New-York daily tribune., 1856-04-26


AZ. and for every word which utter. .-r-
with me. Sir, there Is no alternative fhhiu-y.
convinced Of the unutterable wrongs ana "o.s o'
slavery profoundly believing hat, aceorllns 70 'n'
,uc .rrit Of the Conititution and the sentiments o
the fstb.r- Il can rni no place under our -'',"7
Goyerrmeut-tsst il Is 10 every r-spr'' ''''''', -
in 70 rr-pect na.io11!-that 4 J. a"ays suu eve!
uhsre he creature and dependent OF the Sidt' sHH
,evsr Apvwhere the creature pendent OF the fi
,,op and that the Nation can never by egiIAtFeO Of
other act impair; 10 { any suPpor under 1oe Co.,'
tuition OF the United State; with these cnnVC'ohS
could not allow this Se .slen 20 rtact Is coSe NI'u"u
uskrg or -.izing an opportunity to declare myse.i
openly ac ainst tie usuTpatOn. I'M tce anu Ciuo'' W
the late ensctrnen by Congress i'r tae recovery VI
fugitive saves. Fu! well know, Sr' the d!ncullr'
OF this d-ct--on arising from preluices OF oPh'oh
and from adverse conc gsions, strong and SINCERE
a, nv Own. Full well know that SIN IN Small MI
Bority with tes here 10 whom may look Tor 'yihpa
thv or support. Eul well / know that must ut'e.
d ings unWelcane tn many 10 th- body, "ncl Csnuot
DO without pain Full well know that the institution
ofSlavery in our country which now proceed 10 con
sider ia az s.r-ve as Il IS poweTu'-poS,eS'lnS
power 10 shake the whole Land win sen-it'ene7s
;ha. sbrirks ard tremb,es at the touch. bdt WAiie
these things may properly prompt me 10 caution anl
res.rve they cannot change my duty, or my determ-
n1,,ou 70 perform il. For this willingly forge; myself
and all Itrsonsl Consequences iue aEH, a-5 80 80
will of nv fellow citizens Of nv brethren of the nate
Sr-orsteful to m. a. Justly isl am ready u re-
aured. to sacrifice. All that an or may be- freely
offer to this cause.
The same speech contains glowing tribute to
tie position Of the fugitive slave IN tue present
position of the country:
I.bv geri,. or eminent services than by suffer
ipr are the fugitive slaves Of cur country now COM
mend.d. For them every sentiment 81 hlmaIty =
arOusSc:
That hsd heart 70 love, And IN that heart
Courage &C mske bis love sno~n'
Rude and ignorant they may be; but in their very e
cla
noble in the part. They among the heroes ot our
age. Romance has no stories OF more thrilling inter
est than theirs. Classical antiquity has preserved no
examples of adventurous trlal more worthy o rehoNh
Among them are M vho-e names Will be treasured
in the annals OF their race BY their eloquent voice
they have already done much TO make their wrongs
known and TO the respect Of tho world t-tory
will soOn lend them her avenging pen. froscnoed oy
you during life they will prescribe you through al
time. Sir slready judgment Is beginning righteous
public sentiment palsie- your rnactnent.
In comparison wih the superficial, fippant
pratte which is 50 loosely uttered by our political
ssdducees 10 regard to the Higher LaS, how noble
statement O. The 90. olute nature OF justice Is coz
tanned in the following passage;
Mr President sve occupied much time; brt tha
great suhect -i stiotcaCs b. fore us OAe o;,r point
vet remains, which should not leave vutouchcn an.
