attachment
to this sublime rule OF right the true concentration OF all
moral ethics but do not believe in having II strained
and twisted, and warped to prove favorlte theory,
willie leave untouched and unused IN other
and particularly in which il is legtlmatey sp.
plicsbe. The application OF this law is, as understand
IT, that II were in the condition OF the fugitive slave
my wish would be that some would aid me. and thus
evade the law that hence il becomes my duty TO do
because should do unto him as should wish him to
do unto me- Now, hold that to carry this higher law
out in this manner, II would be absolutely impossible
ever 10 nfct legal punishment for crme even on the
most airoeious wretch.
Imagine the thief, the robber the murderer arraigned
positive. Noa doubt OF guilt can possibly exist in the
mind OF any But, before conviction, the cu-
p his counsel appeals 10 the court and jury under the
% higher law"the divine law"As ye would tha, mer
should do unto you. do ye even so unto them" Think
sou, sir, there would be the bench or IN the
jury box who would not, II IN the place OF the criminal
wish the Judge and jury 10 acquIt him And IL III,
views OF the higher law advocates be correct why not
great many people in this country IN principle, 90
posed 10 the punishment o any crime by DEATH but sill
such punishment is inflicted by law in most OF the States
Would il not be quite right, quite much act o
humanity, and quite as much IN accordance with th
persons fellow being from the galows {,
rescue slave from bondagei Why, then, should thel
not do il under the rule But, this law, th
higher law, designed for any such purpose
It's object TO regulate intercourse between man ant
man. rhe spirit that dictated to the servant TO be sab
ecl 10 hs master could have enjoned il other
10 aid his escape The spirit that commanded obe
dience to the civil magistrate, and those IN authority
would have enloned 1t on men to resist the laws
know, sir that the general plea 10 behalf OF thi
agitation against the fuglve slave law, and Tor its hns
repeal is philanhropy-the professed desire to ameo
rate the condition OF suffering humanity but confess
for is beyond the ken OF my mental vision TO dis
how the of philanthropy and humanity Is 4
sirfe and perhaps civil and boodshed for the SAX
OF aiding the escape OF few fugIlives from bondage
and especially wben nine times out OF ten, the condito
of those ugltves, instead OF being improved, ~ abso
uiey made worse. My own views OF philanthropy am
humanity lead 10 the conclusion that OF two evils w
should choose the least and certainly form no Just Is
innate OF the enormous difference between the evils re
sung from the return OF few fugitive slaves to thel
owners and those to result to the entire people OF th