The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-27
THAT "HIGHER LAW"

our readers were no doubt as much i'm
pressed as we were in the extract We
gave on Sunday from Senator Hoar's
speech few days back upon Daniel
Webster by the passage IN which ne de-
scribed how Websters 1850 speech favor
ing a fugitive slave law cost him his
popularity in New England The passage
Is. I'm our opinion one of the finest in our
literature and 1t Will well bear reproduc-
tion on it's own account. But we print il
again here because of a special use We
propose to make Of II. 1t Is as follows:
Mr. Webster was doubtless sincere when
he stated his apprehension OF a dissolu-
lion OF the Union, ana of the vast ms
chef TO humanity If that dissolution
should - accomplished. Subsequent
events and calmer reflection have shown
that in this respect 81 was he, and Hot
his opponents. who was right. But no
language can fitly describe the cOadit!on
OF mind with which the report OF Mr..
Websters speech OF the th OF MarCn'
1850 was heard. Nothing could nave re-
sisted the dominion of Daniel Webster
over New England until he provoked an
encounter with the ineNOTable conscience
OF the Puritan. Tn shock OF amaZement,
OF CONSERVATION. and OF grief when went
through the North has had no parallel
save that which attended the dssassina~
ton OF Lincoln. Is II you, Daniel Web
Il
YOU tell as that when the fugitive slave
girl lays her suppliant hands on the horns
OF the altar. that II Is our duty 10 SEM
her back to be scourSed, 10 De outfage1
TO be denied the right 10 read her Bible
10 be the mother of progeny for whom
Tor countless generations, these things
shall be the common and relentless DOOM
Is IL YOU. the orator Of Plymouth Rock
OF Bunker Htll, defender Of the CoGsti-
tuition, from whose volcanic lips came
those words of molten lava, Liberty and
Union. now and forever. one and insep-
arablc?" Has the intellect that wrought
out the massive logic of the reply 10
Hayne descended To this pitiful ar@u-
ment?
10 We
Ask for this great Delivercr now. and
ind him
Eyeless in GAIA at the mill with slaves?
Is II slavery and Union. now and for
ever. one and inScparablc? 10 YOU, who
erected in impershable granite the eter-
nal monument of Nathan Dane among
the MASSIVE columns OF your great argu-
meni. tell MS now that natural conditions
are to determine the question OF slavery.
and that an ordinance OF freedom is an
affront TO the South and that we must
not rc-enact the law of God? Is the great
territory between the Mississippi and the
pacihc TO be left 10 its fate? DO You,
who came 10 the side of Andrew Jackson
in 1872. counsel that the lawful authority
of this nation shall yield 10 the threats
of revolution and secession? Is it from
you that We hear that there Is no higher
law? Even II you are right an your in
depreciation OF the Constitution, when did
you discover that II was greater than the
law OF God?
Were not the mandates OF Laud, which
the Puritans resisted and from which
they Ned. founded upon English lew was
not the revocation OF the ed,ct Of Nantes
from the same lawful authority as that
which enacted 1t? Were not the dolrss
of ST. Bartholomew Eve by command
of a lawful king? did not the English
Judges determine the question Of the right
10 impose ship money in the kings favor?
Were Hampden and Russell mere traitors
and agitators? Your doctrine condemns
ca one breath the champions and the
martyrs OF English liberty and OF our
own.
MIR Webster. for the first time In his
life, failed 10 comprehend the temper
OF the people among whom he was born
and bred. He met this expostulation with
arrogance and contempt. IL was, per-
maps. not unnatural. He was growing old.
he had been fed on adulation. lie had
xsund no antagonists ut TO cope with