Jasper Banner, Volume 3, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1856 — Mr, Colfax Opposed to the Fugitive Slave Law. [ARTICLE]

Mr, Colfax Opposed to the Fugitive Slave Law.

During the discussion, on Saturday last, between Judge Stewart and Hon. S. Colfax,' we were much surprised to her the latter gentleman solemnly and emphaticly declare it to be his settled purpose to resist the Fugitive Slave Law, under certain circumstances. We have long been impressed with the belief, that a very large portion 6f the selfe-styled Republican party secretly entertain feelinge of deep hostility to the Constitution and laws of the United States,, but, until the occasion referred to, we never heard It publicly and boldly avowed. How Mr. Colfax, as a member of ' Congress, having sworn to support the Constitution and laws of the United States, can boldly and publicly avow his intention, under certain circumstances, to disobey a law of the United States, based upon a provision of the Constitution, and not *«gnrd himself ns perjured in the sight of Heaven Is more than we can comprehend. i Evpry intelligent man knows, that when u requisition is by the authorities of one,S tate upon those ’ *(’%«! other, for a fugitive from jus ticc 01 1 service, It is thOimperative duty of the properly constituted of-

jliccr to execute the process, and, if ijt'cil btp, coimnaml the aa*iatan6o of ' his Reflow ertitens, without inquiring J into the merits of the case. It is not :id thcjpoiverof tiic autoritiuß of the | State into which the fugitive has (led ; to dctermin whether he is wrongfully ! accused or not. That duty must be : performed by the citizens of the ! State from which the person accused ' may have fled. .Mr. C. might with as much propriety refuse to aid in the arrest of a fugitive whom he may,for some reason, eoneei ve to be unjustly accused jof murder, or some other crime. It is but a. *hort time since, that a | party of from Illinois, came into our county in quest of stolen horses* and finding the supposed thief, pursued aiifUhot him, and returned to Illinois. Suppos that a requisition be made fin- the surrender of those men, as murderers, and the citizens of Illinois refuse to give them up.— Will they be acting in good faith? Certainly not. And yet there is as much propriety in their refusing to do so as there would be in refusing to surrender a fugitive from service. We cannot regard Mr, position in any other light than open and determined opposition to lawful a position which no man can hold and claim to be true to his country. These are our honest convictions, and we feel it our duty to exprass them however painful it may be to do so in refiercnce to a gentleman for whom we have long cherished a friendJy feeling.