Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-31

! Now | undertake. az lawyer, ana on
! nv professional character, to say TO you
and tnall. that the law OF 1850 II decidedly
I more favorable To the fugitive than Gene
! raj WashinRton's law OF las. Such
/ Is the present law, and much opposed
aud msiigned as II r.. II IL more IA
I vorable 10 the fugitive-slave than the
/ law enacted during Washington's admin
! igtratioB In 1873. which was sanctioned
by the North a. we'll az by the South.
The present violent opposition has sprung
thfs clamOr come? Look at the
proceedings Of the anti-slaveTy conven-
lions In Ohio, Massachusetts. and at
Syracuse. I'm the State OF New York.
What DO they say? That, so help them
God. no cOlored man shall be sent from
the state OF New York back TO his master
In Virginia. Do not they say that? And,
TO the fUlhllment OF that they pledge
their lives. their fortunes. and their sacred
honor. Thor sacred honor! They pledge
their sacred honor 10 violate the COnsti-
tuition. they pledge their sacred honor 20
commit treason against laws OF their
country
We sec here that Daniel Webster
charged that the agitators against slavery
were guilty of pledging their honor 10
violate the Constitution. He said they
pledged their sacred honor 20 commit
treason against the laws OF their country.
II possible, Mr.. Webster was even more
emphatic In his great speech at Capon
Springs. This devoted patriot said:
The leading sentiment in the toast from
the chair IS the union of the States.
The union Of the states. What mind
can comprehend tho consequences OF that
union, past. present. and 80 come? The
union Of these States Is the all-absOrblng
topic Of the day: on IL all men write,
speak. think. and dilate from the rising
Of the sun 20 the gOlng-dOwn thereof.
And yet. gentlemen. fear It's Importance
has been insuhicienty appreciated.
Again, speaking az a constitutional law
yer. Mr. Webster said.
How absurd It is TO suppose that when
different parties cntcI into compact
for certain purposes either can disregard
any one provision. and expect. .neverthe-
less, the other TO observe. the rest | In
tend. FOR one. 10 regard and maintain and
carry ont 10 the fullest extent the COnsti-
tuition OF the United States. which have
sworn 90 support in all its parts and all
lts provisions. II Is written In the Consti-
tuition
NO person held 10 service or labor In
one Stat under The laws thereof, escaping
into another shall, In consequence Of any
law or regulation therein. be discharged
from sucn service or labor. but shall be
delivered Ip on claim Of the pdrty 10 whom
such service or labor may be due"
That IA az much part OF the Consti-
tuition as any other, and rs equally bind
ing ana obligatory as any other on all
men. public or private And VINO denies
North. And, pray. what Is il they VIII
not deny? They have but the one idea.
and IL would seem that these fanatics
at The North and the Seccss iOnists at the
South are putting their heads together to
dcNIse means 10 defeat tn" good designs
of honest. patriotic mon. They act TO the
same end ana the same object. and tie
Constitution has to take the fire from
both sides.
Mr. Webster then told his hearers that
If the Northern States persisted in their
refusal t. comply with IN" Constitution
thr South would no longer be bound
To observe the constitutional compact. He
said:
/ have not hesitated 10 say. and repeat.
that II the Northern states muse viii
fully and Deliberately % carry into effect
shat part II the Constitution which r.
sNectS the restoration Of fugitive slaves.
and Congress provides no remedy. the
South would no longer be- hound 10 OH
Seiy@ ne COMPACT. \ bargain cannot be
broken on one side ana stlli bind the
other side / gay 10 You. gentlemen n
Virginia, as | sand ON the shores Of Lake
Erie ami I'm the city OF BoFtpD, as |
may say again in that city or elsewhere
I'm thr North that you Of the South. |
have as much right to recover your fugi-
tive slaves as the North has 10 any OF
its rights and privileges Of navigation
and commerce.
Mr.. Webster also said:
| am a. ready 10 night and 10 fall for
the constitutional RIGHTS of Virginia as |
am for those of Massachusetts.
Then followed the election Of Abraham
Lincoln upon "a platform which clearly
informed the southern people that the
guarantees Of the Constitution. which. they
Te,ercd. ana the doctrines Of State rights
and other principles of government, which
they ch rishcl were 10 be ignored. and
that they were to be deprived of the |
greater part e their property. aud al |
possibility Of continued prosperity.
The South was of necessity alarmed. |
They were seized with the fear that the |
extreme leaders Of the Republican party |
would not stop at any excess. that they |
would not be satisfied with depriving
them Of their property, but that. so far
as possible, they would place the ignorant
slave not only upon equality with. but
even above his former master.
Ii was but natural that such an i'm
pending fate Mortified the people. and
thot measures to avert 1t were con-
templated and discussed.
SOUTHERN PEOPLE DEVOTED TO
THE UNION.
The southern people loved the Union
with a devotion which had no precedent
in the history of the world 1t was "A
work very largely Of their creation. Their
blood ana treasures were freely given to
secure its independence The South gave
To that sacred cause the voice and olo-
quence of Patrick Henry, to arouse the
people TO action; the pen Of jefferson to
write the Declaration that we were
free and Independent people: the sword
of Washington 10 win the battles which
made us one Of the nations OF the earth:
ana II also furnished Chief-Juetice Mar
shall 10 proclaim the principles upon
which American Jurisprudence and civil
liberty are founded
They were southern with Washington
who crossed the Alleghanies one hundred
ana torty-one years ago TO defend the
pioneers. who were Drawing the dangers
of the western forest They were south
ern men who. under Captain German
FASTENED to the defence Of Massachu-
setts at the first sound Of battle at
Concord and Lexington. In the war OF
1872 the South gave her undivided sun
port 10 the flag, and largely contributed
TO the success Of our arms The hast
battle OF that war was fought by a
southern general. with southern men, on
southern soil.
In the Indian wars the South always
furnished her fun share Of soldiers.
and In the Mexican war the killed and
wounded from the Southern States in pro-
times that OF the States of the North
In the war OF 1SGi'65 the South furnished
10000 10 the Federal army. Il larger mum
Der than IL furnished TO the Confederate
army. This was the only period during
which there was any division OF senti-
ment on this point among the southern
people, for since lSij they have been as
devoted to the flag and the Union as the
people OF any part OF our land.
The people of the South did not wish
TO give up the benefits OF a government
90 the establishment Of which they had
SO largely contributed. They were loyal
and law-abidlng and refused 10 follow
the example OF the participants in the
Shay rebellion I'm New York, the whiskey
I'm Pennsylvania. the Dorr re-
bellon In Rhode Island. and the Hartford |
convention rebellion i'm Connecticut; but |
they reluctantly succumbed TO the con |
Viction that the party about TO take con
troll would have no respect for their |
rights For more than half century |
they had been taught by their northern |
brethren that when the people of state |
found that il was not to their advantage
10 remain in the Union It was not only |
their privilege but their duty TO peace |
fully withdraw from II.
SECESSION ADVOCATED BY MASSA- |
CHUSETTS.
Ninety years ago the people OF Massa- |
chusetts expressed themselves In favor OF |
the principle Of secession by the enact |
ment Of the following resolution In the |
Legislature:
That the annexation OF Louisiana 10