The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-11-15
RETALIATORY STATE LEGlSLA-
TION,

TON.
For several years, several northern
States, Massachusetts taking the lc ad
have y 3 led laws in open violatl, n OF
the Constitution, against the rendition
of fugitive slaves. They have not only
refused to obey the plain and uneqnIv-
ocal demands Of the Constitutions winch
requires them TO return the iugltivcs
to those to whom their services are due;
but they have actually passed laws Sc
yereIy furnishing any Of their citlzens
who should presume to obey the de-
mands Of the Constitution, and the
laws Of the United States passed OK
prcssIy to enforce these demands. 1t
Is passing strange, that the s,avehoIdlng
States have 50 long submitted to these
wrongs, When an c!IectUal remedy was
in their hands. Each State has the
power eff taxing the property u Nes
own citizens, and in imposing the tax,
it has the right, and has always cXer-
ciscd it at discretion, Of discriminating
in favor of, or against any species Of
property.
Suppose, in levying tax, every south
crn State should put an extra TAX 0
ten or twenty per cent, ON III! goods
wares and merchandise, the growth
product Of manufacture Of Massachus
cts. Such II law rigidly enforced BY
all the slavoholding States, would put
an ciIectuaI stop to all trade between
southern States and Massachusetts, at
ter the law went into operation. II
would not injuro our citizens, for they
can purchase elsewhere every thing We
need, on nearly, or quite, as good term'
us they can get them from Massaclus
etts. But Massachusetts would feel the
effects OF such II law in every fibre .
her system, audit might induce her citl
zens to repeal her unconstitutional ant
unjust laws.
Massachusetts has also passed law
m liking it dangerous for II southern MAJ
to go there fer the purpose of reclaim
ing his fugitive slave. AS IN offset t.
these laws, each Southern State nigh
pass laws restraining and curtailing thu
privilege of the citizens of Massachus
etts, in IL cir respective States. Ihcs'
laws should be passed avowcdly as re
taIiatory measures, and should be re
pealed when the Governor OF a south
ern State should be officially informed
that the unconstitutional laws of Mass
achusctts had been repealed. This, Il
no new project. We have urged TIT
adoption of rctaliatory laws agains
those States that refused to execute the
fugitive slave law for many years, anc
we believe if they had been adopted
years ago, there would now have beer
Il much better understanding between
the North and South, than there is.
TO make the people of Massachusetts
and other Abolition States understand
their own interest, is to make them dc
us Justice. Such rclaliatory Legislation
rs we have advised, would soon be fell
by every mar and woman in the States
that have injured us, and would soor
convince them it was Tor their vital in
tcrost to do us justice. In this way We
have an cllcctual remedy Tor their un.
friendly legislation, in II W hands
and we can, in our opinion, by these
means, soon compel them to do us JUS
ticc; and ifthey do not like our rcta,ia
tory laws, or our institutions, let them
30 out of the Union, and seek friends
and customers elscwhcre.-Fedrdt I'm
ION.