Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1861-01-25
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RrlsaJ a0rslag, JahulE5 IS is5ls
REg0aIE0F aHg C0MiifffEa OF qaIRfY-
In TIE House, on Monday. january I4sh.
Mr. s.orNin, Chairman Of ths9 Colnnittes.of
Thirty, tAree, submitted thSiifollowing re-
port:
The Select Committee, to yitoni was refsrr-i
ed 50 ulach5of tho President # Nicssage psre
Iates to lie peril us consIition5of the counery,
was to report The bills or res,stus
+sed " isiuet otnnie Us as
the Ghssiman might deem proper.
The terms OF the feteiencsI were such as
to udyiss the COMMITTEE OF Il Pc magnitude ofi
the SUBJECT referred to them, aid were regard
ed as a9 earnest appeal to tlGir prompt ac-l
ton. BY adyerting to that palt oftle Pres-
dents Ressage referred to the Committee, it
will be seen that i'll his opinian the causes of
the present discoDtcnts are ftalnd in tile his-
tory of our public affairs, dating back % the
year SO, coinprehending 4the legislative
enactugHts of several Statessthe ugitation
OF the public mind on the subject of sflvery
the Improper circulation oEpupers tending
to lrodhce apprehension of domestic inkur-
rection lin the siaveholding States, and:the
f1rciblg opposition to tho peaceful Eek:
ecutiong OF the laws Of Congress for tile re-.
covery Of fugitiee slaves 15'ie matters here
aiiegea als having given rise ito the re;en{
disturbed condiliun Of tbe public mind Of the
South lre OF character Which could only
| be asceatained by the knowledge of the eur~
f, eit,
the ucwsparer press. on the grounds assumed:
by the sarious political parties, and manifest.
cd by tie votes OF the people III clecting State
and Feaerai Officers.
Publications e,uanating ii,ssm the newspa+5
per unS periodical press haviig u tendency to;
promote domestic insurrectiua in any Of the
States, and circulated with tssst intent, ale I'M
the judgment ot the committee highly crmi-!
nal, anh should he so tieateds by the laws OF;
the several States. 1lc right Of free ciscus,i
siun, while it is regarded us absolutely ncces-s
s;ry imtthe maintenance OF Tree gUvernutent,s
may be- expected in times OF great excitement:
to rum into occasional liceItiUusne,s. Ihe;
correction OF this evil remaIs with the Statct
Governments aud the Committee douot doubt.
that tlc desired correction will be promptly,
| applied N all cases where the evil shall tiuves
assumed ornlidable aspectf while the JUST
aud rational freedom of speech aud of .thtss
press viii he carefully preserved. !
IhcI ienactment OF laws by so eof thts
States lending to oppose or enlbarrass the ex{t
ecutior of che acts OF CUngecss for the re-:
ss.ass IL ,sutts s.ss saS, i5Ses,eal1
legged bs prominent compl'aat ON tho parf
OF thtke Stutes OF the U uniotizin which slavery
exists4 The committee has been impressed:
with the belief that this wasione of the grievs
ances referred to in the Presidents Alessag4
to wh4;E the Southern States attached sreaSi
importance. The resolves Of popular ASSENT
blies itf Southern States-the addresses os
speakdrs to Southern AUDIENCES trequenEj
and e3rnest reference to it By the press OF thdI
/ Southfs great and fagranb violation Of. the
| Constitution. and the iraterRai relation oi th$I
| free t6 the slave StatcS--the Remuneration OF
those laws by Southern members of Congress-:
/ i'll bUtai branches of tho National l.egislaturSi
for the last three or four years have togethE:ii
er given to this subject sreat, and, In thSs.
Judgment of this COMMITTEE, undue infporkf
aRce. s
s with whatever intcut or design such laws
may have been enacted in4 any State, thess::
canndt be regarded as having had any efeGe
| in preventing or obs,rectinG the re. e.capture 81
fugitikes from labor The kWs of the U3litey
States Tor the recovery of fugitive slaves, are
executed exclusively by tue United Stattsi
Courts, and Commissioners apl ointed bA
I Them Asanccessary conse9 9uence, il toliow:j
that any Statelaw which Oilers any 0bstacs5
to thd full aud perfect execution OF the laNaii
! of the United States, would be void mud ct
no effect whatever, and world be so deGlalesi
j by this Uuited States Courtsand Gonlniissiotss
ers. such avs, if any these be, are therSs
fore Incompetent todvany Faisehief wha1e eye;:ss
to,ant one concerned in TIE recs.pture OF = =
4 fugitive slave, and ut most gan be coiisiaerea
only is an opposition 70 irv which some III III
4 the States regard as containing proYtslo1st
dangerous to the rights OF free persons resi-
i ding <hin theirlimik. VI Whlst, therefore tls
committee have not Teen able toperceiys thess
the ST ate laws complained 6f can really lttets
! the RIGHTS on interests OF the Southern pet'e
/ pleoE States, yet from an anxious desire q
coneiliate the feelings MS well as 20 protect tls
interes,s of our fellow citizens OF the Soutf;s
1 the Committee have lssIecif reqpsssed sts9ft
mons slayehoIdng States carefully 10 1evsS
tleirsleeiSlatsy acts, and repeal ail laws which
coniesii Conflict with fhe Eonstitnti6ne ct
i lsnitsd States, or with the laws enaetssi
] by Csngress for tie recattnfe of fugi6yss
! FRONT lsbor. and have subnii tied q IesolutlfS
to th4i effect ior the adopt ptpnl of the Housfs
have seen with faction that tie
GoYeFnoTs oii seyeIat within be lasf
week. have biaug Il &c alIject 70 the 1otlsa
II tIssir iespeet.y We ssifes md re OFF
nlended acti,,n II accsrdsnse " tli the yiesss
OF THE committee y e eItgftaia no DOUBT
TINT Tie feelings ls well is e inter OF iii
the s0n-slavekoi itIing State Will coItinueiEo
effect the great Obj $50 much to 3e desifed
-ths restoration of tautns Iespect and coi,-
fidense between all psrts Of the Ufiion q be
committee ceemed encufnbent ensthem IN
conuection With the foregoing subject TO ne
wise to sone5 extent Tie laws now in fosce tor
I the recovery Of fugieves from labor. Amer
the most careful Investigation they have