Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-02-21
The spirifOf one of the Apostles.

The SpiTifOf one of the Apostles.
Mr.. Sedgwick the counsel for the Syracuse
''rescuers," closes his argument for quashing the
Indictment in the following unmistakable terms.
1t will be seen that he not only justifes the act,
but eevates it into the highest scale of duty The
plans and purposes of the AboHtionists are fore
showed in these significant threats.
Let our Union Compromise men read this--let
those men who solemnly pledged themselves "to
the bursting Of every tie that binds them to the
Union, " to resist any material modification or re-
peal Of the Fugitive Slave law, read this and say
honestly and conscientously if they are still will
ling to hazard the Union, and the safety of the
South, on an issue so worthless The political
forum, the bar, the pulpit, the lecture room, and
last, though not least, the public press daily pour
forth their eloquent and passionate appeals before
the million-all, all the great powers of the high
est and most influential minds in the old free
States are concentrating, guiding and educating
the million to hate, with never dying hatred,
the institution of slavery. How vain is it then,
to hope for justice and peace, while continue to
fellowship with such fanatics. We may buy
truce for season, but it will cease to exist so
soon as an occasion is offered them to pillage the
the South. We have already given up territory
to the free States to purchase peace, equal in
tent, and superior in cimate) to thirty States the
size of Ohio. And now, the only equivalent the
South obtained for all that, the Fugitive Slave law
is set aside as wholly worthless. Fanaticsm
dares the South to submit that law to the decision
of a jury Ponder this well, Union men
EsT boya +I,a bi,bact in tba itTdi
of this country. This confidence | have always
entertained, and publicly and frequently express
ed Hating sIagery Wjh intense and perfect
hatred / look noeo to tie time aghen the courts Of
this country shall oyerhrol0 1t by their solemn judg
nents The Mansfield who in this country shall
with a noble and manly courage pronounce the
judgment of the law, that slavery Is Incompatible
with right and that in the eye of the sovereign
law, 1t Is impossible that man hare property IN
man, is, [ hope, not now unborn-perhopS he al
ready wearS tile ernjne | remember at no dis
tant day the slave trade was recognized in the
courts as lawful traffic-that ships freighted with
gunpowder and rum went out from the ports of Old
England and New England to exchange for car
goes of human flesh on the Gninea Coast-that
merchant princes reveed upon the gains of this
unholy, though lawful commerce. A decision of
the courts ofustice gave the death blow to slavery
in England-a decision of the courts ended slavery
in sister State and the honor shed upon my
own name, by the humble share which one who
bore it had in that transaction would not barter
for patent of nobility.
1t is said we shrink from this investigation
but second to the duty of now vndicating the
right of trial by jury from the corrupt assaults
made upon it, the cherished desire OF these de
PENDANTS is to have an opportunity to prove to an
impartial tribunal, that slopery has legal erist-
enee IN the State Of Missouri. | hold it to be de-
monstrable that it does not That by their own
laws and the well settled principles of the public
law the population of Missouri is free, and by their
bill of rights, they have secured the right Of emf
grafton, of which Jerry availed himself from the
State. We are as anxious as the other side can
be- to bring this question to the test. We shrink
from no trial. If their bond entities them to the
pound of flesh, they proceed to cut it next the
heart, but they must not shed one drop of blood.
They must not trample upon the purity of the in
sttution of trial by jury.
/ One word more and 1 am done. | beg leave to
/ say in advance, that | friend of law and of
order | believe it the duty of the citizen, upon
great principles Of public morals and safety to
maintain the laws. But | do not assent to the
doctrine, that every enactment of the legislature
carries with it the sanction of law. If the legisla-
ture oversteps the boundaries of the Constitution
if they attempt to legaize the bribing of judicial
officers-to establish injustice, to destroy human
rights-to sanctity oppression, though they may
have all the forms, they want the vital principle
of law.
i In all free governments, [ have before said
popular outbreaks will sometimes occur, in which
the laws of the land are violated but | deny that
they all worthy of equal reprobation-the
throwing of the tea into Boston harbor, though
equally against law, was not worthy the same pun
ishment as the burning of the convent of Charles
town. In this case it may turn out that Gey ar,
strong circumstances Of mitigation; that many o
the accused are entirely innocent that popular
| outbreak was provoked, if not actually sought
r by the needless, not to say brutal manner, il
which an odious law was executed /; howeve
this may be, all that the accused seek, is a fai
and impartial trial, according to the ordinary forms
of law, and by its result, whether it brings dis
charge from this prosecution or punishment, the,
r will cheerfully abide.
Report of Attorney General Brent.
e This gentleman was sent on to Pennsylvania b,