Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-12-07
Personal Liberty Laws" Republican
Again.

g.: We can scarcely be- !
Iieye the writer alter careful consideration. |
will endorse this language. Did lie mean,
il a fugitive slave fleeing from bondage
were in our streets, and the I. 5. officer
who was attempting to rescue the fugitive
should call upon him to aid in doing Il, |
that he would comply, and put forth his
hanl to prevent the freedom Of the bond
man? We thank God that IRE have not
particle 10 our body. or soul, which IS IN
affinity with such an action; nor can Ian
guage express the utter repugnance, and
even adherence. we feel towards it. We
understand the gospel and humanity Eek
eupting its lowest dregs) to be at Infinite
antipodes to such course, and exceeding
" doubt whether many Democrats, to say
nothing Of Republicans, would pursue 1t.
It is because we consider such an act a
complete endorsement Of tie right Of slave
rs, that VIC cannot believe that our es-
eeemed correspondent really means what
his Language implies. If he does mean 1t,
and if, in saying so much, he expresses the
Republican sentiment, it follows that the
whole Republican party, as the writer
seems to assert, stands ready, if called up
on. to become Instruments in the hands OF
shareholders, for sustaining ard executing
every provision Of the Fugitive Slave Law
While "we claim, as party, to be loyal
10 the Constitution as We understand 1t,
We do not claim as party, "to obey every
congressional enactment, however obnox-
ious it may be, until by peaceful means
tie same shall be repealed, " for such
doctrine wou involve. consequences too
ridiculous 1and monstrous to be tolerated.
What if Congress should pass law that
the people should not eat beef excepting
on certain occasions, and at certain seasons?
Would Republican have the people con-
.plywith the odious measure until it was
repealed, ard does lie mean that the doc
triue Of cur party would lead it to obey
such law? Doubtless he would reply
that he means only laws which are Consti-
.tutional but this meaning would exclude
the Fugitive Slave Law, just as much as
the supposed law against eating beet, both
being alike unconstitutional although Of
the two, the anti-beef law would be vast
1y less obnoxious, not requiring the per-
petration Of inhuman barbarity;t that tie Fu-
gitiye Slave Law does require. Ifthe citizen
has no right to pass his judgment upon a
law he IS under, before obeying it, but
must ego it blind" like slave, and m-
condi'ionally obey whdterer a federal gov
eminent under the control of the diaboli-
cal slave power may require, even if it be
to commit all manner of denominations,
then, indeed, is Republican" right, other
wise we think him wrong If citizens
must exercise enlightened Judgment and
conscience in all cases, as subjects of a
"hipher law" as did the ancient worthless
and the enrly Christians, then, indeed, We
ought to disobey any law which will bride
court to decide against a poor col0red
man on trial, or compel freemen, against
their Will, to become slave catchers, as the
Fugitive Slave Law does. When this obi
Gus law was framed and passed. desiring a
prctext for q quarrel, Southern members
of Congress made it as odious as possible,
adding provision after provision, each
worse than the former, to see how low the
people of the North would stoop to South
ern oppression! They made it unconsti-
tutional and barbarous on purpose to try
Northern stomachs and get up muss.-
To their shame be it said, the North, to
some degree, endorsed it, and quaffed the
humiHating chalice. But to their ever
lasting praise be it spoken, a few States
mentioned by our correspondent, among
which we rejoice to find Wisconsin, dared
10 exercise the right TO decide upon the
constitutionality of the inferr al law and
to interpose barriers against its barbarity,
and protect an injured class whose consti-
tutional rights this base instrument of the
slave ofgarchy fagrantly AID grossly inya-
ded
The South has neither right nor justice
to sustain its complaints against these per-
sonal berty laws; any more than it
would have relating to laws for constita-
tional protection against any degree or kind
Of injustice Personal Liberty Laws are just
~ in autagonis,u, not 20 constitutional
Fugitive Slave Law. bnt to the unconstitu-
tional barbarism ard outrage, with which
unrighteous men have loaded ana heaped
this Law,
We are net repaired to charge States
with folly, simply because they have done
what the entire North should have done
long since, resisting oppression and outrage.
1t was right to pass those laws, and it will