The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-30

other as directly denies Inc proPue'' VI WIZ
press confess that they do not foresee upon
what principles or policies the parties are 20
decide in the next Presidential contest iney
have dumb sort of consciousness that there Is
nothing left of the old grudges to quarrei aoonh
and they are little slow to perceive that the
platform Of the old Liberty and present free
Democratic party is the matter that they nave
to meet, for they have been long IN the naoi'
of treating it as an impcrtinent collateral o.
fair; but it never had any less intrinsic conse'
quence than now, when it is plainly the conciu-
sion of the whole matter, and can no longer DC
eyaded. We are getting ready for you, ana
you may expect I" to meet us again at PhlnppL"
f.
CIV LOWE AND McCREARY, CHIEF MAGIs-
TRATE AND ARCH-KIDNAPPER, OF MD
In another column we give, from the Phila'
delpbia Euening Bulletin, the Judgment OF the
representative Pro-Slavery pEsss of PennsyiVa'
MIA upon the matter at iss between the two
Commonwealth, growing out of the we'll
known Parker Girls case. For our own
part, we are not in the humor to expound
either the law or the gospel of the matter with
any view to settle and adjust it according to
the record, or to resolve all the points which it
presents as an interstate constitutional ques-
ton. We are not shocked at the violation OF
the Fugitive Slave Laws, for we have no re-
spect for the laws themselves. The editor OF
the Bulletin, having reserved all his indigna-
ton for the illegal outrage of the Governor OF
Maryland, may expend there. The miscon-
duct of McCreary and Lowe are as nothing to
us, compared to the act of Congress and of the
National Executive in the premises; and, ac-
cordingly, We are no way anxious that the
"liyery of the court of heaven should be worn
by the thieves who have stolen it without
spot or wrinkle, or any such thing" Let the
Devils costumiers attend to the form and fash
ion of the garb they have made for him. They
have both the taste and talent for managing
the decorum to be observed when he goeth
about seeking whom he may devour. Nothing
they can do for him hides his naked ugliness
from our sight and we care nothing about the
logical man-millinery of the matter.
The reception of fugitive slaves and the kid
mapping of freemen-which are alike provided
for, both by the decision of the Federal Court
in the Prigg case, and the act Of Congress of
1S5O-havc nothing in them that any villany
can abuse or exaggerate Governor Lowe will
have no difficulty in defending his positions,
and McCreary no trouble in justifying himself,
against Governor Bigler's demands, or any
other compromisers reasoning or conscience.
Slavery has no foundation in nature and it
carries nothing of the obligation Of contract
between the parties with it. It is virtually a
state of war between master and slave, however
disguised; and every disturbance that arises in
its operation simply RENTS the one to his prim-
tive right of conquest, and the other to his
natural right of self.defence. The Christiana
case turns it inside out, just as the conclusion
exhibits the premises fully developed There
is no truth in it,'in root or branch; its fruit is
never ripe till it is rotten, and wholesome
twig cannot be grated on its Upas stem.
Judge Story was lawyer. In his hands
the argument issued in the conclusion that the
second section of the fourth article of the Con-
relative to fugitives from service or
labor, eonfers upon the owner of fugitive
olava br b;r,solf On he rov,t lavd xv;tho,,t N
fS,m 9G lsRal gy0fass ta sire Aps 81 fs
Union, taking care to commit no breach of the
public peace. He decided, also, that GAN act
of Congress respecting fugitives from justice
and persons escaping from the service of their
gives remedy, but does not exhaust
the remedies which Congress may legslate
upon the subject. Furthermore he decided
that no State can pass any law or regulation
% control, qualify, impede or postpone, RENE
ly enacted by Congress for the delivery of fl.
yitive slaves to the parties to whom their SER
nee or labor is due
Put these points together, and it is settled
hat the provision of the Constitution executes
tself-that Congress may provide any form of
'emedy necessary to its execution--and that
State laws, whether for the punishment of kid
mapping, or other purposes are absolutely nu-
satory which amounts practically to this: that
Lowe and MoCreary may choose whichever of
hese refugees they please, and there make
good defence against all penalties, punishments,
md acquisitions, Of the State of Pennsylvania
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 does not,
any more than that of 1893, exhaust the RENE
dies in the power of Congress neither does it
take away the right of reception under the Con-
stitution and this right of reception, be it oh.
served, is legally defined to be "a remedy by
the mere act of the party injured" Judge
Baldwin, in the case of Johnson VS.. Tompkins,
applies it thus: "a citizen of an
other State, from whom his slave has abscond-
3D. may pursue him into Pennsylvania, and
take him, scithottt a ,carrant, and use as much
force as is necessary to carry him back to his
residence"
Now, of what avail is it to charge that Nc
Creary did not carry Rachel Parker before a
United States Commissioner, in Pennsylvania
The act of 1893 was not regarded by tho kid
NAPIER, nor its provisions respected, in the
Prigg case, and the decision is just as good for
an evasion of the act of 1850. This later legis-
ls.tion does not limit the remedies of the slave
owner or his agent; it does not take away his
right Of arrest without warrant, under the Con-
stitution, according to the Prigg case nor has
Congress provided any punishment for mistakes
or frauds perpetrated under color of this priv
lege of seizure by the master. Moreover, n
State law against kidnapping is not permitted
to impede or control the constitutional right.
We therefore do not see Governor loves
as the Bulletin does, or as Gov
ernor Bigler argues it. And Rachel Parker
has nothing left her but her action for damages
~