The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-17
ono Person held 20 Service or Labou,

"No Person held 70 Service or Iabouri
n one State, under the Laws thereof cs-
:aping into another, shall, in Consequence
IF any Law or Regulation therein, be dis
,hargcd from such Service or Labour, bu.
shall be delivcredrp on Claim Of the Party
10 whom such Service or Labour may be
due"
This portion Of the Constitution was
soon elaborated and cnact ted into q Law by
Congress, and it received the signature of
rs President. This Law,
strong enough to bind a people who willing
ly complied with all their political obliga-
tons. in later years. through the influence
of Northern mea-whe~ affected great. re-
gard for the Negro, was found to be SO in
efficient az to be valueless. ~ ..l- ..
There were so many legal defects dis
covered in the old bill by parties whose
sympathies often outran tleir judgment,
that those interested in tie rendition OF
slaves asked that The Government should
pass Bill equal to the emergency and up
to the letter Of the Compact. 5."' ..'"
The present Bill was passed, as all know,
among the celebrated Compromise meas
ures of 1850, and in 1859 the Democratic
end Wing parties both indorscd it in their
National platforms. No man can avoid in,
dorsing it so long as he is bound BY the
Constitution of his Country. 1t may not
be pleasant to assist in the return OF a
| fugitive to his master; but ii the Marshall
Of tic Z. S. is resisted in the execution of
| his office, and commands Us to aid him,
what reason caa we offer for refusing to
strengthen the arm Of him who is but the
executor of a pri!aciple which your duty
to the Government. that protects you, binds
you to sustain. lfyou oanjudge ior your
self as to what you ought or ought not to
;;do-if your conscience is tho guide in the
observance of law, there is but little ncces-
Isity for a government ofany kind.
Orators may hatter US and tell US Of our
Freedom of a "higher law" but
we should remember that the statesmen of
all ages teach us, the history of all nations
records, and our own observation confirms
the truism, that without Law there is no
liberty" &ai74 ~5a d. @..'f
damage which Slavery caused us, is it
right, is it manly, is it patriotic, is it in
accordance with the Constitution, to write
upon a Flag pretending to be National,
that "Fugi.iycs from service or labor shall
not be surrendered on claim"
One mere consideration and we close
an article that has already grown beyond
our intention.
The State Of Indiana and Iowa will not
allow Negroes to come into their territory,
and most of the northern States have
I sal, and all Of them have such social dis
abilities to load the black with, that his life
among us is not happy one. Whatdoc
this mean? 80 20
Indiana BY an overwhelming vote ex-
'cluded the negro; We voted for that ex-
clusioa and do not regret it. Iowa did
the sane; you voted for it, and when, you
look around your towns and villages and
see none but Independent and industrious
white blood filing all the avenues Of trade
and complying with all the demands for
labor, and call to mind the negro quarters
Of towns and cities you have visited in the
East, we ere sure YOU do not regret your
vote of exclusion. Even the celebrated
Topeka Constitution Of 'Free Kansas, -
excluded the poor blacks, while the party
that insist upon recognizing the labors Of
that convention as the great panacea fol
J the present ills Of the body polite, are en-
dangering the Union in their bold denia
of the rights cons.itutionslly claimed by
. the South. @ ill.,. .,...g
. II Iowa, Indiana and Kansas, say tha
t negroes shall not lire on, their soil, how car
J they refuse to return the slave to his mas
! ter? BY retaining him against the de
: mands of his owner, they violate both Tx
! State and National I.aws-by returning
T
him they oJscrvs both.
Which course does common sense, t.
: :ay :sothing Of our obligations, direct u:
, TO pursue