Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-11-04

skulk, whether in the tyrannical usurpaton of King,
z Parliament, or JUDICIAL POWER"
But Mr.. SUMNER says: " proceeded to say IN the
very next sentence, from which you wrested your
quotation, whether in the exploded theories Of Sir
Robert Filmer, or the rampant assumptions of the
fugitive slave BILL" If this language in any de-
gree qualities the sentence from which we wrest-
ed" our quotation, we confess ourselves unable to
perceive it. The doctrine asserted from beginning
to end is that LAWS are not to be obeyed unless the
subject Of the law, after sitting in judgment on it
shall voluntarily acknowledge its authority. The
reference to the exploded theories of Sir Robert
Filmsr" could in no way serve to mitigate Mr. SUM-
NERs pretensions, or to divert attention from their
real character in the eyes Of any who were in search
after truth upon the matter in controversy, since
side by side with those & exploded theories" he
places the fugitive slave law Of the land
which he admits to have been pronounced constitu-
tional by the Supreme Courtof the United States,
the final arbiter in all cases arising under the Con-
sttution and which law he thus declares to be as
justly the subject Of resistance as any attempt to
enforce those aMexploded theories. So far from
weakening position, we apprehend it would have
furnished additional strength to it, to have repeated
the language which Mr.. SUMNER complains thf It
we omitted.
One other complaint of Mr. SUMNER requ Tres
q remark and we shall leave the subject with our
readers He thinks it very glaring injustic that
we imputed it to him that he, :" so far as ur me.
mory serves us, is the only public man rho has
ever relied upon this now almost forgotten dogma
Of our great warrior President as rule Of conduct
for himself"
And you say this Continues Mr.. SU MNER) with
the very words Of JOHN Quincy AID ANS, quoted
by myself, actually before you, dscl airing in the
last year of his life that the best thin ever uttered
by ANDREW JACKSON was that for which he was
SO much abused" &c.
Indeed Will Mr.. SUMNER refr esh our memory
as to any public speech or writing. Of Mr.. ADAMS
in which he declares that he relied upon that dogma
as rule Of conduct for himself? If there be any
such, we can only repeat that it has escaped oul
recollection. In the mean ii me we must think
notwithstanding Mr.. SuMNER"s reminiscence, (o
the accuracy Of which we make no dispute,
that we were rightin saying that Mr.. SUMNER oc
capies on this question precisely the place which
attributed to him and the only man Of whom We
have any knowledge in the whole Of this broad
Union who has any claim to approach Mr.. SUMNET
in his isolated position, though several steps below
him, is the Judge OF the Supreme Court Of Geor
gia, who declared on the. bench that he was moi
beand by the decisions Of the Supreme Court Of tht
United States.
4 There are many things in Mr.. SUMMERS lette
which we might be excused for handling in tn
spirit Of retort and unless we misunderstood thei
bearing, to his disadvantage. But we do not desir
to avail ourselves Of any such occasion. 1t woule
be infinitely agreeable to us to see his talent
and requirements enlisted on the side of the SU
PREMAoY OF TEE LAWS rather than arrayed il
defence of what all men not blinded by peculiar
infuNces and passions must recognise as fatal tt
all government, and fruitful Of anarchy itself. II
employ his rare gifts in upholding the laws would
the Senator must permit us to say, better become
one who has been Teacher of Law, and Lectures
on it. we believe, even from the chair of the illus
trious STORY. If, while he was expounding to hi
youthful hearers the nature of Law and impressins
upon their hearts the obligations, the sanctity,
the supremacy of the Law as the soul and conserva
ton Of society, how would his intelligent ant
unsophisticated hearers have stood confoundet
and amazed had the Teacher added, that, after all
the Law was to be the rule for every man, and t.
bind every man just so far as he might choose t,
interpret it, and no further?
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