The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-16
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gainst mnrder:thnt that is no reaso
for the repeal Of fthe-law. It is be
ter that the life of the citizen slioul
be impcrfectIy protected than nc
protected at ALI y So, III the presen
case, if tie la9does not secure til
certain return Of every fugitive,
does as mncllas any human law ca,
do; and L can ieonstrue in but on,
way The conluct Of that Souther,
man who desires to continue agieatio,
about it. btja tss87.; !,
Mr.. President, ] wish it alSaysre
membered that this resolution pro
poses no ai,ptosal Of the Compromise
Any man. WHO honestly means t
cease agitation, can conscientiously
vote for it. Its nothing but a pub
lie declaration Of willingness to sub
nit to the Law and the voice Of the
people. We askano man to retract
any former opinion he may. have ex.
pressed. We ask no man to Join in
praises of measures lie has con.
demned. We ask only that hereaf
ter this disturbing question shall be
laid at rest. We, WHO are the
victors in the struggle, tender the
olivve-branch to our late opponents,
and, forgetting the bitterness Of
the past, offer them a future of
harmony upon terms so easy that
none but determined agitdtor. can
reject them. A Southern makes
no sacrifice by agreeing to acqniesce
in the Compromise; for, granting that
it be as Objectionable as alleged,
still the Objectionable parts are
lrrepealable, and that which is good
only remains under tile control Of
Congress California is sovereign
State, and cannot be disturbed.
The Territorial bills for Utah and
New Mexico include an express
guarantee that the people OF Chose
i lss;1 cries shall regulate their ohsn
cons ekHss nj ssnner, Thess
is nothing open for agitation but
the Fusitfve siare- law .gnd tile
law tc abolish the slave trade in
this District. Then, let me ask,
what possible objection o. Southern
man can have to this resolution,
unless he desires the repeal Of
the Fugitive Slave bill and the
destruction of the Government?
did not vote for the abolition Of
the slave trade in the District of Co
lnmbia.-I thought it wrong for
Congress to mcd.lle with it. | think
it wrong now. But l would not TO-
day vote 10 repeal it. 1t is one of
the series of measures upon which
we rely for a settlement of the diff
cultics which existed between the
Nortli and the South; and however
wrong might believe it to be. still,
as a settlement, T intend 20 abide by
it. Moreover, it is precisely one Of
those cases which may with peculiar
propricty be left to the decision Of the
Supreme Court. 1t can be deter
mined there without aSitation-with-
out stirring up the embers of section
al strife; and to that tribunal l pro-
pose to leave it. While upon this
subject, let me remark that this bill
seems to have been strangely :nisun-
derstood. 1t is nothing now ian ti.v
legislation of Congress. It has been
the law of the District for fifty years,
except as to tho States of Virginia
and Maryland. After Virginia ro.
ceivcd back her portion of tile Dis
trict, it tapplicd also to her. ALI the
last Congress did was to make it ap-
ply also to Maryland. ! do not
mean, of course, to say these are the
words of the bill, but that such is the
only effect. The citizens Of North
Carolina, South Carolina, and other
States, have been denied the right of
bringing slaves into this District for
sale ever since the year 1901; and
throughout that long period we have
heard no murmcr Of complaint. It is
too late now to seize upon it as all
excuse for agitation.
The Senator from South Carolina
did not content himself with com.
plants upon the subject Of slavery
alone. lie reviewed the financial
policy of the country, and found op
preston and robbery even in the tar
if Of 1876. Now, sir, L have al
ways understood the tariff of '46 tc
be a. democratic tariff. 1t has beer
a standing charge against the democ
racy in certain quarters that by tha
act we reduced the rate of duties tot
much. The Senator himself wa'
then member Of the House Of Rep
rescntatives, and voted for it. b.
reference to the Journal, 1 find tha
the whole South Carolina delegation
voted with him. IT., therefore, it b,
unjust and unequal in its operations
that Senator has much to answer for
lie is the last man who should al