The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-08-02
From he Caroline Times.
Retaliation.

so"cc WHcuce Tue iRuBer has receNcu hb'
information that the people Of this State
threaten to retort upon the citizens Of Con
necticut" for nullifying the fugitive slave
law. So far ms our information extends, nc
such threat has been made. There is nc
man nor body of men competent TO speak
the will Of the Stale in this matter. The
newspapers have certainly not INDUCED in
such idle threats. Indeed, the people OF
South Carolina care not straw for Con
neciicut notification. They are not con.
cerned in the least about it. In the first
place, Connecticut notification is regarded
as very harmless. If a fugitive slave were
arrested at Hartford--in the very heart OF
the Commonwealth -and any attempt were
made TO resist his rendition, show of a few
bayonets and cannon loaded with grape
shot, would soon put an end to Connecticut'
notification. As was the case in Boston,
they would content themselves with throw
ing vitriol upon the United States troops,
if any should be required to enforce the
law, and making ugly mouths, at Them
What generous people would think of re-
taliating upon the abolitionists Of Connec-
ticut for their silly antic in attempting. on
paper, to nullify the fugitive slave law?
In the next place. the people of South
Carolina attach very little Importance to the
fugitive slave law, and, of course, still less
Importance to the any attempt that mad-cap
abolitionists may make to set the law aside,
The fugitive law never has been, and never
will be, of any practical benefit to South
Carolinisns. We do not now recollect
single instance in which citizen OF this
State has attempted to recover slave under
this law. The conviction is general with
us, that the undertaking would be boot
less enc to the owner of an escaped slave.
The scene of bIoodshed and murder at
Christians in Pennsylvania, and the bloody
affray at Boston have long since convinced
the people of South Carolina, that such an
attempt would be extremely hazardous and
expensive wi:hal The law is practically
nullity, and can only be enforced at the haz
ard of life and at an enormous expense, the
most of which is filched by discriminating
tariffs from the pockets OF those who would
seek to recover their slave property. Indeed
il would seem that this law, M well as most
other laws of Congress. is in fair way to
he turned to profit by the ncgrophilists Of
Connecticut and Massachusetts. In the case
of the fugitive Burns, the city of Boston has
rendered in to the General Government
bill Of $1,000 for extra services of her po-
lice, A few more cases Of this kind will
certainly teach the whole South that the
bo rsted fugitive slave law is not worth the
the paper on which Il u printed. II ha. al
ways been SO regarded in South Carolina
and her people care not baubee for Con-
necticut notification.
Bot would it not be pre-. eminently fair TO
retaiate upon the slave. stealers Of the North
by refusing them the use of our laws, our
courts and legal officers for the recovery OF
debts due by our citizensi If the abof-
tionists Of Connecticut refuse to acknowi-
edge and respect our rightto hold slaves and
to recover them, when they escape, does
not sef.protection counsel us TO annul all
contracts entered into with them by ourcit
izcns! Such mode Of retaliation would,
we opine, soon bring the fnatics Of Con-
nccticut AID the whole North to their SEN
ses. They would be taken all ab'lck BY the
enactment Of a. law annulling all contracts
of our citizens with them. They would
beg us to come and take home our slaves,
footing the bill Of expenses from their own
pockets.
But such mode, nay, any mode OF retail
iation would not receive our appreciation
Retaliation, would be too pettish mode OF
redressing grent Legislative wrongs and main
tanning all-important constitutional rights
II the South continue in the Union, let IL
ever Le her proud boast that she respects ali
laws which are In accordance with the COM
pact of union. If she shall ever redress her
wrongs, let Il be done 10 some mode becom-
ing the dignityof free, sovereign and inde-
pendent States Leave retaliation tothe blue
light federalists md '-higher-hw" abolition
ists OF the land Of wooden nutmegs and
STEADY habits. ss;ea
The South Carolinians threaten to retort
upon the riiiiii1sis7 !s e. eeinciieu ut Cor passing
a law which In effect would nuliify The, Fu-
gitiss Slave Act Of Congress Among tile
means suggested, is the denial Of access 70
the Courts Of Soaih Carolina BY the citi-
zens Of Connecticut, for the recovery Of
debts, ss Il Is said there is large balance
Of trade against the Southern merchants,
The taxation Of products from Counec'ieut,
and yarioua other retalIatory measures, are
also suggested. but as two wrongs cannot
make right Il i hapsd that no extreme
measures viii be fesoHed 70. Let Connee'
,ieut undertake 60 carry out her auiIi6ca.
ton, and she @iil soon fInd cot that |. cam
not be done with impunity. The general
government will sse that The powers sonii-
ded TO IL are carried out a. stemiy in Con.
neeticut as In an other State. itis ddicyl,
GUS IN any State 70 sttemPt to array itsell
agniust The general government In MATES
which every Usi,ed States Court in the counI