Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-09-16

Convention shortly to assemble to nominate
Wing candidates, We find one apparently CON-
mon to them ala resolution instructing their
delegates to vote against the nomination Of
any one not pledged to labor to have the Flu
gitive Slave law 20 amended, a. to secure for
the slave the right of trial BY jury. Now, as
stated, this is unadulterated clap trap-noth-
ing more. Nothing il moro common through
out the whole South than the application of
slaves, to courts, for their freedom. The law
Of every slave holding State provides forms in
which they, or any ono for them who imagines
that they are illegally held in slavery, may
obtain fair trial & the question of title to
them; and it further makes it the duty of the
Court to provide them, in forma panpcr,s, with
thoroughly competent counsel, and to supply,
at the expense of the State, the means neces-
sary for the due defence Of their rights, by
causing to be paid out Of the public (state)
treasury, the law expenses Of ION their part)
such cases. The very ablest counsel practis-
ing before the Southern courts are always a.
signed them, and it il a remarkable fact that
it is rare, ind that slave 50 applies for
his freedom, vi bak obtaining it.. If he can
show tho least possible flaw in the title by
which he is held in slavery, he Is always vic
torious before jury of slave holders, as strange
a. it may seem to those at the North who get
their ideas Of the Southern people from aboli-
ton accounts of them.
So, it will be perceived that the fugitive in
variably has the right to q trial of the ques-
ton of the suficiency of the title under which
he is claimed, before a jury. What these reso-
luton makers aim at, however, is an entirely
different thing. That is, to have the law 80
amended, IS that no shall have accorded to
him (the slave) tho right to DO tried by jury
not belonging iu the vicinsge wherein his
offence against the Law was committed; for
running of, to deprive hi, legal owner of his
services, Is an offence against the laws Of
every slave holding State. It will be remem-
bersd that the common law, and, indeed,
every statute in force in England and this
country, providing Jury trial, stipulates that
1t shall take place among those in whose
midst the alleged offence transpired.
They {the resolution makers) therefore pro-
pose to interpolate new principle in the
common law and upon tho statute books, yio-
lstive of the long established custom on which
the trial by jury hinges. They seek, net to
obtain Justice and to vindicate the majesty of
the law, butte decide suoh questions accord
ing to the pre)udices Of the community in
which tho runaway may be arrested. .'..
1t is hard enough for the South to bear with
the state Of public opinion at tho North, which.
under pretence Of administering tho laws of
the land, deliberately violates Thorn whenever
slavery question goes to northern jury.
without having them SO Uttered, ~ In all cases
surely to deprive the South of her rights, guar.
anteed in the bond Of union between the two
great divisions of our country. While the
prospect that they may be able to succeed in
consumsting any such new tangled legislation.
is really farther off at this moment than ever
before, struggling thus for it serves to irri
tate the South, and to warn them that thew
must regard all in the North, who, directly OF
A>sAS0yJ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 6UOlluOuleW, as dire
enemies, who are anxious to wage war to the
death against everything southern. So surely
~ there is truth in tho sdage that it is the last
feather that breaks the camel's back, 80 surely
are those who would profit themselves by play.
ing on the passions and prejudices of the nor
thorn masses for their own immediate adyan.
tags, lsboring to make all tho South, not long
hence, look upon the North "a far moro bitter
enemies to them, than England or Mexico has
ever bsen.
The Current 1assacres Of q. s. Troous,
We sppreheni that tho Government i inst
now experiencing great embarrassment from
the sad fate which more or less small dstact
msnts of U. S. Troops have met on the frontier
Of late. 1t will b recollected that tho Score.
tary Of War, a. we'll az the experienced mill
tary men who were on the military committee:
Of both Houses Of Congress, did their best tt
| induce the national legislature to increase tn,
army, 50 a. at least to meet a portion of tn,
| increased demands upon its services CROWNS
| out OF the spread Of our frontier settlement
and overland emigration requiring militar,
protection from the General Government Thsi
appeals, however, were in vain. In the cour.,
of the last session, we more than once took 90
casion to explain to the country the injury t,
tho public interest likely to grow out of tn
evident determination of Congress to turn 6
deaf ear to such recommendations and appeals
The legitimate consequences Of that state O
congressional feeling are now seen in the For
Laramie and other recent massacres of on
troops on the Missouri, Texas, California
Utah and Oregon frontiers. Most of the fort
are barely half manned, and the young officer
who arc necessarily sent out from them in tn,
pursuit of bodies of savages committing depre
datisns and other acts Of hostility, are accom-
panied always by so few mon as to tempt tn
| Indians who frequently outnumber eur troop
| ono hundred to one, to avail themselves Of thi
great disparity Of numbers.
The odds in their favor are always 80 grea
OF late, owing to the impossibility of sparin,
force from the various forts, as to render il
certsin that an attack upon them will be {
substantial victory, in spite of the bravery O
the U S. Troops and tho skill and judgment
of their officers. Congress alone can remed,
this evil; yet we fear it will not be cured unit
many more of our gallant soldiers are thu.