Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-02-08
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A0LLAvA-.~9
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH.

| am accustomed to thinking, when cir
cumstanees require it; and | doubt not,
but all well-meaning men will agree with
me, that the present time, when our coun-
try is upon the verge of ruin, demands
all our thoughts and efforts for its pre-
servation. Several States have already
seeded from the Union, and are urging
others to follow their example, until all
the slave States shall have withdrawn.
While I am STAKEHOLDER, and have all
the interests of the South at heart, and
feel that our rights have been attacked
and grossly iaSulted by some of the peo-
pie of the North, am altogether opposed
to secession from the Constitution Of the
United States aud the Union, as means
of redress and safety, as the Constitution
provides that " No person held TO service
in one State, under the laws thereof, es-
Gaping into another, shall, in consequence
of any law or regulation therein, be dis
charged from such service or labor, but
shall be delivered upon claim of the par
ty to whom such service or labor is due. +"
Now it is clear that any State that refuses
TO deliver up fugitive slave, sets herself
up in defiance of the United States Co
yernment, which is bound to exert her
whole force to compel that State to COM
ply with her constitutional obligations;
and, since that is the case, loW is il pos
SHE for US to be better protected in our
slave property than we are? Suppose
that there could be peaceable division
Of the South from the North, and that the
Northern line of Maryland should divide
slavery and freedom, and that the North
were not held under their constitutional
obligations to us, would no. our slaves be
just as near this line as they now are and
be able to cross it just as easily, and when
once beyond it, entirely aud forever out
of our reach ? And would it not be Just
as easy for unprincipled Abolitionists to
come here and steal away our slaves, while
their necessity Of carrying them entirely
through the United States and placing
them in Canada for safety would be re-
moved? Shall we free the North from
the bonds Of the United States Constitu-
ton, which now binds them, if put in
force, aud which would be Immediately
put in force upon complaint Of any State,
if done in the right spirit, because every
officer and Congressman of the United
States is bound by his oath to the Con
stitntion, and must declare war upon any
State that will not obey, and chaslise her
until she returned our slaves, or paid
their value. They have agreed to return
them, and if they do not do it, they must
pay US their value.
1t may be said by secessionisls, that,
as some of the Northern States have
passed laws contrary to the constitution
Of the United States, therefore We may
withdraw. But if they have departed
from their duty, let us compel them to
return Let US not loose sight of our
duty and interest; and it is our duty to
cling to the constitution, because VIC have
bound ourselves TO do so and, under al,
it is our duty and our interest to compel
Northern States TO respect our rights
Some of the Northern States have not
violated our rights, and will not. 1t may
also be said by rabd secessionists, that
fanatical congressman would violate their
oaths to the constitution, and would not
declare war, or assist in so doing, upon
any State, If necessary, to compel her to
deliver fugitiyes up. But while it is
possible that very few might refuse. it
is not fair to presume, or at all probable,
that any considerable number would per-
jure themselves.
cannot believe any such thing; but,
on the contrary, | believe that any State
which will, in the proper spirit, COM
plain to the General Government that
another State, or the citizens thereof,
have forcibly deprived, or held the pro-
perty of her citizens, without compcnsa-
ton, and in violation of the Constitution
Of the United States, will be at once lis
tened to, and Justice obtained ! have
never heard Of such an appeal having
been made and this is the only proper
course to obtain justice. When we wish
10 obtain anything desirable, We must
obtain it by the proper efforts; we can
accomplish nothing if we make no use Of
the means furnished us.
Complaints have been made, that when
our slave-holdcrs went into free States
for fucitiveg, they have been driven away
by mobs and, although they saw their
slaves there, they could not get them,
Notwithstanding our fugitive slave law.
| know that in some cases slaves never
we're recovered, but that was no fault Of
our Constitution. Complaints should
have been made by the owners Of the
slaves to the State Government from
which they escaped. and that State should
have applied directly to the United States
Government; precisely as a complaint
is made against a foreign Government.
under whose flag our citizens are wrong.
ed, and an indemnity collected. But the
complaint should be made il a respectful
and proper manner. without first telling
the Government officers, Gas / am sorry
10 say has been done by my Southern
BRETHREN that we know that they are a
set Of scoundrcis, and win not do their
duty. until our chivilric sons shall draw
inc sword over their heads, and threaten
them that they will hare justice, or die
in the attempt
Now it is not reasonable TO suppose,
that such unnecessary and improper APP
peas viii be lisiend to with patience by
them, OF profit TO ourselves We have