Washington telegraph., 1852-08-25


Gratis Of that section. He occupied an hour
in defending his military character. He ex.
planned the circumstance of his fainting, and
declared that with the exception of a single
occasion. he had led his command in the
blaze Of every battle"
After this he commenced speaking upon
the Fugitive Slave Law. He said that it
differed in no important particular from the
law of 1893. A clergyman who was pre-
sent said, that as the invitation had been
given, he would like to make an inquiry
Do you regard the features of the Flu
gitive Slave law as consistent with common
law"
General Pierce Immediately replied: eff
[ must answer the question, | say no [ do
not. | have been asked if liked this Flu
gitive Slave law. [ answered no, [ loathed
it. [ have most revolving feeling at the
giving up Of slave; the law is opposed to hui
manity.''
Here Mr.. Foss inquired, eff it was not
opposed to right as well as to humanity -
Gen. Pierce replied: "Yes, it is opposed to
moral right"
The above is the substance of General
Pierces remarks upon the Fugitive Slave
law. The quotation marks include the very
language used by the General, as taken
down at the time it was uttered.
We copy these startling Developments
from the paper whose title we have publish
ed-the New York Sun of the 18th ult., J
and those who would question the authority
will find that it is a paper having such a
circulation that the list of Post Office letters
are published in it regularly, and in confor-
nifty to the law requiring post masters to
publish the list IN the paper havipg tue
largest clrcuIati0n
We assume therefore that the statement is
correct-and in all human probability this
may have given rise to the rumor which we
published sometime since upon the authori-
ty Of friend at our elbow"
We ask our readers to refer particularly
to SCOTS letter, and to this interrogatory:
"Will you sustain, and by all means within
your power enforce and have executed in
all their various parts, the various acts of
Congress constituting what is known as the
compromise, and especially to the recapture
by their owners of Fugitive Slaves?" How
could Gen. Pierce reply afirmatively to this
when he had publicly declared that this
very fugitive law was inconsistent with the
common law and consequently of no force?
People of the South! Democrats! you
have opposed the series of measures known
as the compromise because you sincerely
and honestly believed that the interests of
your section were prejudiced thereby! Af-
ter these laws were passed, however, you
acquiesced in them, declaring at the same
time that the recognition Of the Fugitiue
Stare Lam as a tf1aality was essential to
your acquiescence! The Baltimore Demo-
cratic Convention has nominated, as a can
didate, man, who has publicly expressed
his detestation of the only measure of the
compromise laws, which you regard with any
favor. They have nominated man who de-
clares that the .tugitlUc slave lar IS op7'os-
ed to hatna0,alty-to moral right, aasot IN
consistent aoitb the common Laao Of the
loaad They have nominated a man who has
refused to answer any interrogations touch
ing his future action in the event of this law
being repealed by Congress. Can you, then,
vote for him or support him? Turn from the
poisoned chalice which has been presented
to your lips. No longer act in concert with
men who have attempted to foist upon the
South man already pledged against her
interests-her constitutional rights!