Address from the Delegates of the Southern Rights Association.. Speech of Queen Victoria on opening the Parliament, Feb. 1851.. THE AMERICAN REGISTER AND MAGAZINE. VOLUME VI. HISTORICAL REGISTER OF 1851. UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. The effect of the Compromise Measures-The feeling in Congress-Petitions for the Repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law-Messages of Governors and Action of State Legislatures-The tone of sentiment in the North-Vermont Legislation-The opposers of the law-Opinions of Governors of New York and Pennsylvania—The Southern feeling-Virginia-North Carolina-Mississippi-South Carolina and -Woodbury-Poinsettother States-Letters and opinions of distinguished men— Webster-Clay-The Boston rescue case-Proclamation and message of the Presi dent-Debate thereon in the Senate. THE history of the United States, for the year 1851, is principally marked by the subsidence of the storm that had so fearfully darkened the political horizon, and threatened for awhile to shake the stability of the Union. It gradually became apparent that a large majority of the people acquiesced in the settlement which Congress had made of the vexed questions that so long excited the public mind. Texas had declared herself satisfied with the limits assigned her; California had become a member of the confederacy as a free State; the territories were organized without the Wilmot proviso, which had vanished at the bidding of the genius of compromise; to soothe the North, the slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia, and a law providing for the recapture of fugitives from service was yielded to the South. Those that favored these measures thought, therefore, that all which was possible had been done to restore the harmonious action of the confederacy, and to bring together, on a common ground of amity, those who had lately denounced and defied each other. Though in some sections of the country prejudices had taken too deep root to be readily eradicated, and, in others, the hostility to slavery was too fierce to yield to persuasives, yet, for the most part, the results were favorable to peace, and at the commencement of the year the indications to that effect were unmistakeable, especially at the seat of Government. The President, upon the re-assembling of Congress, expressed to that body, in strong terms, his approbation of the measures of compromise, promising faithfully to execute the laws; and Congress itself very soon manifested a determination to repress, at the first opportunity, the spirit of agitation. Two instances will suffice to exhibit the mind of the majority. Early in January, Mr. Julian, of Indiana, presented in the House of Representatives a petition from the Society of Friends in that State, asking the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law, and declaring the constitution to be an unholy compact, which ought to be dissolved. He gave notice of his intention to move its reference to the proper committee, with instructions to report a bill to carry out the prayer of the petitioners, and, for this purpose, he moved to suspend the rules. The House refused to grant the motion by a very decided vote of yeas 68, nays 119. Nearly at the same time, a petition was presented in the Senate by Mr. Hale, of New Hampshire, numerously signed by citizens of Pennsylvania, praying that Congress would immediately repeal the law for the recapture of fugitives from slavery. Mr. Hale, in making the presentation, remarked that the act was a reproach to the civilization of the age. On motion of Mr. Whitcomb, of Indiana, the petition was laid on the table by a vote of 35 to 16. Thus, in these instances, the most emphatic intimation was given of the spirit which governed both Houses, proving how fruitless would be the attempt to renew the agitation of the slavery question on the floor of Congress. The state of feeling throughout the Union at this time, may be gathered from the tone of the executive messages, and the corresponding action of the State legislatures. In Indiana, Governor Wright strongly recommended a scrupulous fulfilment of all the obligations of the Federal Constitution connected with slavery. In Illinois, Governor French, in his annual message, gave the assurance that the compromise measures would be faithfully observed and obeyed by the people of Illinois as the only means of restoring and preserving harmony. In New Jersey, Governor Haines alluded to the strong resolutions of Indiana and New Hampshire in favor of the compromise, which resolutions he transmitted in connection with his message, and then remarks: "I believe that the citizens of New Jersey accord in the sentiments of these resolutions, and that they will firmly stand by and maintain those measures, regarding them, on the whole, not merely wise and patriotic, but essential to the union, prosperity, peace, and progress of this great confederacy,' and that they are averse to any further agitation of the exciting topics involved in them. And I submit whether it does not become you, as the representatives of the people of one of the original States-a people eminently patriotic and highly conservative-to express in calm, but firm and explicit terms, these views and your own upon these momentous questions.' Throughout the Northern, Eastern, and Western States, a similar tone very generally characterized the executive messages and the resolutions of the several legislatures. The State of Vermont furnished a strong exception. She not only opposed the compromise, but passed a law expressly to protect fugitive slaves, and made it the duty of the State's attorneys proin the several counties to use all lawful means to defend and cure the discharge of every person arrested as a fugitive slave. At page 101 of the 5th vol., the particulars of the act may be found. For this extraordinary proceeding the legislature of Vermont was severely censured, and having subsequently passed a set of resolutions purporting to be for the promotion of peace, and transmitted them to the other States, the legislature of North Carolina, prior to its adjournment in the early part of 1851, noticed them in the following manner: "Resolution in relation to the Vermont resolutions, as follows: "Whereas a message has recently been transmitted to the senate by his excellency David S. Reid, inclosing 'resolutions for the promotion of peace,' forwarded by the Governor of Vermont as having passed the legislature of that State; and whereas the legislature of the said State has recently passed an act for the nullification of an act of Congress, passed at its last session, on which the peace and harmony of this Union mainly depended: Therefore, "Be it resolved, That the Governor of this State be requested to send back to the Governor of Vermont the aforesaid 'resolutions for the promotion of peace,' with the declaration that North Caro 1* |