The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-05-13
VOLUME X. NO. l9,
speech of the Hon. John R. French,

consider tht treatment or titiGtNS ~ isOidlH Il.
county by the Federdt Court =
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW CITIZENS 4
| have no words suitable for The occa- il
sion. Twenty Of our fellow citizens Il
noble, excellent, Christian men have c
been torn from their families; and, guilt
less of all crime, are incarceralcd IN q
prison. To cypress the sympathy you
all feel for these men, and their wives
and their little ones, one needs such kind
words, such plying words as only the
Angels have learned. Aud if | would
give voice 10 the Indignation that.every
true heart must feel when told that this
GREAT WRONG is committed in the sacred
name OF Law" should need words as
bitter as the dregs of strong mans
wrath. All, and who can command the
trumpet tones that may arouse this slum.
bering nation TO sense Of its danger.
Men in prison in Ohio, for violating the
provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act Has
1t indeed come to this, that in. Ohio 1t is
crime to sympathize with the wronged
and suffering ? Are there men and courts
still found in this State who believe IN
the conslitutionallty, the binding force OF
this statute, whose counterpart may uot
be found outside the statute books OF He'll.
The clause of the Constitution upon which
they pretend to found this law talks about
lowing service" Certainly these can
not be slaves. A slave cannot ore seIvice.
4 slave in the eye of the law is TO all
intents and purposes property--and prop
crty cannot make contractsA assume re-
sponsbiliGes, or eve service.
Alr. Chairman, can you talk Of your
horse owing service, or the table upon
which you eat your dinner? The very
first act of slavery, as it seizes its victim,
its crowning, damning crime, as its total
obIiteraLiou ol the slaves personality, the
wiping out Of every yestige OF his man
hood, the herding of immortal beings
with the beasts OF tho stall, the conslgn-
ing of souls to tie shambies. The slave
is but merchandise, and when the trainers
of the Constitution talked about persons
who lowed SERVICE" they could not
have meant slaves, or horses, or house
hold furniture.
But admitting, Sir, the Fugitive Law
construction OF the Consttuton--in spite
OF our common sense acknowledge thar
property may " owe serylce" AND still
YOU have not saved the consiitulona!lty
of this Law. This is an enactment o
Congress, which has no right to interfere
in the premises, for il there was com
pact as claimed, it was a compact betwrer
sovereign States, and whatever LegisIa
ton may be necessary to carry out th
agreement, must come from the States
No where in the Constitution is this pow
l.l.,,at.l 10, A E,Aaral (,nNarttunul n
and all power and right not expressl
delegated was reserved by the States.
But there is other ground upon whic
we of OHIO, who deny the binding fore
OF the FGgiive Act, may stand. If the
was contract to restore Fugitive Slave
it was a contract between the then thi
teen States. Ohio and Kentucky we
not there. They were not parties to Il
trade. And Kentucky cannot ask us
fulfill any contract which may have bee
made between Massachusetts and Car
lima.
At the time Of the adoption Of the Co
stilulion slavery was looked Ipon by {
parties as temporary affair, soon to pa
away. With this then universal s,n
ment, there could have been no legslai
WI luNuiS "a NilNA Nt'N
cuped territories,
But the unshaken rock upon which
may all plant ourselves is his: The Flu
tive Act tramples upon eternal and Il
versally acknowledged RIGHT and VIII
ever statute violates RIGHT cannot be Ia
and so reads every acknowledged wri
Of the profession. The very office OF l.
is to protect Right, moi to trample it
The mire Of the street
Sympathizing as | do, Mr.. Charm
with my entire heart with our friends
prison, and hating the doings Of tho f,
eral Court now in session at CIaveIal
with as intense and holy a hatred as bu
in any mans bosom, still must conf
that am glad of this development of
spirit and determination of that Court
1t will turn the attention of the intellig
citizens Of Ohio to the 9nCroachments
the Federal Judiciary upon the SOW
eighty OF the States and the rights Of
People. Encroachments that have b
accumulatng sleN!th:ly, but uninterru
edly, from the commencement Of the
ton, unit! this department Of the COVE
ment threatens to assume TO itself
power. Gentlemen may care moth
for the friendess negro or Cor the "Ob
lin Abollionists," but do they care
thing for their own rights, or the SOY
eregaty of their State We have tive
millions Of bank capital in Ohio-th
is dispute as to the just manner OF
taxation. Certainly this is quest
exclusively belonging TO Ohio, to O
courts and Ohio legislation and Ohio C
zens. But the Federal court steps in,
says this matter Of levying :axes in Ol
is a question for her disposal, and lau
your State courts to scorn. Two 80
ago the Ohio legislature saw Gt to decl
certain Canal Contracts fraudulent,
therefore void. The highest court Of
Safe passed upon the whole matter,
found the action of the Legislature 1t
and proper. That parties concer
might receive no harm, by special acl
the Legislature, they ware allowed
come into our Courts and prosecute
State. Now, what power outside of o
has u right to interfere =? But this '
mintpr mast iha Sunrpn,a GnurI of