The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-03-31
Garrison ON the Fugitive slave Law

The Boston L,berator contains Q phono.
graphic report Of the speech Of Mr.. GARRI-
sos before the committee on federal rela-
tons Of the legislature Of Massachusetts,, in
support Of the petition asking for law to
prevent the re capture of fugitive slaves in
that State. We invite the especial atten.
ton of those who deny that the clause in the
constitution which requires persons owing
service or labor to be given up, does not re-
fer to fugitive slaves These are the sen.
timents TO which we refer:
IcannOt, gentlemen, place the same con-
struction upon the constitution, respecting
the rendition of fugitive slaves which my
respected frienl Mr.. Sewsll has done.
cannot plead that it is not in the bond 10
give up the fugitive slave. 1t is for those
who can to do SO ; for myself, cannot out
face this nation, and say that for seventy
years, it has never understood its own con-
stitution in this particular. | believe that
Massachusetts consented, with her eyes
open, and for the sake of making union
with the South possible, TO allow the slave
hunter to come here, and take his prey and
l would not spend one moment in attempt
ing TO argue, on the words OF the coDstitu-
tion that We have never agreed to any such
thing, believe that the intent OF bargain
is the bargain, whatever may be the Ian.
guage used, and would not try to get rid
Of an obligation, however unjust, by false
Interpretation Of an instrument.
believe Washington, Franklin, Hamil.
ton, Jefferson, Jay and Marshall, and all
those who made the Constitution, and the
people who adopted it, understood what
they were about. They knew that they
agreed to allow slave representation in
Congress yet the words are not to be found
in the Constitution. They intelligently and
deliberately agreed that the foreign slave
trade should be prosecuted for the term OF
twenty years, without Congressional inter-
vention; yet they did not allow the term
slave trade TO be inserted in the Consti.
tuition They also understandingly agreed
that slaves who should escape from their
masters into other States should be given
up. Why, gentlemen, the fugitive slave law
itself, which creates such universal disgust
aud horror, does not contain the words run
away slave, or slave catcher in its language
it is entirely unexceptionsble. 1t is the lam
guage Of the Constitution of the United
States.
What waste OF time and effort it would
be to argue, from the phraseology Of that
neiarious law that it was never designed by
Congress to refer to fugitive slaves! Enough
that for seventy years, all the Courts, all the
Legislatures, all the Congresses and all the
people have understood these compromises
OF the Constitution in precisely the same
way, and pronounced them obligatory. 1t
is too late, therefore, to get up new and
unwarrantable construction OF the Constitu.
ton, in order to justify US lin doing right
and obeying God. All have to say is, as
one holding loyalty to God to be paramount
10 all cases, care not though every word in
the Constitution be Tor slavery, or every sen
tence an agreement on our part to stand by
it. In that case it is all null and void, and
crime Of the deepest dye Tor US to carry it
out; and 80 | stand here on the ground Of
eternal justice, and appeal to the law Of the
living God, and ask you to do likewise.