Suppression of Slave Insurrections. (Const., Art. 1, sec. 8, Art. 4, sec. 4.)

That the fugitive slave law of 1793, (Stat. 1793, c. 7,) entitled “An Act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters,” and the act of Sept. 18, 1850, “to amend, and supplementary to” this act, are both framed to carry out this clause of the Constitution, is too apparent to need comment.

The “Act to provide for calling forth the militia, to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions,” (Stat. 1792, c. 28, sec. 1,) provides that, “In case of an insurrection in any State against the government thereof, it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, on application of the legislature of such State, or of the executive, (when the legislature cannot be convened,) to call forth such number of the militia of any other State or States as may be applied for, or as he may judge sufficient to suppress such insurrection.” Precisely the same language is made use of in Stat. 1795, c. 101. By act, approved March 3, 1807, (Stat. 1807, c. 94,) the President is authorized, “in all cases of insurrection,” “when it is lawful for him to call forth the militia for the purpose of suppressing the same,” “to employ for the same purpose such part of the land or naval force of the United States as shall be judged necessary.”

That these laws have been held to include an insurrection of slaves is indisputable. On receipt of the intelligence of Nat Turner’s insurrection in Southampton, Va., Colonel House, then commanding at Fortress Monroe, set out with three companies of United States troops, for the purpose of suppressing the revolt. He was reënforced by a detachment from the United States ships Warren and Natchez, amounting in all to about three hundred men. With our troops and our officers, we have actually aided the slaveholder in holding his fellow-man in slavery! We have actually done what our fathers engaged in the Constitution that we should do, namely, aid with the national strength in keeping the slaves in subjection!