St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27
The Changes of Politics.

Congress, was Stephen A. Douglas
Facts were distorted principles mis-
stated, purposes twisted out of shape
all to show that the Republicans were
Abolltlonists, and ought to be abateC
by statute. But change has by
some agency been wrought in the Hi
nois Senator. The other day Green o
Missouri was attempting to make il
appear that the North had not faith
fully executed the Fugitive Slave Law
Douglas threw down the glove to the
Missourian, and said:
The Senator confcsscs that in all
instances where the attention of tho
Courts is brought to tic subject, the
law is faithfully executed. What
more can any man ask No law can
be said to be left uncxccutcd unless
the case under it has been first brought
before a court of some sort. 1t is a
harsh and unjust Judgment against
Northern people to alege that they
are responsible for the escape of slaves
who have never been arrested. When
you talk about nOn-cXecution of laws,
you speak Of cases that are never
brought to the attention of the Courts
1t is new and strange doctrine, that
we are guilty of the non-fulfIlmcnt
OF law, when we administer it fair
ly and impartially in every case
brought before orr tribunals" Laugh
ter and applausc.)
Green squirmcd and twisted, but
Douglas had him down and held him
by the throat. He said he really
wished the disunion gentlemen would
cease dealing in vague gcncralities,
and make ont their catalogue of gricv-
anccs with definite specifications, and
let the Senate take up each case of
grief in its turn, and consider it. If
this was done the country would be
amazed is see the little real cause of
complaint that existed, after al, the
tremendous ado that was being made
by the Cotton States at this time.
Senator Fitch certified that the Fu-
gtivc Law was faithfully executed in
Indiana.
Old aristocrat Mason arose with
lordly air and micn, and declared
with swelling pomposty that he was
utterly amazed at what .Douglas had
said, in relation to the execution of
the Fugitive Law. He (Mason) knew
that it was habitually traWplcd under
foot, and that not one slave in ten who
escaped was ever captured land rc-
turned. The offclicc is complained of
that the Free States do not see the
of the Constitution cxccu-
ted. 1t is their duty to us to catch
and restore our runaway niggcrs. 1t
is the duty of the State government
to help catch them. If the North OK.
poets to live with us they MUST catch
them. They must also give us the
right to take our slaves into the Free
States for temporary purposes. They
must recognize our slaves as consti.
tutlonal property. He proceeded in
this strain for some time.
Douglas replied that the North was
DESTROYS to keep the covenants of the
Constitution, and as they did not un-
dcrstand the business of niggcrcatch-
ing as we'll as the South, they agreed
by their representatives in Congress
to assign the task of forming a salts.
factory law to to the gentleman from
Virginia himself, who is the father of
the present Fugitive law. 1t was
passed without amendment Just as he
drafted it. And now, if it works bad
~, why should the blow fan on the
North? Why not shoulder the blame
If the law don't operate
it is no fault of the free
States, He should not charge them
with his own botch-work and bIundcrs.
For eight years the law has been in
the hands Of lis friends. Pierce and
Buchanan were Democrats, the Gov
had been Democratic. mol
one charged these administrations
with being dcrelict in duty. Why
should the Republicans be blamed |
who had never been responsible for
It's execution? 1t was with difficult
Ly the Chair restrained the applause
in the galleries at these palpable hits
and centre shots.