cause him to be delivered up. That is my judgment.
I have always entertained that opinion, and I entertain
it now. But when the subject, some years ago,
was before the Supreme Court of the United States,
the majority of the judges held that the power to
cause fugitives from service to be delivered up was
a power to be exercised under the authority of this
government. I do not know, on the whole, that
it may not have been a fortunate decision. My
habit is to respect the result of judicial deliberations
and the solemnity of judicial decisions. As it
now stands, the business of seeing that these fugitives
are delivered up resides in the power of Congress
and the national judicature, and my friend at the
head of the Judiciary Committee[17] has a bill on the
subject now before the Senate, which, with some amendments
to it, I propose to support, with all its provisions,
to the fullest extent. And I desire to call the
attention of all sober-minded men at the North, of
all conscientious men, of all men who are not carried
away by some fanatical idea or some false impression,
to their constitutional obligations. I put it
to all the sober and sound minds at the North as a
question of morals and a question of conscience.
What right have they, in their legislative capacity
or any other capacity, to endeavor to get round this
Constitution, or to embarrass the free exercise of
the rights secured by the Constitution to the persons
whose slaves escape from them? None at all; none
at all. Neither in the forum of conscience, nor
before the face of the Constitution, are they, in
my opinion, justified in such an attempt. Of
course it is a matter for their consideration.
They probably, in the excitement of the times, have
not stopped to consider of this. They have followed
what seemed to be the current of thought and of motives,
as the occasion arose, and they have neglected to
investigate fully the real question, and to consider
their constitutional obligations; which, I am sure,
if they did consider, they would fulfil with alacrity.
I repeat, therefore, Sir, that here is a well-founded
ground of complaint against the North, which ought
to be removed, which it is now in the power of the
different departments of this government to remove;
which calls for the enactment of proper laws authorizing
the judicature of this government, in the several States,
to do all that is necessary for the recapture of fugitive
slaves and for their restoration to those who claim
them. Wherever I go, and whenever I speak on
the subject, and when I speak here I desire to speak
to the whole North, I say that the South has been
injured in this respect, and has a right to complain;
and the North has been too careless of what I think
the Constitution peremptorily and emphatically enjoins
upon her as a duty.