The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-02-02
For the Wil,ningtonian.

Whether the Fugitive Act lately passed
by our Legislature means any thing Oh no
Ething.7-Whether by its unconstitutional APP
pearance it was intended for any other pur-
pose, than to amuse the Maryland delega-
ton, or whether, as some minds Inflated
with power loose their gravity, and calcu-
late when sanity returns, their idle yavoui-
ing has passed unnoticed seems difficult to
ascertain but the last conclusion carries
with it the strongest probability, particular
ly asst passed unanimous in the lower House
The 4th sec. provides that if any Captai"
or commander Of vessel, or other person,
shall carry or transport by water out OF this
State any person held to labour or service,
shall be subject to fine OF fiye hundred dol
!. lars, and be imprisoned at the discretion of
i the party agricved, being a law OF unlimited
extent. For in this description Of persons
4 &owing labour or service to others, there is
neithcr colour, shape, size, age or sex, to
govern man who may be made the victim
of its penalties, and how can human sag Ici-
i ty guard against its violation, for every man
is a fugitive who runs from his station or
duty. Apprentices for a term years, hire
4 lings who contract with employers and re-
a ceive pay in advance, are held to laoour or
III service in consequence ofthc contract. All
n description Of persons whose labour is their
8 principal stocl. in trade, that bargain and
N sell any portion of it to those whose interest
Nj it may be to purchase it, and the contract
M remaining unsatstled, are true subjects tor
X the benefit of this law, the wildncss aud ran
# dom of its operations will astonish the mod
II crate of all parties. Some may say this IS
VI strained construction, that the law only
IN means slaves, and they must be of a GER
SK tain colour; but this is Incorrect, the object
M of law, is to guard mans property, and the
a purchase of it is free in all countries, with
81 the consent of the owner; ; and one strong
# feature in our law is, that it shall not med
n die will, mans private property conse'
~ quently, if have an interest that satisfies
n me better, by selling myself to another,
# have a right to do so, and as long as the
NJ purchaser can retain my consent to the bar
8 gain, | know of no law to prevent him from
M having all the advantages of my being hi
3E slave.
IA The most amusing feature in this law is
gI that the scale of punishment is graduate,
il by the temperature of the individual-thu
M surprising all inventions, ancient and mod
al ern in strength and power Of Legislation
d Connecting with one bold stroke all th
advantages of civilized and savage life,
4 being previously considered, that the dill
ference in law, barbarous and cultivate
u state of society, was the circumstance {
y submitting disputes to a third party or pow
u er-but this combines in a most astonist
y ing manner the strong arm Of government
4 with the natural will Of man, by placin
the discretionary power in the party agsrie1
ed.
The latter part of the tth Sec. and all tn
5th, seems made puiposcly for negroes an
mulattoes, and Of course not SO extensive
this operation, being dellniated by the CO
our of their objects; but where the extent
limited, the deficiency is made up by caPin
the climax in another way. Calignia ha
his sanguinary laws placed SO high, that h
subjects could not read them. Our legisl;
ture have acted little differently, but in
way producing the same effect, they hav
made law to punish man for the actor