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Show 382 THE AOl'l'ATTON IN 1847- 50. underRtood th:1t it b•longR rx<·lusively to the Jn.tter. llnt though u. Stole ennnot !H'rf'orm LhiH duty devolved hy lhe onRLitution somewhc rr, Hhc ha.s no right to interpo:e im. proper au<l embarmssiug obstu ·lc · in the way of such deli. v 'l'Y up of a fugi tive by proper authori ty. If she docs , 0 she trans tHl her duly, nnd is liable to the charge of not standing faithfully by the contpromil:>cs of the Constitution * * * * * * * * 'l'he duly to deli ver up is cle:.tl', and en.n only he evaded by a brest<.:h of the Consti tuti on or by its alteration. As long us it remains I am willin g- to acknowledge the ouligu· ti on, n,Jl(l lo vole fot· any feasib le atH.l judicious plan by which this duLy can be performed, and the con tituLionu l oblignLion be mainLaine<.l and <li.·cha rcreLl. I nrn fot· the Constitution ns iL stand s, as long- nH it • to.nc1s, o.ud for the Union ns out· fathers mnde it., and do not mean, by any act of min I cithet• or cnmntission 0 1' omission, to jeopard eithet·. 1\fy ft'clings of ntl aelttn enL Lo the U nion nrc RLill strong-, but I ll11t ~ L collfCHS to some dintinution of their in. trn~ity during th' agitation of thi · slnvery que. tion. I much f<•ar that if it were the object of gcntlclll cn to produce a like elf cL upon the minds of the peo ple p;cnemlly, they may have ae ·ompliHhetl their purpose. till I would sacri· fico mnch to mailllain it, if sacrifice were Jt ccessary. I do not, however, percei vc any gren.t danger, fol' tho causes allcg u seem inadequate. Some, howcvct·, can snuff disso· lntion in every gnle, and find evidences of its npprouch when others cnnnot <li. cover any sig ns of danger. The clisti11• guiRhc <l s ·nat or from South Carolin a, now dead, co ul <l see H it. the action of the religions bod i •s of t he country. 'rrue, si r, there has been somctlling of t ho kind in one of the mo. t numerons denominations in the co untry. Spcnk· ing of Lhc Hnn ppillg of th eit· relig ious cord s, Mt·. Callton11 says, "that of the Presbyterian is not entirely snapped, !Jut some of its strands have given awo.y." The correctness of THE AOITATlO'N IN 1847- 50. 383 this statement with rrgrud to the "Pr shylcrian Chur ·h, I mm;t be permi tted to qncRLion. T hi~ chun·h has ever b rn distinguished for its devotion to freedom; holh pol it icul nncl religious, nud it will be one of the last to do any\ hiug tend· ing towards a suh vcr:ion of tho institutions of the country, to the formation of which their ancestors of the snme faith 80 hugely contrilwted. I will cite Lltc report nml resolutions of the General Assc ntl>ly, adop tc<l at Ciuc.:innaLi, in May, 1845, iII Sll pporl or the views l hu ve ad V!lllCC<l on the moral aspect of slavery, and us evidence of the attachment this chureh, north and south, benrs to the Union of tho State·. I can only r efer to the report: the resolutions adopted. by a voLe of L G yeas Lo 13 nays, o.ro ns ful lows, viz.: II Rcsolt ed, lsi, rrhn,t the G CllC' I'al Assembly of the Pres-byterian Chnrch in the United Stales waH originally ot·gnn· izcd, u.n<l hn.R since continued the bolld of Union in tho eltnrch, upon the conceded prin ciple thai Llto existence of domc~tic slavery, under the circumstanct•R in whieh it iR found in the southern portiuu of Lhc country, is no bar to Christitul communi on. " Resolved, 2d, That t be pel i lions that nsk the AHscmhly to make the holding of slrn-e~ iu;elf a lllatLer of discipline, do virtually require t his judicatory to <lisso h'o itself, and a,bnndon the organization undct· wh ich, by tho Divine blesing, it bas SO long prospered. rrho tendency iH evidently to separate tho northern frorn iho southern portion of the Church; a result which ev ry good eiLizen must <.leplore, ns tending to tlte diHsolntion or the Union of our beloved country, n.nd which every enlightened Chri~tin,n will oppose as bringing abonL n. ruinou · anclunnc(·es. a.ry schism between brethren who maintain a common fuith." 1'hcse patriotic and Christian-like seuLiments ho.vc never been changed or withdrawu nt any snbseqnent period, as I am informed by tho best authori ty ; and I am happy to add, |
