The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-10-12
The Fugitive Slave Iaw.-rts Operation.

as means OF securing the return oil fugitive slaves
to the south So lar from bringing psacs to our
distracted country" it has banisbej peace where
it reigned before. The appearance Of the slave
catcher who comes armed with the powers Of this
law has far in every instance been the harkir.
ger OF ,umut and violence and there can be no
{ earthly doubt, that the attempt at gesersl en-
iurscment Of this law would occasion an amount
Of riot and bloodshed that would selitle less than
civil war,
We have been looking over the eastern papers,
and We note below the result of a weeks opera
ton VI dis remarkable law:
The first case We note as coming under IT. pro
visions, was that Of james Hamlet, in New York
city Two men from Baltimore csuG to New
I York On Thursday morning the 9Th ult, and
went before the L. 5. Commissioner, and made
oath tina, one James Hamlet cJlortd man. who
WAS then resident in New York city, had some
wears previously, run away from HI, mistress, Mrs
Brown, in Baltimore, 10 whom he was held 10
service AZ the time, and who had never given him
| up or released linn from such service. 1h,rrup-
on the commissioner issued process to tue mar.
shall who arrested Hamle. and brought him be,
fore the commissioner, who after hearing the dc
| positions of the persons claiming to cone as The
agents of Mrs Brown. handed the fugitive over 10
/ them to be taken back TO the owner
| The whole matter was managed SO suddenly
and secretly, that comparatively few persons
knew anything OF it before Hamlet was on his
way back into slavery Indeed, it is asserted
/ that the very family of Hamlet only heard Of his
capture after the cars had left the city upon which
he was borne away, Yet in tho very shcr; time
that interviewed, considerable crowd had collect
ed in front of the office Of Mr. Gardiner the com
missioner and the imprecatIons were loud and
deep against he Law makers but no attempt was
made at violence
The occurrence, however, had the effect to
rouse the colored population to sense Of their
danger and to induce them to take steps of safety.
4 meeting was Immediately called, and an i'm
mense concourse took place on the Tuesday eve
ming following, at Zion Chapel The proceedings
although conducted entirely by colorcd persons,
were in the highest degree spirited and dcterln
ned, and resolutions were adopted to oppose the
execution Of the law "to the kufe and to the last,
The following ia but one Of the fourteen resolu
tons adopted by the meeting
|. Resoirs4. That we utterly rcpuliate the law
and its provisions that 1t is so repugnant 10 eve
nv principle Of Justice that 1t can have no binding
force whatever upon Us and that We do here, in
the sight of God and before all men, declare that
should any attempt be made to execute It's pro
visions on any one of Us, either by invading our
homes or arresting in the street We will treat
such All one as assaulsing our persons with intent
to kill, and. God being our helper, will use such
means as will repel the aggressor and defend our
lives and liberty.
But the success OF this first attempt is not CON
coded as proof tina. the law can be peaceaby ex-
ecutcd in New York. On this head tho Evening
Post says:
ut is y mistake, 10 pretend as certain journals
are doing. that the law is quietly executed, and
with the acquiescence OF tie community. One or
two examples under It. there must be to Illus
trnte its true character. What has already taken
place has tlleG the country with excitement and
after a few attempts more, the business of slave
catching must be laid aside. notwithstanding Mr..
Web,ter's argument, that man who Is kidnapped
under the pretence of being slave should not be
allowed trial by jury. Public opinion will not
endure tho law.
The Independent, religious Journal of the high
est character, also -ays.
The law cannot be executed The case which
has recently occurred under it in this city, and Of
which more particular account will be found
elsewhere makes nothing aghin.! the remark. 1t
BOD
man was invegled BY craft into the power Of his
enemies His surrendry was effected before his
friends or the community were apprized Of his
danger md his wife it is said, was still expecting
his return when he, having been captured,-n
~ Of old from a savage coast by a recognized p:
rate but from the midst Of this civilized and Chris
tan CITY by Messrs Glare and Gardiner--was far
on his way to the place Of bondage. There may
be other cases like this in this city and elsewhere.
For there is scarcely anything so criminal that
men cannot be found to do it for money. And the
successful stealer Of n MAN, from freedom and
his family. can afford to pay something for hs
thews and sinews But in the aggregate. a. n
law affecting society atlarge, and designed to be
operative throughout the North we are more than
ever satisfied that the law cannot be crecut,d
/ The effect however of the arrest Of lIamle, has
been to spread CONSERVATION among the fugitivcs
in New York. and many have sought safety in
! flight as will be seen by the following despatch
from Boston.
Boston Oct. About thirty fugitive slaves
arrived here to-day from New York. They say
they will 60 10 further, but remain here, arm
| themselves and abide the result
In Boston, and indeed throughout Massachu.
sets there is great excitement relative to the re
clama,ion of fugitive slaves. We subjoin SONG
extracts to show the feeling
Boston, Oct, 1.-Two slave owners are prowl.
ing about Worcester with view Of catching some
/ fugitive slaves there. The citizens generally ex.
press determination not to permit any to be Ia.
ken away. A large number of fugitive slaves in
the city met last evening at the Rev. Mr.. Snow
den's church, and appointed a committee to con.
cert measures to prevent their recapture. There
are now about 500 fugitive slaves in this city, ma
nv of whom are in bushes and have families.
Springfield, Mass, Oct. There is great es.
element here in consequence of the supposed pre-
scnce Of slave catchers. The colored people are
arming. The town hall is ,hronged by Thousands
of excited people who appear determined that