The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-21

Mr.. Fuller's district showing the judgment
pronounced on his conduct by portion of his
constituents. One or two resolutions we omit,
to save room.
MILLvILLE, COLUMBIA Co., Pa,
February IA, 1856.
At public meeting at Greenwood Seminary.
February llth, called for the purpose of giving
EXPRESSION to public sentiment, James Masters.
ESD. in the chair, and John Starr, Secretary.
the following resolutions were presented by
William Burgess, and, after being discussed at
length by DR.. p. John, the mover, and others,
were adopted by the general voice of the meet.
ing. with but one dissenting vote.
Whereas certain petition from citizen of
this county to the Legislature, praying for the
passage of law 10 permit shareholders to car
- their slaves across the State, or transiently
soiourn therein, having been referred to the
Judiciary Committee, which, being divided in
opinion, presented two reports on the same:
ReSOlred, That, while we disavow our sympa-
thy with the object of the petition it is with re-
gret we learn that the sjority report was writ
ten by the Representative of this district, e..
6. Montgomery inasmuch as we consider the
postons assumed, untenable in point of fact, a
startling innovation upon State authority, en-
tirely at variance with the statute of l847, with
all previous judicial decisions of our State, and
at war with the sacred principles of Liberty and
Justice.
Resolred, That neither in the Constitution of
the United States. nor in the law of nations,
do we find any positice recognition of the right
Of property in human beings but that Slavery
is a creature of State law, entirely local in its
character, and restricted in its jurisdiction.
Resolced, That the clause of the Constitution
of the United States, respecting the rendition
of fugitiyes, imposes no obligation on any
citizen to assist in their recapture and that
the law Of 1850, commonly known as the Flu
gitive Slave Law" by its unwarranted assump-
tons. its unjust demands, its fines and penal
ties and partial fees, as well as by its restriction
upon the rights of free citizens, is most fla
grant usurpation of constitutional prerogative,
a disgrace to our national character, and should
be Immediately repealed
Resolred, That the course of our Representa-
live in Congress, the Hon. Fl. NJ. Fuller, in the
recent protracted contest for Speaker of the
House, in hosting his sails for the Southern
breeze, has painfully disappointed the expecta-
tons OF his Anti-Nebraska constituents, lost the
confidence of many who had been his warm
friends and steady supporters, &C., &c.
Resolced, That we hail the election of n P.
Banks'tothe Speakership, at this peculiar crisis,
as indicative of many good results, and auspi-
cious of the progress of true Republican prin-
ciples; and we tender our warmest thanks to
the sixteen members from Pennsylvania, who
maintained their cause to its final triumph,
with unwaverng firmness.
friend has favored us with an editorial
from the Herald and AdUoc0te, of the I'd Feb
ruary, printed at Swanton, Pa, in Mr.. Fuller's
district, thoroughgoing Know Nothing pa
per. 1t sustained Mr.. Fuller in his opposition
to Mr.. Banks, in allowing himself to be run as
the candidate of the National Know Nothings,
in avowing his purpose even not to insist on a
restoration of the Missouri Compromise: but
his vote, recorded in the negative on the reso-
ution Of Mr.. Meacham, that the repeal OF the
Compromise was useless and mischevous legs-
lation, it could not stomach.
ave have heard him., it says, fuse as strong
expressions Of hatred to the principles of that act
as could possibly be framed. Whatever he may
be al ashington, the fact is nndeniabte, that at
home he is uncompromisingly opposed to the
Nebraska bill, and ones has election, in great
measure, to his known sentiments on that ques-
ton. In sustaining M. Fuller, as we have
hitherto done, We have not sought to disguise
this fact. Until his recent vote, by which he
puts himself upon the record as affirming the
principles Of the Nebraska bill, we have seen
nothing to condemn. We can say this no
longer. II there is any meaning in words he
has placed himself in a directly antagonistic
position to the one he has hitherto occupied on
this question. lie now denies that the repeal
OF the Missouri Compromise was an example of
useless and factious agitatiOn-unwise, and I'M
Just to the American people, In doing this he
enrols himself among the enemies of conserva-
ism, and forfeits the confidence of his constitu-
ents. How Mr. Fuller can thus deny his former
allegations Of opposition to the Nebraska bill
made at homc and at Washington in the early
part Of the sessions to US inexplcable. The
resolution against which he voted is plain and
directly to the point. To avoid msrepresenting
INN, We copy its exact terms, as offered By Mr..
Neacham, OF Vermont:
ReSOtced, That, in the opinion of this
House. the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
Of 1920, prohibiting Slavery north of latitude
So so, was an example of useless and factious
agitation of the Slavery question-unwise, and
unjust to the American people
To this plain and simple statement of a
principle, Mr.. Fuller records an emphatic No !!
he Nebraska bill is, then, in his opinion an
Example of useful and wise legislation How
does this differ from his speeches during the
lection canvass, VIXEN he could say hardly
-aough to express his detestation of this wise
and useful legislation We well remember his
emphatic and eloquent denunciations of the
Nebraska iniquity, and how the people cheer
cd the ardor OF his opposition to that fatal BILL
b-t what a change. How are the mighty
alien lie now deliberately, and in the face
o. the whole nation, stultifes his former say
1gs, and arrays himself on the side of Douglas
md his coadiutors. His name appears in the
,1ne catalogue with Richardson, CLANCY Jones,
L. 3. Wright, and others, who have from the
-'S supported this measure, and looked upon
success with the intensest interest and de-
l!ht Into such company we cannot follow
In We shall leave him alone, to sound the
''est depths Of the degradation to which he
IDS voluntarily submitted himself"
AMERICAN SEAMEN