New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-15
A cL,MmER OF coMMoN-snysE.

A GLIMMER OF COMMON-sEysE.
TIE South Carolina House of Representatives
seems to have some little doubt as to the policy at
least if not as to the prOpriety, of the insult to
Massachusetts, attempted by Gov. Adams in re-
cunning certain Massachusetts, resolutions with an
issOlent message, by way of showing South Caro-
linia's disapprobstiOn Of the Massachusetts Per
sOnal Liberty bill. The House Com nittee on
Federal Relations in report upon the subject
after airing their vocabulary little, aud signal
izing their loyalty accommodations of the Personal
Liberty bil-which they concur with Gov. Adams
in pronouncng deliberate unbushing, a I'd i'm
"pious violation OF her constitutional obligations 4"
proceed as follows
"A natural and Just Indignation at this ATROcIoUs
LTGIsLATIoN, induced his Excellency 10 return the
resolutions Of the same Legislature which had passed
this act TO the Governor Of Massachusetts,, without
transu itiDg them 10 this Assembly. WHIST those
outcns were is not sta ed in bis Message aud il mat
ters o. as il was not to them his Excel ncy excepted.
lie seems TO have considered the reception aud trans
mission Of those resolutions to this Assembly simply
as courtesy and interc mango of civiIes be
tween the two States, which, under the circu n
stances, he felt Liuself prompted and a. liberty to
decline.
If this were the only aspect in which this occur-
renee could be viewed, our Co nmittee would find
the circumstance under whic IL has occurred. Bat
there another aspect In which 1t may be vie we'd and
possibly will be viewed by the Governor of dasss-
chusetts especially when urged by reckless a1d IN
tractabie Legislature anxious TO find excuse for the
denial of all their constitutional duties toward in
contemplation of which, and Of the future your )m-
nitee dem il their duty II submit few consldera
tons appropriate 10 the occasion.
"The Governors of the States ever since the adop
ton of the Constitution Of the United States from the
rroprety and necessity of ths case have been uni.
fOnly recognized as the only legitimate Channels OF
communication between the States aud such com
murication has always been carried on through the
medium Of resolutions of their Legislatures Where
intercourse between the Executives OF the different
States is in cru oted there is obviously mode
whereby ore State can in anyrise communicate with
aro.ber total cessation of intercourse between
aDy two Of the Saies must general be atteRced With
any Inconvenience 10 their citizens respectively,
ard may result i'll grave consequences Take, for
instance the right to demand fugitives from justice
This belongs exclusively 10 the Governors OF the
States and mus. be made upon the Governors OF the
States IL there be no Intercourse between the GOV
enors Of any two of the ates il s difficult TO perceive
how the right under this important provision OF the
Constitution can be exercised. Your Committee do
rot say that such total INTERRUPTION oil Intercourse
with Il State Of Massachusetts, Is the necessary reJut
of the action of his Excelleucy but il ia entirely
left 10 the discretion Of the Governor OF tina! State to
determine Such, al present, appesr TO be the posi-
;op OF our State with Massachusetts, and 1t is proper
that this House should fully comprehend 1t.
1.-THE determination of the question, when and for
what cause he intercourse bet our own State and
that Of any other member of this CoDiederacy should
be interrupted appesfs TO your COMMITTEE apprOprl-
stey TO belong 10 he General Assembly as the repre-
sentatvts of the people, aud proper arrangements
have been made in both Houses Tor the conederAton
OF such Que sons by the orga Za1on OF andlng CON-
mitiees and il viii always be the safest course to re-
f. such matter 20 them The interruption OF inter
curse between States ard nations must ever be grave
subecr and demald the sober consideration and con-
sutaiion OF all tie interests OF the people OF the States
concerI ed; and the same gusres ana checks upon
hurrGd actor which the Constitution mas pro Vded IN
the Of oroi mary legislation, woud always be well
applied 10 a matter Of great Importance
Against this judiciOus and statesmanllke view OF
the case. which seems also to have been taken By
a Committee Of the Senate The Charleston Mer.
curp comes to the rescue of the Governor, at
whose conduct, according to that Journal,
hearty appreciation had been manifested through
cont the State" The Mercury insists that the
Governors are not the only medium OF inter state
communication, ard il refers TO the mission OF MIR
Watkins Leigh from the State OF Virginia during
the notification times 1t might also have al
luded in this connection to the mission to South
Carolina of the Hon Samuel Hoar as the agent Of
the State Of Massschusetts-a case, however,
which certainly does not hold out much encour
agement to Massachusetts again 10 attempt anJ
communication with South Carolina through that
channel of intercourse.
The only real justification Of the cOnd0ct of
Gov. Adams is one unsccountably admittedly The
Mercury, and which we proceed to supply. To
confess the truth, the party most to blame in this
matter is not Gov. Adams OF south carolina, but
Gov Gardner Of Massachusetts, his particular
friend and legal adviser Attorney General Clifford
and the Old Hunkers and Fugitive Slave Law men
generally of that State 1t was their violent oppo
sition TO the Personal Liberty bill that encouraged
Gov. Adams to the insult upon which he ventured
The Committees of the South Carolina Legi'la
ture have, however, formed the more correct idea
Of the existing state of parties in Massachusetts,
The Fugitive Slave Law men, 'he opponents Of