Daily national Democrat., 1860-10-17
What Douglas did in 1850.

from Illinois, Stephen A. Douglas and Gen.
Shields, were violently and almost universal
ly denounced in Illinois, for their participa-
tion in the passage of those measures The
Common Council of the city of Chicago went
SO far as to pass the following Resolutions;
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United
States provides that the privilege of the writ
of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, un-
less when, in eases of rebellion or invasion,
the public safety may require it; and
WHEREAS, The late act of Congress, pur-
porting to be for the recovery of fugitive
slaves, virtually suspends the Habeas Corpus
and abolishes the right of trial by jury, and
10y its provisions, not only fugitive slaves, but
white men, lowing service to another in an.
other State, viz, the apprentice, the me-
chauic, the farmer, the laborer engaged on
contract or otherwise, whose terms of service
are uneXpred, may be captured and carried
off summarily, and without legal resource OF
any kind and
WHEREAS, No law can be legally or moral
" binding on Us which violates the proyi,
sions OF the Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Above all, in the responsibilities
of human life and the practice or propagation
held paramount to all human compacts and
statutes Therefore,
RsSolgcd, That the Senators and Represen.
tatiyes in Congress from the Free States, who
aided and assisted in the passage of this infa-
nous law, and those who basely sneaked
away from their seats, and thereby eyaded
the question, richly merit the reproach of all
lovers Of freedom, and are fit only to be
ranked with the traitors, Benedict Arnold
and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his Lord
and Master for Thirty pieces of silver.
and HeSoiUcd, That the citizens, officers,
and police Of the city be, and they are here
| by, requested to abstain from any and all
| interference in the capture and delivering up
of the fugitive from unrighteous oppression
! of whatever nation, name, or color.
HssOlpcd That the fugitive slave law late
ly passed by Congress is a cruel and unjust
law, and ought not to be respected by any
intelligent community, and that this Council
will not require the city police to render any
assistance for the arrest Of fugitive slaves.
Ayes-Ald. Miliken, Lloyd, Sherwood,
Foss, Throop, sherman, Richards, Brady and
Dodge.
Nays-Ald. Page and Williams
Never was there greater excitement in the
land, and never was the integrity of public
man more severely tried by adverse crcum-
stances than was that of Stephen A. Douglas
at that time He was called a Benedict Ar
mold and Judas Iscariot because he had
stood by Henry Clay in the great pacIfica-
tion which alone saved the country from th,
horrors Of civil war and perhaps a prematur,
dissolution of the Union. Conscious of the
rectitude of his intentions he returned to hi.
constituents, ard, and, Notwithstanding the
public sentiment was against him, he boldly
maintained his position and defended it
against all animadverson and attack. The
particular portion of the Compromise Meas
ures against which complaint had been made
was the Fugitive Slave Bill. 1t was con-
tended that itsuspended the Habeas Corpus
Act and otherwise violated the Constitution
Of the United States Mr.. Douglas, in the
presence of a vast coneourse Of his indignant
and frowning fellow-citizens, vindicated the
Bill against all objections, showed its consti-
tutionality and binding force upon the peo-
pie, denounced the notification principle
which was in Chicago initiating the like
spirit which had previously prevailed in
South Carolina, and convinced the people
that they were wrong and that he was right
The result was that the vast assemblage who
stood in his presence adopted the follow
ing Resolutions
Resolued, That it is the sacred duty of eve
ry friend of the Union to maintain, and pre-
serve inviolate, every provision Of our Federal
Constitution.
Resolued, That any law enacted by Con-
gress, in pursuance ofthe Constitution, should
be respected as such by all good and law
abiding citizens; and should be faithfully car.
ried into effect by the officers charged with
its execution.
Resolred That SO long as the Constitution
of the United States provides, that all persons
held to service or labor in one State, escaping
into another State, "sHALL BE DELIVERED UP
on the claim Of the party to whom the service
or labor may be dne," and SO long as mem
bers OF Congress are required to take an oath
to support the Constitution, it is their solemn
and religious duty to pass all laws necessary
TO carry that provision of the Constitution
into effect
ReSolred, That if we desire to preserve the
Union, and render our great Republic insep-
cradle and perpetual we must perform all
our obligations under the Constitution, at the
same time that we call upon our brethren in
other States to yield implicit obedience to it.
Hesolred, That as the lives, property, and
safety of ourselves and our families depend
upon the observance and protection of the
laws, every effort to excite any portion of our
population to make resistance to the due exc
cution of the laws of the land, should be
promptly AM emphatically condem ned by
every good citizen
Resotred, That we will stand or fall by the
American Union and its Constitution, with
all its compromises with its glorious memo
ries Of the past and precious hopes OF the
future.
The following was offered in addition by
b. 5 Morris, and also adopted
Resolrca That we, the people of Chicago,
repudiate the resolutions, passed by the Com
mon Council of Chicago, upon the subject of
the Fugitive Slave law passed by Congress at
its last session
The next night, the City Council of Chica-
go met and repealed their nullifying resolu-
tions by vote of l2tol.
Such was the character and conduct of
Stephen A. Douglas in 1850, when, had he
been been less bold and less honest, he might
have yielded to the public sentiment of his
State and permitted Illinois to have gone
after the false gods of notification. The
stake was great and bravely did he play for
it lie saved himself from destruction and
his State from disgrace.
In the same manner in 1854, did he bring