Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-29

tives on this floor have SO often assured us of
their devotion to the Constitution, stamped
the seal of approval upon all its provisions,
enacted into law all its principles, and enforced
and maintained that law by all the machinery
of the Government? And the Democratic
party, having enacted this law and sustained
its constitutionality before the adoption of the
amendments to the Constitution which have
certainly conferred some new powers upon
Congress, cannot, l presume will not, at
tempt to question its constitutionalty now.
1t was good Democratic constitutional law
to empower an unlimited number of compar-
atively irresponsible United States marshals
to use the army and navy of the United States
to enforce United States laws when those laws
were in the interest of the Democratic party;
and now, sir, we witness the remarkable
spectacle of this party, which conferred such
powers upon these men with no apprehension
OF injury to State government-with no fear
as to any destruction of our liberties-with no
doubts as to their entire constitutionality-
now boldly denying that this Congress has any
constitutional right to give the President of
the United States power to use the army and
navy, of which he is the constitutional com
mander-in- chief in protecting American citi-
zens from outrage and death; the party who,
under the fugitive-slave law, marched United
States soldiers over the very spot where the
first martyr for American liberty shed his
blood-and the blood of Christopher Attacks
was as red as yours or mine, sir, though his
skin was black.
The party who sent their troops over the
spot which his martyrdom had consecrated to
force back into slavery one poor wretch who
had succeeded in flying to a land which he
supposed to be a land of liberty--the party
that did this act dares to tell the American
people that there is no constitutional way to
use the army or navy of the United States in
protecting American citizens from outrage
and death, unless the Governor and legisla-
| ture of the State in which these offences are
| committed should call for assistance. Sir,
| have searched in vain for the call made by the
| Governor or legislature of Massachusetts, fol
troops to assist in the rendition of Anthony
| Burns. Every gentleman on this floor knows
| that the United States soldiers sent to tina
State by the Democratic party to assist theiI
| blood hounds in tearing from Massachusetts,
| soil that poor, trembling fugitive, were not
| sent there at the request of that State, but by
| virtue of the law passed by Democratic
| Congress, enforced by Democratic admins
tration, and interpreted by Democratic At
| torney General, whose Interpretation has
! been sustained by the courts; and / know
| the American people well enough to know
| that no legal sophistry can make them believe
| that it was constitutional to use the army and
| navy of the United States in returning fugi-
| tyes to slavery, but that no constitutional
| means can be found to use these agencies for
| the protection of life, liberty, and property
| of free American citizens in every State in
| this Union.