Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-05-14
The Stamp Act and the Fugitive Law

Va
| The Stamp Act and the Fugitive Law.
The following is an extract from the discourse
of Theodore Parker at Simms Anniversary in
Boston
6 1t was a dark day for New England the
Eth of April, 1851, far darker than the dark day
! our fathers tell of, when the candles had to be
! lighted at noon
The passage Of the stamp act in 1892 was a
dark day for New England The Parliament
SAID the people OF Massachusetts, should be taxed
and the minister said they had no business to
inquire into the reasons of the government for
taxing them, but the people of Massachusetts said
That without their consent they would not be
taxed. The mercenary who then filled the Gov
erners chair favored the oppression, and granted
to the British officers the 'writs of assistance
that were desired. II was dark day for our
fathers. But there wasa young lawyer of Hing
ham, James Gus was his name, who resolved TO
give up position and prnferment, or whatever it
might cost TO oppose this iujnsticc. The cause
made him more eloquent than Burke The rich
and arstocratic Hutchinson cowed before tie
dauntless agitator After hearing Otis, John
Adams said he could never read the Stamp Act
without Indignation. The Stamp Act was dark
cloud over the Colonies, but the birth place of
Franklin drew the lightning from that cloud, the
rain decended, and the land was clothed in gentle
green. There were men in that day, who had
the hearts of men. On the lst of November,
l765, they hung on The Liberty tree Mr. Huss,
New Hampshire man, who in parliament rec
commended the obnoxious law. lie was regar-
ded as traitor, though he was not worse one
than New hampshire has since produced He
and Granville, the minister, were hung in eff
gy, just as 218 years before, the pope had been
pI!oreld, they were afterwards taken down and
carried through the market iunder Fanuel Hall,
and then carried TO Dorchester Heights and bum
ed.
The stamps nobody would take think YOU
may never have seen one. have seen one, but
It was great curiosity, and it was obtained in
England These stamped papers were placed
with Oliver, the secretary Of the Colony for dis
irlbuton But this Oliver was taken to the Lib
erty Tree and made to take an oath that he
would not distribute this badge Of servitude or
DO anything to injure the Colony. The oath
was administered by Richard Dana, name hon
orable in history. Ii is something to come of
noble blood, and this mans blood and spirit are
not yet extinct among us. The women say that
It Is good thing to have man in the house;
Boston then had several of them There was
one Samuel Adams who was a man, who could
not be bought by any office nor awed BY any
threat. lie devoted hmselfto the public welfare
and It Is recorded that he was neither rich nor
bachelor. There were other men in the Lpgis-
iatare, and 1t was told GovoT,.or Dhi.ly sho,
they were pushing against the government
There were Thomas Gushing and John Han
cock, and the Adamses, Samuel and John 'Cush-
ing and Hancock know said Governor Shir
ly, "but where the devil did this family of Adam
scs come from ?" Where they went to we all
know We know, fox when we were boys We
used to get the speech by heart, how Pitt in his
sublime eioqucnce: demanded its unconditional
repeal-and it vas repealed
But the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law
in 1850 made darker day than the passage Of
the Stamp Act 1t was not done by foreigners
il was done by American hands and it too was
advised by an apOstate son of New Hampshire.
And how differently was it received in Boston
The news of the Stamp Act was received with
the flags lowered to half mast, and every public
demonstration of sorrow by rich and poor, the
merchants, the people and the clergy. On the
other hand, by the merchants of Boston and the
principle clergy, the news of the passage of the
Fugitive Slave Law was received. with Joy,
which they testified by firing 100 guns on the
Common.
When the member of Congress from Massa-
mise, returned to Boston he was Kissed in State
strcet-hioscd all the way TO Lanesborough.-
But when the member from Boston, who voted
for the Fugitive Slave Law, returned, he was re-
ceived with high compliments. He was compli-
mented chiefly by two classes, those who were
made proud and naughty by having money, and
those who are made segvile and crnging by their
love Of money. And yet there was no compar-
lson between the unrighteOus laws. The Stamp
Act vas no more to the Fugitive Slave Law than
looking through the hedge to driving away all
the sheep of the flock
Gu the 18th Of September 1850 the Fugitive
Slave Law was passed. On the 18th of Septem-
Der 1868 the Select men of Boston met-for
Boston had Select men in those days, and not
such things as Mayor and Aldermen have been
in these days-and they voted unanimously to
ructthe Representatives in the General Court
to oppose the Stamp Act as violation of unaen-
able rights and to oppose every measure tending
to promote its execution. And this is the earliest
use find in history Of the term una!ie1ab!e
rights.
When this Fugitive Slave Law was passed
there were in Massachusetts, $500 colored poo-
pie al! Of whom were exposed to be dragged in
to slavery by its summary process. Before
rs clyc hours, 80 of them had applied to a well
known phi!artaropjst to know what they should
do before - hours 10 Of them had fled 10 take
refuge under the apron Of the British Qaeen.-
The hand that sought liberty with the sword
was now pledged to the kldnappars With such
Commissioners for Judges aud such witnesses
as the y!}esi constables could scTape together
10 testify against them, there was no hope but
IN fight. The men who are the most sensitive
to the cold, fled to hyperborean winter. And
they were driven on; by Boston men. The Bos-
ton Massacre was done By foreigners. Boston
kidnapping was done BY volunteers, American
born. This foul wrong Massachusetts should
have resisted, bat she was mute as the cod fish
tina! hangs in her State House. The people
should have come together in body and appoint
ed q Committee - see that the Jaw was not ex-
ecuted bit il was not done.
JUDICIAL. iNTEGRTTY.
Judge Sewa.I, of Mass, who died in 1860,
went one day into a shoemaker's shop, in order
to purchase pair Of brushes for cleaning his
shoes. The master Of the shop presented him
with couple. Whats your price p said the
Judge. II they answer your purpose" replied
the other, you may have them and welcome -
The Judge upon hearing this laid them down. and
bowling was leaving the shop, upon which the
man said to him, Pray, sir, your honor has for
gotten the principal object of your visit" By
no means" answered the iuire - ifvOU please