The southern press., 1852-05-22

!
tive law commissioner upon any Just principle
of appraisement, ought 10 be very low. In a
word, sir, the system of adjudication provided
by the fugitive law, its officers included, would
not at the North be considered sufficiently safe
or dgnfed for establishing the right of prop
erty in dog.
And what is the effect! Why, just what
might be expected. The law is and for all
practical purposes will ever be, dead letter
Incapable of being executed to any extent use
fu to the South, because il is not sustained by
sound and honest public opinion The peo.
Pile of the North have unbounded resnect for
good and wholesome laws. The most humble
Justice of the peace in New York may, on
proper cause, issue his warrant against the most
distinguished and powerful and constable, if
his precept so direct may take him, without
riot or resistance, and lodge him in the county
Ijail, But under your fugitive law, your process,
which runs in the name Of twenty-four millions
of people, is not sufficient without an armed
i force, nor always with, to arrest a friendless
runaway slave.
The South is told by the North, that the fu-
gitive slave law shall be observed and executed.
! Let the State of Pennsylvania, which is very
particularly sound upon this subject, be taken
as the best instance Of Northern State faithful
to the compromise. The recently elected gov.
ernor of this State. in his inaugural, says:
i "The loyalty of Pennsylvania to the national
Union cannot be doubted. She is now, as she
ever has been, for the Constitution and its com.
promises. She will maintain and execute, in
4 letter and spirit, the several adjustment meas
ures, as passed by the late Congress, on the
subject of slavery"
There is little slurring here of the @Whis-
key Rebellon;" but let that pass. The passage
reads we'll. and sounds well. Pennsylvania is
"for the Constitution and its compromises"
4 What State is not?
But further: In maintaining the compromise,
she will not disturb the law fixing the boundary
of Texas and giving that State s. O,O0O,0 900, for
the law is fixed fact, and the money paid she
will not eject California from the confederacy
she will not repeal the law establishing terri
toria government in Utah; she will not re-
establish slave market in this Districts and
we all know that she will execute the fugitive
slave law, because she did at Christians, and
the way she did il is caution to persons pur-
suing slaves under difficult circumstances.
But, practically what is this gubernatorial
rodomontade of Pennsylvania worth to the
South In the city Of Philsdelpha your officer
cannot arrest fugitive without first getting him
into custody on false charge Of an offence
against the State laws. At Chrstiana your
marshal and his posse are driven at full speed
through a cornfield, and the claimant shot dead.
At Harrisburg fugitive is arrested in the night
and tried before day-break, for fear of the popu-
lace; and at Columbia the officer, unable to
make an arrest, kills the negro and then runs
away. And yet, the governor tells us that the
people of Pennsylvania are sound upon the
subject, and uson such soundness her favorite
son is commended to the support of the South
The difficulty Of enforcing laws against the
convictions, the prejudices, if you please, of a
people, is not confined 10 the North. Listen to
the following, taken from recent number of
the National Iatelligencer:
DR.. Thomas Hunt, who killed J. w. Frost
in a duel last summer, at New Orleans, was
brought up for trial on Thursday last with
the seconds, on charge Of murder, when Judge
Larue refused TO sit in the case, and excused
himself Judge Buchanan was sent for, bnt he
was engaged Judge Strawbridge vas sent for,
but he was indisposed. The district attorney
then said that he could not try the case without
Judge. He therefore entered a mol pros, and
the accused was discharged"
The circumstances of the case are unimport-
ant to my purpose. IL is sufficient that no court
could be found even to 20 through the forms
of trial of person charged with murder when
it was justified with popular opinion.
u
have had its brief day; when the people shall
look in vain for its woodworking power of
quieting agitation; when they shall find the
! promises of benefit to North ani South alike
false, depend upon il, the South, yes, sir, the
South, soR ask for a repeal OF mod fcatioa of The
flgitipe Stare li,o. And this compromise, as il
J has been described is said 10 be a settlement,
; final settlement, Of the slavery question, with
all its adjuncts and the North is told that il
must hereafter forever hold lis peace. A ques
ton which the Almighty has established in the
frosts and SHOWS and chilling winds of the North,
compelling industry, making slave labor unpro
ftable, and, greatest Of all temporal blessings.
: making white labor respectable and In the
burning heat and reeking masmns Of the South,
making white labor reluctant, IL not unprofta
he, is settled, is il, by Congressional enactmentl
: Believe il not As IL was IN the beginning, and
J is now, 30 IL ever shall be question--an open
J question, debstabe and debated question
not for any mischievous purpose Of disturbing
} the quiet Of the South il never has been de.
! bated for such purpose at the North not for
: the purpose Of making il test Of patriotism or
party fidelity. Il has never been moved for
. that purpose at the North certainly not for
impairing the constitutional rights Of the South,
, or avoiding the constitutional obligations Of the
North. No discussion for such an object hss
; ever been sprung by the North. Bot whenever
, and wherever this question assumes a shape
which shall involve the substantial. constitu.
; tional. and individual rights Of Northern free.
? men, then and there we will debate with you
upon this theme until your eye-lids will no longt
wag.'
. The compromise certainly has not suffered
by the modesty of its supporters for the world
, is gravely informed that Il has saved the Union
Of these States. Partisan assurance can no
! further 90. Such draft on popular creduty
: is nowhere accepted at The North. Proud Of
the history Of The past confident in the prom
ises Of the future; convinced by every dsy's re
port that our government is the admiration Of
. the world. our country the hope Of the good
among all nations, the North has rested quiet
: in the strong belief that the Union has never
been in danger; and this belief was confirmed
when they were told that IL had been saved by
! the compromise; for when patient is cured BY
pill Of bread, the inference is strong that his
disease was rather imaginary than real