The daily union., 1852-05-11

the legislature The proposition TO repeal ins
ac OF nulihcaon was rejected BY vote o. nearly ,fse
oEe-making il manifest that the settled acton OF uis
State against The execution OF the law OF ouns'ess
A similar nnilyng law lew weeks since seeofdng 70
e statements published u s 1as pIe r. he House BY vote
Of one hundred and sixty TO one hundred ana seventy
eight Such things when they occur IA the northern
States now do not even excite the comment oi same OF
the national papers here the seat oil government Bu
il the Stale OF South Carolina, which. Without actually
carrying il oui, has threatened TO nnliy' IN ofmef
tjmes-if lhs State, ! say, were really 70 nuuiiy'
or seriously even threaten TO nulliy, any act OF Con
gtees of much importance the one under consider
uop the whole country from this point TO Canada, and
such portions oil the southern people as symaihIe manly
with northern movements, would at once be thrown INTO
a state OF iermeDt. and the Executive would be COM
PEELED by the oce OF pnblic opinion 10 sehu as many
troops his disposal 10 Sulvans island or other
points the coast OF that State TO endeavor TO oyerawe
her. lNIp. a.u
But ii is necessary for 10 argue further TO show
that there are serious obstacles in the way OF the execu-
ton OF the fugitive slave law OF $780, OF any legisa
tive provision carry out that feature OF the conslitn
ton The expense alone OF recovering fuglyeis sui-
cient to defeat the object oil The law. That expense
would not be necessary it not for the resistance
made by the mohs TO its execution
In support of my own course and views quote par
agaph from the address already published by the seced-
ing members Let il be borne in mind that they are all,
except Mr. Morton and myself, supporters OF the CON-
promise measures. i is in the following words
After another series of years acquisitions OF ter
ritory madenew disputes arose touching the same
powers and the same questions. new compromise was
made whereby the balance OF power was yielded by the
savehoding States, and the reins OF empire were deliv
cred TO the free States by the admission OF California
into the Union. The slave trade suppressed in the
District OF Columbia territorial governments were created
the whole public domain, and an act was passed TO
enforce the delivery of fugitives from labor This set
tlemen henG made, has the South murmured at the law
the slave trade in this District! Look upon
the opposite picture Reply to hearts how has
the law for the delivery OF fugitive slaves been executed
We ask merely that the whg party shall not go behind
this last settlement that shall nalionalZe itself by ta-
a m ar
Element, and shall hold lis members bound. without re-
gard to former opinions, 70 maintain and enforce this set
Element in good faith, and honestly"
The view here taken substantially accords with my
own position. was originally opposed ~ this system OF
measures nSmuch as the constitution expressly pro-
vded that fugves should be given up, thought that
were entitled matter Of right, without bargain, 10
efficient law to carry into effect that provision. did
not therefore, consent 10 pay the price demanded Blu,
TO the disposition OF territorial acquisitions have been ex-
ecued, and are now beyond recall The fugitive slave
law alone s executory in lis character and Is liable to
be repealed, modified, or resisted.
Though regarded the bargain as whole as an un.
wise yet, since what we have paid cannot be gotten
back have not right 10 insist that the other party
| hold il oug 10 have been If 10 convey
by deed TO another piece of land worth thousand
dolars with promise OF only five hundred in return for
H. might you not well say 10 hun that he had made
bad trade, but that bis land gone forever, be
ought TO insist that the purchase money should at least
be pad This view OF the case is SO clear and easy Of
sincerity Of any who processes not to understand it,
AT least be who does not IL is covered by coating
OF stupidity thick enough and hard enough turn the
edge OF any argument however sharp 1t may be, and
however forciby driven.
From the day Of the passage Of these measures have
said again and again. ha, the great con-
cessions made to The North, il would not remain satisfied
and that the southern compromise would soon be put
the defensive again have all The while held myself
ready TO co Operate with them. Having Iaed to main
tain successfully my own position Tor the want OF larger
number OF allies ii my duty 10 fall back the next
line Of defence that seems tenabe. What would be
thought OF soldier who in battle because the advanced
position which he wished defended was abandoned,
should refuse 10 operate with his comrades defend
ing any other line which might be occupied by them
Feeling confident that the aboiIonists would moi give
quarter my countrymen duty and patriotism required
that should be ready to aid them whenever they found
il necessary to make a stand
Ii will be seen that my resolution went beyond those
OF the other gentlemen with whom was cooperating
IL in substance proposed that we should not give the
sanction OF congressional caucus OF the whg party 10
he holding OF any National Conventions, except upon
condition that certain principles should be adopted a
basis Of action But II is said that we are disposed TO
thrust sectional issue upon the convention IL Is not
so for the constitution OF the United States is binding
in all its provisions all sections OF the Union, and
must be carried out in all its features by every citizen
He therefore, who is opposed 10 the enforcement OF any
one Of its provisions is himself sectional man. and
ought therefore TO be excluded from all part In the pro-
ceedings OF any National Convention. Before entering
into political partnership with any set OF men, have
right 10 requife that they shall adopt principles cock
under H. And il the individuals composing the body
about assemble really entertain proper national feel
ings, why should they hesitate 10 say so IL is the high
privilege OF American freemen 10 speak the truth and
why should they not exercise this great rightl
The fact cannot be denied that within the last bali
dozen years large portion OF The called whig party
has become mere northern sectional anti slavery party
To show how this brought about would extend the
limits OF this letter too much, aud content myself with
reference 10 few well.known, prominent facts In
the Ihirieh Congress every member OF the House oil
Representatives from the free States regularly voted for
the Wilmot proviso, with view OF excluding The South
from The occupation OF every OF the Mexican terri
Tory The fact that fifteen Siaes, by their legislative
ton adopted this proviso, shows how general and perya
And in the presidential canvass followine-vz OF iS4S
the section OF the party in those States took extreme anti
slavery ground When, therefore, the Thiry-frs Con-
gress assembled il found that all OF the eighyfour
whig members from the North had been, either by
their declarations by the resolves OF The nomia.
ting district conventions, pledged 10 put the proviso on
The territorial governments and 10 abolish slavery in the
District OF Columbia Though different in name, YET
these gentlemen agreed IN principle with that large section
Of the abolition party which supported John =. Hale as
presidential candidate While they all proessed re-
gard for the constitutions and discamed all purpose to
interfere with slavery in the States, yet they alike
serted not only the right but also the duty OF Congress
exclude slavery wherever il had jurisdiction, and espe
cisy 10 prohihit il in the Territories, and abolish IL IN
the District II will be recoeced that in the congress
sionai which assembled The CONNIE ncemen OF
the session OF the last Congress, when discussion on
these points sprung mp on the presentation OF Mr..
Toombs's resolution, that gentleman from New York,
MIR Brooks declared that be had had conference with
his colleague from the city, Understood to be Mr.. Brggs
and that they had determined not 10 vote at that session
lthe first one) Tor any proposition 10 abolish slavery in