The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-04-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. ELI $. SHORTER,

On the Massachusetts, Personal Liberty Bill and the Con.
sttuional Rights Of the Souta delivered in the House
4 OF Representatives April 8, 1866. ..w
The House being in the Committee Of the Whole the
state Of the Union -.#.# 49, "#
Mr., SHORTER said - . a.... ...a
Mr. CHAiBnAs; The gentleman from Massachusetts,, Mr.
DAanELL who addressed the House the 18th OF last
month took occasion in his remarks aude thought
rather sarcasuea to certain resolutions which attempt
ed on several occasions to Introduce for the consideration
of this body Those resolutions had reference TO an act
passed by the legislature Of bis State in the month May
last nullifyng the fugyesave law of A. d. 1850 pro
pose this morning 70 devote portion of my time dis.
csson OF the principles Involved n those resolutions
and e tnat to pay my respects to the honorable gentle
man. and attempt reply TO points in his speech
10 which my attention has been called
IL is true, sir that my resolutions not before the
House for It's Immediate action because whenever they
offered objections inerposed from the opposite
side Of the hall Thus fair discussion Of their merits
and the expression upon record Of the opinion Of this
Hos tereen have been evaded by the tech
ncaes Of the rules by which the legislation of the
try Is here conducted From the political organization Of
this House. could reasonably expect be able
10 press 70 final vote any resolution however sound in
principle which, adopted would exclude the delegation
OF an abolition State, and create vacancy in the Speak
I ers chair. ..-...#. ~.a .sa .. a7a
Mr. Chairman the fifteen sayeholding States of this
Union vitality interested in the faithful execution of the
ugtvesave law. The right of recapture ia guaranteed
TO them 10y the constitution of the United States and Con-
gress has passed laws TO enforce that right But Massa
chusests, unmndful of the obligations che owes to the
South has seen proper by her personal---very. bill practi
cal deny the enjoyment Of that right upon her soil
To-day we also find the great State OF Ohio beginning
system Of legislation similar to that adopted by Massachu-
ses Ii is difficult indeed to enforce at this time the law
for the recovery of fugitive slaves in any of the northern
States If Massachusetts has the right to nuy the act
Of A. 1880 she may also with equal propriey, repu-
date all laws passed by Congress II State
sumo such position, and maintain ii eaiR the Onion so
may every other State follow her example What, then,
becomes of that clause of the constitution of country
which reads:
No person held to service or labor one State under
the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall in
qusnee law regulation therein be discharged from
such service labor but shall be delivered up claim Of
the party to whom such service or labor be due
] do not intend TO discuss the question involving the
right of tho South to hold their slaves That is subject
over which you have no jurisdiction The gentleman
from New York. [Mr. GRAsGERl in the very exraordi-
nary speech which he delivered here few days ago
and which, by-the-by, was nothing than echo
(and feeble that of the address published by the
radical aboonsts who held their meeting last year in
Sycuse-denied that there any legal slavery 10 the
United States commend to his study the history of his
country IT. however, he enterains any doubts to the
Legality of the institution in Ahabamo let him visit my
State and violate cur laws regulating slave property and
in that he satisfy himself Let tell him.
that the South does not derive the right and title to her
slaves from the constitution Of the United States. We
hold them BY virtue Of greater than that consttu-
onone which existed before its adoption and which il
above and beyond it, We hold them by rue Of State
Mor When the constitution adopted II recognised
slavery existing institution and threw around the
protecting of the government. The question Is
whether that protection shall be afforded to the South and
Der people sustained in their constitutional rightsH
OF Invested IN tns species oi
property may be readily asccrained by reference TO the
census of A. D. 1850 The aggregate number of slaves
throughout the South is about three million two hundred
thousand Their present market valuation be cstma
ted at two thousand millions Of dollars The New York
Times abolition paper states that since the passage OF
the fugitive law in 1850 hirtyfm hoasand sdres have
made their escape from the South into the free States and
have been lost to their owners Why is it, ask that the
border States thus subjected to loss Of four millions Of
dollars annually Because of the failure Of portion Of
the northern people discharge their constitutional obi
cations No wonder then the South Is SO keenly sensi
| tive upon this subject #..e 2. .H
Ii Is we'll known sir that when the constitution Of the
United States adopted African slavery existed in
nearly all of the original thirteen States Several of them
had previous to that time commenced system Of leg
isladou looking TO the gradual emancipation Of their
slaves. For all practical purposes when the
ton assembled, onehalf Of the States represented may
be regarded being opposed 10 slavery Under these
circumstances when fathers together 10 frame
the consutionwh the recoectious Of the glorious rev.
outonary struggle through which they bad just passed
still fresh In their memoriesthey found 1t necessary
in order TO establish the Union to yield TO the South
the right TO recapture their fugitive slaves wher
ever they found clause guarantying that right
inserted into the constitution without dissenting
voice Massachusetts, was present in the persons OF Cor
man and King, and signed the bond She aferward,
ratified their action by adopting the constitution In ber
sovereign capacity Without that clause in the constitu
ton tho Union would have existed Destroy prac
ticay by State action by the repeal Of the fugitive
Of 1880 and do you believe that the South less patriotic
now than In the days Of the revolution, will quietly sub
NIT the sacrifice Of her rights and still cling to Tho
Union II such public opinion at the North let II b
at once undeceived We understand gentlemen what ou
righ under The constitution and with the blessing
God we maintain them. We ask for nothing more
; UiH be content Dfh nothing kcss
When the Union formed, all the States that wer,
parties thereto agreed before stated by SOLEMN compact
deliver up fugitive slaves demand Of their
How has that compact been observed by Of the north
States Let the 100000 annually lost by the Soutt
In fugitive slaves the question. Let the personal
liberty bill Of Massachusetts, speak And yetell IL no
Ia Gath publish il not in the streets of Askalon've FIND
honorable members from that State coming into this hall
and with unblushng eronery, talk to about the njus
toe pracsd upon the NoRrH in the repeal Of the Msour
Compromise Go back gentlemen TO the original coPoe
which your fathers made with fathers when the Unor
had It's birth Inquire IL you have complied with the con
ditons OF that bond2 II you have been thless 10 yoa
constitutional obligations II Ill becomes you TO complain
Of violated faith, IL any wrong had been done you b.
the repeal OF the Missouri restriction. Why, sir ae
the adoption Of the constitution the free States tbemseiye
believed II their duty from the terms Of the compact
to aid in the surrender OF fugitive slaves and many
them passed laws TO facilitate their recovery They hay
the right and hold 10 honor bound, 70 egsete Il
such will assist southern men in recspturnJ
their slaves but they have power to pass laws lin
ing resraoing the exercise Of the constitutional rgh
Of recapturo. .......
What has been the history OF the legislation Of Congress
this subjec7 The first ugidye-slaye act passed II
i5g3, and signed By the Father Of his Country.
But experience developed defects in that law and IL be
necessary TO change it, What were those defects
The Judge magistrate had power to issue warran
II for the arrest OF the fugitive for his commal afe
conviction The sheriff not liable officially for an es
cape and the pcndy imposed for resisting obstruotn
the law was too sal 70 its enforcement Unde
those circumstances the South demanded Legislation
fro Congress protect her constitutional rights The
Of 1850 was passed but how did 1t pass Was granted
matter OF rght7 BY but reluctantly yield
ed by way Of comprossi The with Mexico bad ter