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£!)c dxftfrgm Citizen. Extra. L. r. W. AIXDItEWS, Editor. MACON, GA., NOV, 14. 1850. (rood News from Washington! We anticipate our usual day of publication, to , lay before our readers and the public, the following important letter received last evening, by our fellow . tizen, Dr. Robert Collins, from the President of the United States, in reference to the l ; ne of duty which the Chief Magistrate of the Nation has determined , O to pursue, in the matter of the fugitive Slave Law. | A’l honor to Mr. Fillmore, for this noble and frank expression of “opinion, in favor of the prompt and faithful execution of the Laws and Constitution en trusted to his keeping ! But we must reserve fur- ; ther comments until the period of our regular issue : ! Letter from the President! .Jhbert Collins, Macon, Ga. Department or State, ) 1 Washington, November 9th, ISoU. } Sir l a:n instructed by the President to iuform you that your letter of the 2d last, addressed to him, enclosing several slips from newspapers, in reference to the proceedings ot a port >n of the community in Boston, on the subject of the Fu gitive Slave Law, was received by him yesterday, and tiiat he has given to the letter and its enclosure's, a careful perusal. You state, in substance, that you are the owner of Crafts, one of the Fugitive Slaves for which warrants of arrest were issued in Boston, and ca'l the President s attention to the en closed slips taken mostly from Northern papers, by which he will perceive the manner in which your agents were received and treated for merely asking that the slaves be returned ac cording to the Laws of the United States. That they have been arrested under various warrants, as kidnappers, and on o or frivolous pretences, and unreasonable bail demanded ; and that your friends have become thei r seret'cs for more than $20,000. You also say, that the manner in winch the officers have performed their duty will appear by the slips; and that the warrants now lie dead in the Marshal’s office. You then speak of the pernicious eff et of such proceedings, and of thetr teudeecy to disturb the harmony of the Union, and of the great importance of having the law faithfully executed ; and, finally, inquire “ whether it is not in the power, and is not the intention of the Executive of the United States to cause tl’v.t law to be faithfully and properly enforced ?” To this the ?r- ident directs me to reply, that you cannot he more deeply impressed than he is, with the imponnnee of having every law‘aithfully executed. Every statute, ‘a this country, passed in accordance with the provisions of the con stitution, must be presumed to embody the will of a majority ofmepeepsi o; the L : and r. • ..uY.. is e:.fi:k. 1 to tli.'ro speet and obedience of every true An . . \:i eiti.- a : and the constitution u tli the President has sworn to support,has ma le it his especial duty “to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” lie has no thought of shrinking from his duty, in this or any other case; but will, to the utmost of his ability firmly and faithfully perform it. But how is he to cause the laws to be executed ? First, by appointing proper officers to fill the various offices and ds ; charge their various functions with diligence and fidelity ; and if any shall be found incompetent or unfaithful, by removing them, where he has the power of removal, —and appointing more competent and faithful officers in their places. And secondly, in extreme cases, “ whenever the laws of .he Uni ted States shall be opposed, or the execution thereof ob structed, in any State, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings,” or by the powers vested in the civil officers with the posse which the law authorizes and requires them to call to their aid, it -wonid be his duty to call forth the militia, and use the army end navy for the purpose of overcoming such forcible com binations against the laws. But, in either ease, prudence and justice require that there should be more satisfactory evidence of official delinquency, or forcible resistance, than mere ru mor, or newspaper statements; and yet these are all which have been furnished in this case. If any Marshal neglect to perform his duty, the law giKevs a right of action to the aggrieved party for the injury which he may sustain ; and if he refuse to perform it, the statute has imposed upon him a severe penalty. But if he refuse or wilfully neglect to perform it, when this shall be satisfactorily made to appear to the President, then, in addition his liabili ty to the aggrieved party, it would doubtless be the duty of the Executive to remove him from office, and appoint another in his place. But your letter contains no proof of the kind, and therefore seems to require no action. It is equally clear , that no case is presented justifying a call upon the militia, or : the use of the army to execute the laws ; and the President has so much confidence In the patriotism and devotion to the laws which have always characterized a large majority of the people- of Boston, that he cannot fur a moment believe that it will ever be necessary to call in any extraordinary aid To execute the laws, in that community. Individuals may become .excited, and may in the heat of j the moment, offer resistance to the laws, but he has no j doubt that in such event, so much to be regretted, that the t good sense of the community would soon rally to the suppo.. I of the civil authorities, and that those who sustain the law 1 would triumph .• hut he directs me to assure you, that if, uii- I fortunately, hefihall find himself mistaken in this, aud the j painful necessity should arise, he is resolved to perforin his ’ dutv bv employing all the means which the Constitution ami Congress have placed at his disposal, to enforce the law. As to the complaint that your agents were unjustly pros ecuted, aud held to bail in unreasonable amounts, for preten ded offences, the President directs me to say, that however he may regret any such injustice and incivility, he is not aware that he has the power to remedy the evil. If the complaints against your Agents be unfounded, the defenders will doubt less be acquitted, and if malicious, they have their remedy in an action for a malicious prosecution. But all these are ju dicial questions over which the Executive can exercise no control, and the evil complained of results from the acknowl edged right of every individual to prosecute any one for an alleged offence or violation of right. The President feels the importance of avoiding, as far as practicable, a'l causes of irritation between the North and the South, and especially on the exciting subject of Slavery.— Were lie permitted to advise, he would suggest to all, the importance of permitting the laws to take their usual course ; and that every thing like intimidation and illegal or unjust annoyance, should be scrupulously avoided. Every effort should be made to cultivate a fraternal feeling. We should be a people of one interests and one sentiment, knowing uo local division, and tolerating no sectional injustice. Our Union, so dear to the heart of every true American, can on ly be preserved by a strict observance of the Constitution, and on impartial administration of the laws. I am, Sir, respectfully, Your obedient servant, W. S. DERRICK, Acting Secretary. I