Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-01-28
The Toronto Globe on the Cleveland Fugi-
tive Case. t

/ ~+NN 1855
{ The Toronto Globe in an article upon the
Fugitive case in this city, clOsea5by saying:
The United States Commissioner expressed
the opinion that the citizens of Cleveland
would not oppose the enforcement of the Fu-
gitiYe Slave Law, however distasteful to
them, if it should be proved that this poor
woman fairly came within its provisions
that there were not twenty of them who
would not wish to see the law upheld. The
Cleveland Leader, a strong Republican pa
per, also expresses its assurance that the law
viii be upheld, although at the same time
stigmatizing it as an unjust justice-defying,
and infamous law And upon the colored
citizens especially it urges forbearance and
submission to the law, even though an un-
righteous one, in order that the North may
give TO the South convincing proof of its
fidelity TO all Federal laws and its willingness
to carry them out however obnoxious, until
duly repealed OF modified. This laW-abiding
spirit is in itself commendable, but we think
that in present circumstances it may be car
ried too far. When in the South scarcely
week passes but Northern men are tarred and
feathered, and banished or hung, for no other
crime than that Of holding Northern senti-
ments on the subject Of slavery-When but a
few weeks ago pious and devoted MethodisI
minister named Bewlby was seized by mob
in Texas and hung, on the bare suspicion OF
holding abolition sentiments, and when any
claim to have his mErderers brought to JUS
tice would be treated with derision-in such
circumstances we do not think the people Of
Cleveland ought to be very punctilious in dis
charging their obligations to the infamous
slave law. If to-day, law or no law, they
should take the girl Lucy out of the hands OF
her captors, aud give her a free pass to Can
ada, or defend her in Cleveland against all
aggressors, their violation Of the unjust law
enacted BY the strong against the weak would
not only be pardonable but praiseworthy, as
a testimony OF their allegiance to the higher
law of humanity, and to the Divine law
which says;=-" Thou shalt not deliver unto
his master the servant Il. e. slave) that is es-
capped from his master unto thee. He shall
dwell with thee where it iketh him best
Thou shalt not oppress him.
We eounseled obedience to the law in this
case for the general good. At the same time
we do not expect that this obedience is going
to save the country. This case was made a
test case, in the very hope Of having rescue,
with which to reply to the Pesceful assur-
ancea Of Republicans in Congress and in other
places of importance. To defeat that object
the law was enforced, and we think good viii
result from the adoption of that course. We
think Mr. Goshorn was honest in his intima-
tions that the case was instituted more for in
Auence at Washington ami the South than
here. Had been otherwise; had the claim
ants come to our city to steal away a colored
woman, or had they come like thief in the
night and hurried away q negro with IN
seemly haste, for their own personal gains,
then we should have expected the people to
rise in their might, and protest. too fOrcibly
to be misunderstood, against such proceed
ings.