The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-01-20
FUGITIVE SLAVES.

We published 4 few days ago, an account
cfthe villainous conduct of the people of New
Bedford, Mass, in thwarting the efforts OF
Mr. Hodsden, of Portsmouth, Va, to recover
several fugitive slaves who had escaped from
him at Portsmouth,, in New England vessei.
The connivance Of the deputy marshal OF the
u. States at this successful effort to Illustrate
the execution of the laws, and the insults
heaped by the press and pulpit of New Bed
f9td, upon the owner of the slaves and upon
Southern institutions, were circumstances
which aggravated the outrage and rascaiity
of the whole transaction.
We do not now refer to the subject under
the vain delusion that any complaints which
the South may utter, win lead to the redress
ofthese daily wrongsor prevent their constant
recurrence in the future. Worse cases have
occurred than this, Not only has the proper
ty been taken, but the life of the master has
been repeatedly sacrificed in lawful effort to
reclaim his property, and the innocent blood
still cries in vain from the ground for ven
geance There is evidently in the tree States
a higher law" than the Constitution or the
Statute book 1t is the law, not of the Bible,
for that in the most explicit manner sanctions
slavery, but of public opinion. How potent
and Irresistible is that law, how the Lea scrip
ia bends before it, and gives way, like the
reed shaken by the winds, we can easily con
ceive by reference to Southern statutes, such
as that against duelling, which come in con
fiict with our own public sentiment. 1t is
for this reason that we have no hope that any
thing which the South can say or do will pre-
vent arepetition at every opportunity of just
such outrages and insults as those which a
Virginia STAKEHOLDER and his countrymen
have lately received at New Bedford
What are we to do? 1t is in vain that we
look to Congress for redress. When the Con
stitution is powerless, it is not strange that
the enactments of the national legislature are
disregarded. Good faith honesty, obedience
to the law, are secuted to the winds as crimes
and weaknesses Fanaticism has created
standard of right and justice Of its own, and,
until we can tame its madness, and change the
whole current of Northern public sentiment
in regard to slavery, we may expect no ces-
sation, no pause, even for a moment, of war;
direct or indirect, upon the property and in
stitutiens of the South.
There is one course which we might prr-
sue, and which is the dictate of duty and in
terest, apart from the consideration of the
slavery question, but which has been so often
urnod IN win {bot If caap,s nc aleSs IN nrosa
it upon public attention. 1t is that the peo-
pie of the South should no longer furnish the
fanatics of the North the sinews of war to
curry On their crusade against slavery. If
they will denounce, plumber and assassinate
Shareholders, let them do it at their own ex-
pense Let us not contribute our money to
build up their prosperity and strength. Let
us encourageour own merchants and mechan-
les, and educate our children at home. Let
US Danish from our iresides the Northern
newspapers which are insidiously sowing the
seed of anti;slayery sentiments at thousands
of Virginia hearths. Let us strike with all
our might at the pocket nerve of our adver-
saries., This, is our true course, dictated alike
by duty, interest and selfrespect But we
u have no hope that it will be followed. Our
people will ;still trade as before at abolition
cities; our sons and daughters be sent to
breathe, at Northern schools, an atmosphere
Alled with the poison Of anti-slayery senti-
ment; and on Bonded knees we will pay our
annual tribute to the hard masters, who des
poll, insult and murder their faithful vassals.