Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-04-10
NOW AND THEN.


and Wig orator" were earnestly invoking the sup
port Of the : american people for Winfield Scott lis
President n the United States. Some ten years
since during tho existence Of the original Naive
American party, Gen. Scott had written letter OK.
pressing hi. appreciation of the then suggested
change in The naturalization laws, cxtendn,; tiie
term of residence prior 10 naturalization from five to
twenty AFears. Those sentiments, however, he
was compeltl 10 recant-and in his rccantation he
went Il bow-shot beyond the suggestions of any
politician OF whom we have any knowledse'-
In letter written other shortly before or i'''
medlatcly IQtcr his nomination for tho Presoeh-
cy, be- expressed an entire change Of opinion
upon the sui ect If the Naturalization laws and nj
vocated thc!r amcndment-not to extend the term ol
ycarsbut I" authorize the full investment, with all
the rights OF citizenship ofeycry nlicn who had scr''
one-or at fNrthest, two years in the American army
or navy--duripy which term Of service, 1t w"S' vi
course, quite possible that he might not have pee''
for any lcnst e time in the inhabited po:'ion7 {" INC
United States. His proposition was to o!'r '''!Ae'
ship rs h"uuty to encourage the enlistment oi u'''
naturnlized foreigners in the army and navy 'i 'h'
United States. In view OF this crude sta:eSha"shP'
the support 81 the foreign voters OF this country WIS
solicited for him and Gen. Scott blmseli 81 tar i"rS"'
the dignity OF Ills position n" II undertake I'LL eee euo
ecrinc tour through the Wcst-euOgizng III pubic
speeches 'thS rich Irish brogue' and "the sweet tt-
man accent" aud v!ndcn.ng the foreign from nvId'-
GUS comparison with The nuti"c element OF his vc'"-
rious Mexican urmy.
Nor. tho earnest and enthusiastic advocates o Hch'
Scott nre the high priests Of Know -NoihlnS7h' ana
affect to regard with holy horror the ALARMING IN
crcasc and dangerous procvites Of the foreign l"pu'
ation Nor, our adopted citizens, even alter n''"-
razation, are not esteemed worthy odcie,i the honor
Of the American lag either upon sea or upon land
and no man WHO drew his first breath beneath To-
reign sky is worthy TO receive the privileges ol Anne
rican c,zcushp until he has remained among Us the
full period OF p years.
AGAIN. Gen. Pierce was the Democratic opponent
of Cen Scot, and hailed from the State OF New li"mp
shire.
Our Wing friends soon discovclcd that the Con-
sttution of New Hampshire contained clause cH'
cludinp Roman Catholics from oiice-and though L
uppeared that Gen. Pierce hnd cxer,ed his influence
TO effect an amendment Of the Constitution in this
particular, sl lis residence in State much be-
| hind the enlightened spirit Of the age, was urged
with eoqucnce aud eHrnestncss as sufficient, reason
10 exclude him from high federal hom"rs The Catho
lie population Of the United States were appealed to
bycvery sentiment Of seIirespcci 10 put under the
ban of their opposition, the son of So inracrnn' a
! State. From Maine 10 Louisiana the Wing press
stood forth as the par erccicact advocates oi entire
and uilrcstraned religious freedom and the jealous
enemies Of all religious intolerance. SO strong wa-
the outside public sentiment it created, that, if
! lla,f fkn fret Loo sIatp urls sh mot
in New Hampshire after the canvass Of lS12, took
steps 10 erase from it. Constitution the obnoxious
strction; and practicable the erusurr was
accomplished.
Some members oE General SCOTS family had proics-
! sed the Roman Catholic iuh and, nj least, one of
his daughters had taken the veil. These conidcra.
tiois were arg' with great power, justly ron,"nd-
ing The Whig party to the confidence and support oi
the Catholic population Of America.
NoT, the par'y which then stood forth so icaou. in
its defence Of religious liberation, merged in Sc
crct organization, whose members are bound hy Sc.
cret oahs to a upon the very principle they profess
I'd Ia regard hctcrodox tllcn,-and now the faith
OF some melnbrr5 "t his family, the very cons,lrra
tion upon which they recommended General Scott to
the American people two years since, would be just
reason for excluding him from full communion in
their secret c"nclaves. Such is history.
SENATOR MASON'S SPEECH TONIGHT.
In consequence Of severe hoarscness Senator j.
NJ. Mason was prevented from addressing the Demo-
cratic A-sociat at Odd Fellows Hall on Saturday
night. The large meeting, however, was highly on
tertained by Il very fine speech from Bev. K. Well
ford, Esq. o~ this city, marked with strong sense
clear, logical ;umcnt, and tuc coquencc. Tie de-
of the secret organization Of the Know Nothings,
werc pointed out with ability and power. The AZ
semblage received with rounds OF applause tn"
cheering words Of the speaker in regard to the
cess Of the Democratic tokc; in the State when lie
exclaimed "as s9es Richmond, 30 do'' not 90 vrs.
MIA.
JUDGE MCLEAN AND THE FUGITIVE
SLAVE LAw.-we have already stated that the
United States Marshal, ut Cincinnati, had been im
prisoncd by State Judge for contempt, in not pro-
ducns the person Of Rosetta the fugitive slave held
by him, while M examination Of the case was going
OIL before the l.. $. Commissioner, and that subsc-
qucny be was released by Judge Mclean of the L.
S. Court. The Cinrnua,i Commercial gives the
following tho substance of the decision OF Judge
Mclean:
1t would be difficult to find any provision in the
| Fugitive Slave Act OF $50 under which State
| Judge could exercise jurisdiction. Officers are
named in the statute whose duty it is 10 net, and
there IL 40 reference TO State authorities either direct
y or Indirectly. Tie fugitive being in the custody
Of the Mar!hnl with consent md M The request of the
master, she was lawfully held for the purpose OF in
! Guiry When the hnbras corpus WIS served nn ih"
| Marshal, the cns" before the Commissioner in
progress, and near s iCrmnniipn: and could any
court interfere and luke the from the tribunal in
which jurisdiction yostcd II the Commission
cr did wrong, did TINT au:horise Stnc Judge to in
terpose by writ OF habr,s corpus and Withdraw the
case from the federal Jurisdiction!
| The syInpahies %! the counsel for the indigntiCs
| offered 10 the Probate Court, Judge McLenn thought
might well be spurc': also might any appreIcn.
sinns be waived for the public peace, any want ot
respect on the purt of the federal authorities. States
rights harl been invoked by the COUNSEL but If these
rights were considered 10 mean IL subverslOn of the
federal authorities, they might be somewhat in dan
ger.
That the Commissioners hnd Jurisdiction in the case
of the girl Rosscn was clear aud while he was duly
engaged III the investigation of the matter the JudGc
| of the Common Pleas, t;yhosc motives by n"
means to be qncsti"nedl by hubcas corpus took from
| the Marshal the body ri tie fugitive, which ef, the
Commissioner without cnae, aud wrcstrd from him
without authority ni law the subject of his jurislic
| ton. sense of duty compelled him. (.Judge Nc
Lcan,) therefore, to hny that the proceedings of the
| honorable Judge Of the common peas were not only
without authority OF law but against law, aud void
SURRENDER OF FUGITIVE SLAVES.
| A curious document has been brought to light by
{. L. Ward Esq, OF Towanda, Pa. by which il If
shown that Wm. Pcnn, dill not believe in harboiing
and keeping runaway slaves, when their masters de-
| manded them.
| Mr.. Ward thus pretacrs the letter.
"Bcfore proceed to read 1.-THE Was replying to
| ~