Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-16

TO govern us in all cases whatsoever. We
claim that in our own Colonial Assemblies
we have the right 10 fix the internal policy OF
these Colonies. Do you suppose the. old IA
theirs intended to set up government TO con-
troll these Colonies without their consent and
yet that is just what is now attempted TO be
done.
But must touch on another topic. Our
fathers incorporated into the Constitution
that provision, the words are familiar to you
all requiring the rendition Of Fugitive Slaves,
aud on which is founded the Fugitive Slave
Act In the administration Of Washington. n
law was passed to carry into effect this pro.
vision well known as the Act Of 1893. Ac-
oording to this law, the case Of fugitive
might be brought by his master before any
Justice Of the Peace in the State where he was
taken. Things went on well enough under
this law until about 1850, then complaints
began to be made with respect to its inefH-
cheney. For while these State officers might
execute they were not obliged to do So
Moreover some States by positive enactments
practically nullifed the law. To remedy this
inefliciency the Act of 1880 was reported to
the Senate by Mr. Clay. Now what did the
law passed, eiIect2 Its execution was devolv-
cd upon Commissioners appointed for the
purpose, instead of Justices Of the Peace as
provided for in the cid law.
If understand my friend, he is in favor
OF the execution Of law. The platform of the
party demand the immediate repeal of the
law. The question arises, are we willing to
discharge our duties2 What are they? Not
to catch negroes. We are simply req uired not
to interfere and resist the execution Of the
lsW. When the officer was resisted case
might arise, in which it would be our duty to
espouso the sids Of the law. But the question
is not whether negro shall be caught or not,
but whether the law Of the land shall be en-
forced or trnmpled upon. You oil remember
the scene that was so recently transpired in
this County, that certain persons residing at
Oberlin were indicted by the Federal Court
for resisting the due process Of law. You
reoolect the public meeting here, and the let
ter Of coincidence sent there by my friend who
sits behind me. But my brother Chase was
here, and-he made speech-an able one, aud
a shrewd one, too. lie says; Gentlemen
you must not violate this law. But il you will
get your Supreme Court to say that it is
unconstitutional, and to order the release Of
those men, then will carry out this order
He went down to Columbus where the case
was pending, and sent in the Attorney Ger
eral Wolcottl to argue the case Well, he
did argue it, and what did il amount to2 It
did not como to anything. One man only
stood in the way Of il-an honest, upright
jurist as this or any other State affords stood
between the multiplying Of an Act which, in
every State in which it had come up for de-
cision, even including Massachusetts,, has
been pronounced constitutional. Judge Swan
was unwilling to inaugurate notification Of
the laws in this State. Judge Swan then stood
in the way. Now yQu will say that the party
boI 10 10 xwit R,tt bo -
came together few days after, anl while no
man had heard a whisper that Judge Swan
was in any degree unacceptable, they went
TO work and took off his head because he had
not grati6ed them by inaugurating nullifca-
tiOn in Ohio. Well now, my friends, it re-
mains for the people Of the State Of
Ohio to say whether they viii agroe
to such proceedings of party-Whether they
will stand by the side of an honest and up
right and Independent judge, or by the pro-
ceediugs of such a party. The moment you
decide on the latter alternative your property
and your rights and your liberties are pretty
near ruined. Cheers
But the ludcrous position in which the
blind fanaticism of the party leaders has
placed them is clearly manifested in an in
stance which will now adduce. A gentle
man by the name Of Gholson was nominated
by the Republican Convention in tho place of
Judge Swan, it being affirmed that he was
practical emancipationist, that is, having
been n slaveholder in the Sonlh had set his
negroes free. Woll how has this turned out?
All went on well enough for three months,
when on closer enquiry it was asccrtained
that his practical emancipation consisted In
the fact that he had sold Davy, Ned and Ras,
for 500 each, before he came away, and
that he warranted them slaves for life,
and "souhd" into the bargain. Laughter |.
Suppose you put Judge Gholson on the Bench
and Ras and Ned should run away and ap-
peal to Gholson to let them 60 That would
be n pretty tight fit There would be his par
ty on tho one side and his warrant on the
other. When men act under such fauatcsm
as that, they always act wrong, and hence
these gentlemen got gloriously caught In the
operation.
But my friend is exceedingly distressed
that we are altogether running out in the
country. In three years there will be moth
ing left of us. l do not know but we shall
run out, but what evidence have we given of
running out in this State The gentleman
must admit that we nearly elected a Govern
or in 1857. l could point him 10 the illegal
votes of black men and mulattoes sufficient to
have elected II. B. Payne in the place Of Gov
Chase, who now occupies that place. A few
years before this, Judge Swan beat us 10000
votes, and in 1857 you scarcely had plurality
Of the votes. How long at this rate will il
take the Democratic party to run out There
is not much argument in this, l grant. The
question ought TO stand as TO who sustains
the honest principle. Suppose he succeeded
at this election, who will succeed win il
be gentleman who stands with Mr.. Corwin
or with MIR. Giddings l tell you there is
7omc such thing as moral triumph in an
election.
grant have changed my opinion, rs the
gentleman says he will show by reading my
letter. But what are you to make ont Of it?
Is it Of any consequence rs to the validity of
this principle that have changed? simply
claim the MERIT Of having said could stand
by the compromise measures, and that |
would ever abide by them.
But now my friends why should we he con-
tinually day after day, and year after year,
deLOuncing the South2 l would not yield to
the South anything unreasonable, but would
yield just as much as | would ask for myself
Has not the government of the United
States accomplished everything you could de-
sire Our country is but the life Of a man.
Yet look at her when the last battle OF the
Revolution was Tough, and tell me II YOU
could have expected more from her. II you
had told one Of those old patriots that the
vast Valley Of the Mississippi would be GOV.
cred with fourishing cities, swimming with
an eyer-incrcasing population, and blessed
with so wide extended q commerce, could hG
have believed it2 Could he have predicted
that 50 soon q commerce would exist in this
country, that would cause our sails tC
Whiten every sea on the face OF the
Globe2 The government has, indeed, &C,
complished everything that you could desire
but one thing more glorious than all other