which iurty belongs to the clo-e. The slave act yic-
htes the Constitution and shOCks the public con-
science. With modesty and yet with irGness let ne
ADD Sir offends ssaganst the Divine law. No sucl
enactment can be entitled to support. AZ the throne
Of God is above every earthly THRONE are his laws
and statutes stove all The laws and statutes of man
To gu, siion these II 10 questiOn God himself But 10
nfsuure that human laws beyond question, /, to
claim for their fsllible authors Bfabiity To assime
that they are always in conformity Vita the laws OF
God, il presumpiuou-y and mpiousy Is exslt man to
an equality with God. Gle ary human laws are not
auays ia such conformity; nor can they ever be be-
"A ,,.a.for M w
hct i. open, il Congress should command the per-
petraton Of murder, the Office of conscience as final
srbttr is undHpued. But in every conflict the same
ou, eply Office j. hers, BY earthly power can sue
be deibroned. Each r>rsou, .fter aoxious examlna-
tioD without haste, without passion, -oiemny for him
.ef mus. d, eide this great controversy Any other
rule attributes infsllibty to human laws places them
beyond question and degTadcs all men 10 an uhthhk-
ing paseiye obedisnce.
According to - Augustine, al unjust law does not
appear to be aw; Ter esse non rtdeuT qua Jnd non
fufrjf: md the great fathers OF the Church, while
adopting tttse words, declare openly that unjust law.
AT, not Binding. Sometimes they are called "abusee
and not laws; sometimes =" vloleuces, and not laws.
And here again the conscienG> Of each person Is the
tnGl arbiter. But this lofty principle Is not confined
10 the Church. master Of philosophy IN early
Europe. of intellectual renown, the eoquent
Abeiard in Latin verses addressed TO his son, has
cleary expressed the universal injunction:
Ju... po,e.tans terrens di,cuIsndA
Collects tti mo1 perheienGs scias
squs dyiris Jrbest contraT,l Js&s
fs oCniTa Dan iEum pscts uula HahAt
TIE mandates Of An earthly power are to be Is.
cu,-ed; those of Heaven must at once be perfOrmed
nor "a spy agreement cOurtrain against God. Such
i ~. Iule Of morals Such also, by the lips of judges
ard saces has been the proud declaration OF the En-
prh law whence our own is derived. In this convic
ion patriots have earlessly braved unjust commands
ard martyr have died.
The duty of tbe American citizen in regard to
the fugitive slave is thus set forth:
And now, Sir, the rule is commended to Us. The
good citizen a. he thinks of the shiveing fugitive
guilty Of no crne-pursued-h down Ike beast,
while praying for Christian help and dehNerancc, and
as he resds tie requirements of this act is filled with
honor Here il d-spotic mandate 10 AID aud assist
IN tie prompt ald eficieLt execution Ot this law.
Again vt me speak frankly. Not rashly would set
myself against any provision of law. Ihs grave re-
srcnsibilitv would not lightly assume. But here the
path of duty is clear BY the Supreme Law which
commands me to do no injustice, by the comprehensive
Christian Law of Brotherhood; by the CoH'ttuti0a
,rkick harc s,r0rn 10 support An BoUSD To DIS
osEr THIS act. Never, IN any cspacl!, eau Iei
voluntary aid in its execution. Pans ana penalties
will endure; but this great wrong will not do. -
cannot obey. hut suffer, WA the exclamation
of the author Of Pilgrims Pr.gres-, when impnsDned
Injustice than Go Il. Better be the victim than the IN
sirment If wrong. Better be- even the poor slave,
returned 10 bondage, than the unhappy COMMISSIONER
There IT, Sir, incident OF history Hncn suggests
q parallel and affords lesson of fidelity. Under the
triumphant e1.run- Of that Apostolic Jesuit 81. Iran
ci, Xavier large numbeIs of the Japan, se, amounting
10 az many ~ two hundred thOussnd-amOnS theih
princes geuersls and the flower of the nebllty-were
converted 10 Christianity. Af:erward aund The frenHy
Of cyi war religious persecution arose, and the pen
aty Of ath was Gs nOuDccd against 81 who refused 70
trhuple upon he eifigy Of the Redeener. ms was
the Pagan !aw Of Pagan land. But the delighted
historian records ths scarcely one ron nlu"Iae o'
converts ~a. guilty Of THE Iosscy The Ia" Of man
WIS -.t NJ paugrt Inpri-Ormtut, torture, death,