Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-15
THE ALBANY EVENING JOURNAL


resist.
THE ALBANY EVENING JOURNAL.
Some weeks since, the Albany Evening
Journal quoted paragraph from a Georgia
paper and appended to it some remarks on the
subject of "harmonizing differences" between
the North and the South" These remarks
OF the Journal were copied or reported, with
exaggerations, so as to make the impression
that it had taken ground in favor of such
compromise with the slave power as would
nulity the republican party. All the journal
had done was to suggest modification OF the
fugitive slave law, and start an inquiry con
corning the effect of restoring the Missouri
compromise line. Here are the words used:
with mutual desire to harmonic differ.
ences, lei us suppose that in place of rindic-
tee fugitive slave lava law repugnaut to
manhood and honor-one should be enacted
which arms the federal authorities with all
needful power for its execution, TOGETHER
WITH A PROVISION MAKING COUNTIES WHERE
FUGITIvEs ARE RESCUED BY VIOLENCE, FROM
OFFICERS WHO HAVE THEM IN CHARGE, LIABLE
FOR THE VALUE OF THE SLAVES so RESCUED.
And in regard to the other yexed question,
VIZ, lue llSHl OF sOll5 mo tIe leIGltoIISS WIN
slaves, Why not reStore tie Missouri compromise
lines That secured to tie South, all territory
adapted by soil and climate, to its peculiar in.
stitudon'"
Both suggestions were criticised; but it
was represented that Thurlow Weeds paper
had proposed not only to restore the old
Missouri compromise line, but also to run it
across the continent 10 the Pacific, and this was
the theme OF considerable remark. 1t was not
true, however, and III reply to one OF the
criticisms which assumed it to be true, the
Journal speaks as follows eve made refer.
ence only to the simple restoration Of the Mis-
souri, compromise line Is ii fair then, to say
that the extension of that line to the Pacific is
the intent and purpose OF the Journal? Is it
fair to attribute to us an intent and purpose
which we never dreamed of7 Is it fair to
substitute the word extend for the word
restore, and then dissent most vigorously
from proposal that we have not either made
or suggested, or that never entered our
mind !'
A restoration Of the old Missouri comprom-
Use line would prohibit slavery i'll Kansas and
as it stands at present, which is all the terri.
tory we have anywhere south of that line.
The suggestions Of the Journal did not deserve
the comments which some Of cur cOntempora-
ries bestowed upon them. The fugitive slave
law is vindictive its trainers meant to have
ii SO but we would not stop with a modi
fcation OF that law; it should be repealed, in
order to place the work OF delivering up
fugitiveS where it was placed by the trainers Of
the constitution in the hands of the states
and the slave interest shows quite as much
disposition TO accept this arrangement as any
other, provided it be connected with some
such pledge to pay for such fugitives as may
be rescued, as that named by the journal. AS
for the Missouri compromise line. TO restore it
we must break down the bred Scott decision
and do some other things which are not likely
to be done the present year.
But it il bad policy to suggest compromises
when there is no honest call for them. To sat
isty the secessionists, we must adopt their
ideas, their institution, and their policy; we
must exterminate free speech and free princi.
cy against civilization we must give them
perpetual control Of the government Those
who represent the free states could not grant
all this if they would and were it otherwise,
such submission to the secessonsts would
only bring the government, in the end, to
more complete destruction The saddest
thing connected with the whole matter is that
there are such men in the Union with suiii
Gent influence to trouble its welfare There
is no influence in the free states that can
make them reasonable or persuade them to
be peaceable citizens. There is not a
free state in the Union that has ever
failed to discharge its constitutional obligations.
None Of them is oitener accused Of delin.
quence than Massachusetts whose record shows
her to be quite as bamelesG in this respect
as the best Of her associates And what more
can we or should we do to sppease the seces.
sionisis, than uphold the constitution, faithfully
discharge our own duties, use forbearanco and
patience, and abide the RESULT