New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-21
ABOLISH THE FUGTTTTE SLAVE lay
SPEECH or JOSIAH QUINCY

SPEECH or JOSIAH QUINCY
In the Wig Convention st Boston on wednesday,
Aug Is sfter the votes for candidate for Governor
had been cast and the Committee had retired to count
them, the President said:
Gus1LExES have to ask Of you the favor Of perfect
silence and attention remarks that viii be made 20
Won by the venerable Josiah Quincy Senior Applause.
I'VE cannot show too much and respect 70 the
aged Whig who Is now about to address you.
Mr. QUINCY then came forward and spoke as fol-
lows:
came 70 this meeting BY iEris'i0R a ciiiLen-not
partisan with no intention to soiaEccr wort the
OCCASION bur with fixed purpose TO respond II called
upop as became individual who has IN this world now
htile to hOTe, and thank God, nStn'S % sa ,ea .
him the opening grave which he must soon be deposit
ed From such individual you nave rsh' 20 expect
words Of truth duty and soberness come no, mere
utter yiuperaiive demonstrations against the saveh0il
ers of the South They have used the powers vested IN
them by the Constitution for ther own Interests a. every
other selfish association OF men woald have done uheF
the same circumstances with the same powers and under
the temptations liz every step OF the progress OF
the slave power they have had members Of the tree States
rs half workers. II the free States would regain Their M
nuepce they must cHlsrdtG hgheT SGHdird Oi Polci
moraitv among themselves they must disgrace the doe
irne hst all is right in politics and regard hun VINO
has notorously cold himself for place or for office as
traitor 10 principle and TO bis country. The AcbraskS
fraud as il is called, is nothing more than the last
act of sors Of sggressions on tho FREQ Staies waeh
SHAREHOLDERS have prsoced for more than fifty year, IN
no one of which could they have been successful except
through the divisions and corrupons OF the free States
themselves SO far from complsng of tins Nebraska per-
fdy rejoice in il. Il is said IS the last straw tht
breaks the camels back" trust in heaven that this
Nebraska perdy will prove be the las; which
will excite the camel Of the North to rise in hs strength
ard toss from bis back at least Of the many burdens
with which he is oppressed. The Nebraska fraud : not
that burden on which intend TO speak. There Is
nearer home more Immediately present and more IN sup
portable OF what that burden is. shall speak plainly
The obligation incumbent upon the free States 10 deliver
up fugitive slaves that burdenaHd must 6e 0htratd
frc N Maf Constitution AZ erery hazard And such obhte-
ration can be demonstrated TO be much the interest OF
the South as il is Of the North IhC Circumstances IN rhlch
the people of Massachusetts qcd IN consequence ot
that burden IRE undeniable and they also undenaby
usurpor;abe What has been seen what has besl felt by
every man. woman and child in this metropolis and IN this
community and virtually by every man. woman aud cnudm
Massachusetts, We seen our COurth IN chains
o bafialoAs IF d,ago0ns eight companies Of GrtHeryl -
CnpQHes of rfaRfry the KkO o0RsfGbuidry f0rce 0the
cf nJ;ce me entire disDosabe marine Of he United
States ih ts artillery 0aded for action, all marcRUg ~
sspporf Of PTGOrdn hand, Consisting n oRe h"aded iad
fr lfy frnds and associates otfhe UHt STATS NaTshm
tr oadcd pistols and drGrA rord' and IN military cH-
tune and for rAat pYrp0se TO ESCORT AND COW
duct 4 POOR TREMBLING SLAVE FRoh BOSTON CogKr
ITOrsE TO THE FETTERs AND LASH Or HIS MASTER ms
n slqy Of military force the NIyOr OF this city officially
d,ared to be necessary the occasion Nay more, NJ
public festival he openly took 10 himself the glory o this
dspav declaring that by il life and liberty had been
fayed and tho honor OF Boston vndicated make M
comments state facts the ground out of which spring
the duties of the people of Massachusetts, state aser
fact still more conclusive and illustrative OF those duties
