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Show 82 THE FUGITIVE holders, and the result of the abominable and absurd prosecution only brought on the authors and advocates of the law fresh obloquy. When men obtain some rich and splendid prizll, by their wrong-doing, many admire their boldness and dexterity, but foolish, profitless wickedness ensures only contempt. 'rhe northern \Vhigs; in doing obeisance to the slave power, sinned against their oft-repeated and solemn professions and pledges.· They sinned in the expectation of thereby electing a President, and enjoying the patronage he would dispense. Most bitterly were these men disappointed, first in the candidate selected, and next in the result of the election. The party has been beaten to death, and it died unhonored and unwept. Let the Fugitive Slave Law be its epitaph. Truly the Whig politicians were "snared in the work of their own hands." Certain fashionable Divines deemed it expedient to second the efforts of the politicians in eatchini( slaves, by talking from their pulpits about llebrew sJc.ycry, and the reverence due to the "power• tbt be ordained of God." Yet the injunctions of tile fugitive law were so obviously at variance wit,1 the "niGIIER LAW " of j ustice and mercy "tiicO. these gentlemen SLAVE AcT. 33 were required by their Divine Master to inculcate, that "cotton divinity" fell into disrepute, nor could tlw plaudits of politicians and union committees save its clerical professors from forfei ting the esteem and conGdcncc of multitudes of Christian people. llut Whig politicians and cotton Divines are not the only friends of the fugitive law to whom it has made most ungrateful returns. 'rhe Democratic leaders, bidding against the Whigs for the Presidency, were most vociferous in expressions of the delight they took in the human chase. Democratic candidates for the Presidency, to the goodly number of NIXE, gave public attestations under their signs manual, of their approbation of a law outraging the principles of Democracy, as well as of common j ustice and humanity. Each and all of these men were rejected, and the sla vcholders selected an individual whom they were well nssm·ed would be their obsequious tool, but who had offered no bribe for their votes. But did the slaveholders themselves gain more by this law than their northern auxiliaries ? They, indeed, hailed its passage as a mighty triumph. The nation had given them a law, drafted by themselves, laying down the rules of the hunt, as best suited their 2"- |