The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-15
THE CoNsrITUuON-THEc COMPROMISE, &c.

LIE OONolllUIlOn-lhE tUMfhURIcE &C.
Extract Of a Speech an the House of Representa-
tiUes, by MIR. FowLER, Of Massachusetts, on the
'3la Of March
The trainers of the Constitution were anti
slavery men. They looked and labored for a
speedy humiliation of a system of bondage
which they considered as an unmitigated curse
upon the nation. They expressed their sent-
ments and purposes in the first sentence of the
Constitution Justice and liberty for all, were
the paramount ends of that instrument They
provided for the termination of the slave trade
at the end of twenty years; which they ex-
pected would be the death-blow of the cruel
system OF which il was then the main support
They adapted the clause for the recovery of
higitlyes to state Of universal freedom The
far Interpretation Of the proceedings of those
venerable men is, that each State should pro-
VIDE Tor the early extinction of slavery within
It's borders; that the foreign slave trade should
fcease IN 1905; that soon thereafter slavery
should be abolished and that slavery should
never enter the Territories nor extend beyond
the States in which it then existed. That th;s
was the full understanding of all concerned
the history OF those times, as well as the Con-
stltuton itself, abundantly proves The fra
mers OF the Constitution had no thought of the
Perpetulty OF slavery. In providing for the ex-
tradition of tngitves, they took care to use
language which applies to apprentices and
Will be appropriate when slavery shall be done
away The Constitution, in its present form
would never have been adopted if the people
had dreamed that in this free Republic SIM
gle slave would have been found upon its soil
in 1852
The Fugitive Law is both unwise and unjust
IL is designed to fasten the responsibility of
slavery upon the whole country, and thus to
give II nationality. And the measupasis.as OBJ
Jectonable IN Its details as in its designs 1t
aims iatal blow at some of the sacred de-
fences OF personal liberty 1t denies TO the al
legged fugitive the right of trial by jury-a fight
guaranteed to all persons by the Constitution.
it destroys the value of the legal presumption
that every person under this Government is a
freeman till he is proved to be slave. 1t sur
renders the victim upon mere affidavit of the
claimant. 1t clothes petty officer with the
most important judicial power ever exercised
by mantle power of deciding the question of
personal liberty; and it requires him to pro-
coed = summarily," and it may be in corner
and not in open daylight. 1t imposes fines and
imprisonment upon all who feed him or give
HIM cup of cold water, or in any way show
HIM sympathy or kindness. 1t requires every
freeman IN the nation to aid in sezing and
binding his unofendng brother man, and to
sustain what he knows to be the most cruel
system OF oppression on the face of the globe.
Search the records of Christendom. You can
not lind another law SO unjust in its provis.
| ions.
The Constitution exercises a watchful guar
dianship in behalf Of all persons who have a
question in controversy before our judicial tr-
bunals, whether it be question of property or
question of personal liberty. If question at
common law, involving property to the amount
OF twenty dollars, be put upon trial, it must be
settled by jury. If person be charged with
felony, he cannot be held to answer until the
grand inquest have found bill against him :;
nor can any person be put upon trial for crime
except betorshs peers-a jury of twelve i'm
partial men. Now, the Fugitive Law attempts
to abrogate these fundamental principles guar
anted by the Constitution 1t ought, forth
| with, to be repealed or modified in its essential
details
The fnaiify of the Compromise. Our ears
are saluted with the expression almost daily
How do the advocates Of slavery understand
this language! Do they mean that there is t,
be no more slave territory annexed to this coun
try! Nothing like it. When they are pre-
pared for the acquisition Of territory, the nc
QUESTION will be made, unless defeated by the
timely circumstances of the friends of libert,
and Union. Those who so loudly proclaim tho
finality of the Compromise, look beyond the
Fugitive Law. With them this law is second
airy matter. They have their eyes chiefly on
the declaration that hereafter new States may
come into the Union with Constitutions s,ls-
tanning slavery The indefinite extension of
| Of IL ,a;, A.
Compromise The division of California for
the purpose of making slave State; the dis
memberment of the ad accent provinces of New
Mexico; the annexation of Cuba these are the
great Interior measures These measures are
to be accomplished, first by the reimbursement
of the Compromise, and secondly, by securing
a Federal Executive that will use the immense
patronage of the Government to carry out this
endorsement. Such is the Interpretation that
this term finally will ultimately develop. 1t
will presently he claimed, that all discussions
OF the evils and the wrongs of slavery here and
elsewhere, are to cease.
And will the friends of national freedom and
impartial justice be silent! No, sir they will
never consent to be tongue-tied touching sys-
tenn which, says Professor Stuart, "Degrades
men, made in the image of their God and Re-
deemer, into brutcs, beasts, or, (which makes
them still lower,) converts them into mere
goods and chattels" You may endorse and
re-endorse the Compromise every session, and
every day Of every session, and still the people
will think, and they will speak their thoughts;
and, when the time comes, they will demand
repeal or modification, and what they require
will be done. At length, freedom and justice
will triumph OF the ultimate issue have no
doubt. know not what may intervene ;. but
know that God is just, and that he regns
on earth and in heaven know that he is on
the side of liberty and right-that none can
stay the hand Of his providences-that Amer
lean slavery is against his law, and against
every moral attribute Of his holy character;
| and am sure that under his controlling prov
idence it cannot long stand against the public
opinion Of the nations--against the civilization,
the common sense, the political economy, the
moral principles Of mankind You had better
look tiesubject in the face now, than to wait
till there are five, ten, twenty millions of slaves
upon the soil, sending up their cries ~ Heaven
| for the interpostion OF Divine justice. You can
not-no you cannot hinder the march of hui
man freedom. As well might you attempt to
stay the stars in their course. Make the trial
Endorse and re-endorse the attempt The Great
or and Lesser Bear, the Crab, the Lion, the
Twins, and all that twinkling company will
pursue their stately and steady course The
dial Of human progress is not moving back
ward. Man, indeed, dies; generations pass
away--but truth lives The principles Of
righteousness are immortal. Light is too wide
ly difiIused for the long-continued reign Of OPP
preston; and the light now sending up it,
beams is the light Of the morning Dark az
the doom Of the oppressed now seems, the time
il not distant when the claims OF humanity
and the principles Of justice will triumph.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS
The subject Of our foreign policy il asslm-
ing an aspect Of unwonted interest, because Of