This scene thus awful thus detesable every nhabtant
of this metropolis nay, more every nhabitant OF tins COm-
may be compelled again TO witness ~ any aud
every day Of the year at the will tho wm OF tha mean
est and bases STAKEHOLDER Of the South This also unde-
nisble Now, there man in Massachusetts spirit
low debased corrupted by hs fears or his fortune
that lie is prepared 10 say, that his 20 condition V
L.rgs ~ he enaed in perpetuity, by US, and that this
is an Inheritance to be transmitted by us TO our chdrentor
al e,neraons For so long as the fugitive slave clause
remains ia the Constitution Of the United States, unObt
eraed it j. obligation perpetual upon them, a woi as
upon Aud is this inheritance we are about to trans
nit TO our children inheritance Of freedom No, fe-
low ezCusit Is an Inheritance worse tantbat OF slave
~ There is not regroin the South that can he f
even bis master to cut the throat or blow eu the orans
of lis brother negro Yet, 50 long as the ugtve save
obligation the Constitution there ls not mill
TIA man IN Massachusetts, who may not be compelled TO-
morrow to cut the throat blow ont the brains OF ei'
low.czen the will of the basest Southern savehoder
Ny follOwc believe mcte time mas come Tor the
people Massachusetts TO look this slave clause no
LONGER n the ever shifting dubious suspicious
gh of party spirit but under the influence ct an engb
tened PATRIOTISM watchisi OF the signs OF the times aud
anxious concerning their duties to themselves ami their
postery. But hear some tmid brother exelam-" why
this is in effect dissolution OF the Union Did not tue
Southern STAKEHOLDER tell before the adoption OF the
Constitution that without the fugitive slave clause they
wcud not into the UnoD and have they not told rs
" elau:e l is obteruted they viii 90 out Of it p
And do you believe them any the more for
this reiterated threat aud eternal outcry Does
of these threaeners Are the shareholders fools or mad
menl They go Of this Union for the purpose OF main.
tanning the subjectOn of their slaves Why the arm OF
be uou is the very sinew Of that subjec'On IL ~ the
ayeholders main strength Its continuance bis fororn
hope But 20 further telow-czens. believe thar IN
the nature Of things by the law oil God and the law of
mas tia clause il this moment abrOgaed 80 far az
respects moral obligation. There principle OF common
law which, strictly applicable, sufficiently anaa-
gous TO the obligations resulting from that clause IL IL
c,ssggfe T0tiohe Il tpsa isr. Now what was tue
understanding ana what the state OF things under
which that contract was madel The free States agreed
in 1880 TO be field drivers and pound keepers for the black
cattle of the slaveholdng States within the limits and
according to the fences of the old United States Be-
tween thar year and this. Ammo Domni 1884, those slave
hsders broken down the old boundaries and opened
new fields OF unknown and indefinite extent. They
have multiplied their black cattle by millions and
are every day Increasing their Rumbers aud extending
their cate field into tie wilderness. Under these CIR
eunstsnces aie bound to be their field drivers and
pound keeper. any longerl Answer me people Of Mas
sachuses Are you the OF the men Of 17o or 90
YOU lack gall to make oppression bitterF would Will
Dgy dwell upon this topic and others which are IN my
mind but have already occupied more than my proper,
ton Of this debate. have pointed out your burden
have shown YOU that il s unsupportable. shall be
asked how shall get rid Of it | answer IT IS not for
private individual to point the path which state Is 70
pursue of insuppOrtable burdent belOngs 70
The constituted authorities of that State But this will
surt Of their fathers man, soemny the resolve
that they will longer submit TO this burden, and cl
upon the free States IN and carry INTO enec
ris resolution this burden will be casi on, the fu8Ye
aye cause ohliieratd only without the dissolution
bst with newly acquired strength to the Union.
As Mr.. Quincy closed, three deafenug cheers were