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Show 378 LIBERTY AND SLAVERY. more hllppily constituted than the Supreme Court itself, with all the manifold imperfections of its Southern members. But, however this may be, it is certain that until the people shall be so persuaded, and shall agree to abide by his opinions, it is the duty of the good citizen to follow the decisions of the great judicial tribunal provided by the Constitution of his country. If you, good citizen of the North, have a right to set up your opinion in opposition to such decisions, then I have tho same right, and so has every other member of the commonwealth. Thus, as many constructions of the Constitution would necessarily result as there arc individual opinions in the land. Law and order would be at an end; a chaos of conflicting elements would prevail, and every man would do that which seemed right in his own eyes. The only escape fi·om such anarchy is a just and loyal confidence in the judicial tribunals of the landis a subjection of the intense egotism of the individual to the will of the nation, as mqwcssed in the Constitution and expounded by the constitutional authorities. lienee, we mean to support the Constitution, not as we understand it nor as you understand it, but as it is understood TilE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW. 379 by the Supreme Court of tho United States. Such, it seems to us, is the· only wise coursenay, is the imperative duty-of every citizen who docs not intend to disorganize the fundamental Jaw and revolutionize the government of his country. It may be supposed, perhaps, by those who have reflected little on the subject, that the controversy respecting the Fugiti vc Slave Law is merely about the value of a few slaves. It is, in our opinion, far otherwise; it is a great constitutional question; and hence the deep interest which it has excited throughout tho nation, as well as in the Senate of the U nitcd States. It is a question, as it appears to us, whether the Constitution or the abolitionists shall rule the country. 'l'hc Fugitive Slave Law is, as w~ have seen, surrounded by the strongest possible evidences of its constitutionality; and hence, if this may be swept away as unconstitutional by the passions of a mad faction, then may every other legal defence be levelled before like storms, and nll security annihilated. lienee, as the friends of law and order, we intend to take our stand right here, and defend this Act, which, although despised and abhorred by a faction, has receh·ed the sanction of tho |