The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-11-05
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.

HE fIJlllfE NBANE BILL
We would cnll the attention of our read.
crs to the following extracts made from sew.
efal Northern newspapers, in order that they
mny zee the feelings reused at the North by
the passage Of the Fugitive Slave Bill by
the late Congress First, we make n short
extract from q newspaper Of religious char.
arter published in one Of the New England
States, which is as follows, viz
SLAVE CATcHNa-We are now bound
by human laws to deliver up men amongst
us guilty Of n skin not colored like our own,
tothe slave catchers, il called for. BY the
Law OF God and the principles of our con.
stltntion, 'aU men are created free and
equal" Which law shall prevail?
From'a newspaper, Of a political charoc.
ter, published in the same section of coun.
Try, we give 10 our readers the following
The law is particularly obnoxious to the
people of the North from the fact that it de.
MES any jury trial to the alledged fugitives,
mnd substantially suspends the writ of habeas
corpus "a suspension regarded TO be uncon.
s%titulional But, whatever the f%ugitives
mny themselves be justified in doing in self
defence, the people Of this Union should
never resort TO force against law. They
have n voice in making and repeating law,
aud the whole fabric of their government,
nay their sole protection against civil war
aud anarchy, depends upon submission to
lnttf III Rsa Ia al "a raa,atal kt c<ua. a,l.uan
may be, and what ut fret was only a resist.
ance to a bad law, may grow to be n resist.
ance of all law,
There is o legal and proper remedy for
unjust legislation; and that remedy should
be sought for by the people Of the North,
instead of resorting 10 open nulli6cation~-a
course for which we are in the habit of de.
iiouncing ONE OF our southern brethren. If
the slave law is unconstitutional, let us ap-
peal TO the tribunal especially provided to de.
eide upon such points, and abide its decision.
BY submitting TOT law, however we must
not be understood as meaning that we are
always morally Jou7a 10 carry il into effect,
rs citizens.-We should simply abstain from
forcible opposition to it. As private indi.
viduals, we may properly refuse to assist in
the execution Of any law which we consci.
entiously believe to be in contravention Of
the "higher law" Our only course is to
decline giving aid, aud submit to the penalty,
ii any, SO long as we live under the govern.
men, which enacted it.
In the present case, although the marshal
is authorized TO call upon the posSe oomita-
suS to assist him in restoring a fugitive slave,
no penalty is affixed to u refusal Of the citi.
zens TO do 40.
But a maximum penalty of $1,000 and six
months Imprisonment Us imposed for obsturc.
ting the capture Of fugitive, or for rescu.
ing him from the officers, or for ~harborng
OF ooncealing him besides a liability to
civil damages to The amount Of $1,000. This
penalty will probably be risked by many cit
liens Of the North, so far as it applies to the
harboring or concealing Of slaves.
Upon the marshals the law is very on.
ctoas,
But we, particularly, call your attention
10 the following extract, from the address of
the Wing State Convention to the Wings
Of Massachusetts. After commenting on
the Fugitive Slave Bill, they speak of the
subject Of slavery in a more general manner
which, we think, ungenerous and uncalled
tor:
A law has passed Congress, ~purporting
to furnish further facilities for the return OF
fugitive slaves. 1t remains for the Wings of
Massachusetts to express their regret, that
the right OF trial by jury, advocated by our
Senators and Representatives, failed TO re.
ceive the sanction of Congress. Without
this. and other amendments, the law cannot
be satisfactory to the citizens of Massachu.
sets. And with this we couple the consid-
Grafton of the wrongs inflicted upon free
colored citizens of the North, in some OF the
ports of the South. Their frequent arrest
imprisonment, and consignment to bondage.
is an aggravated wrong upon them and upon
humanity. We call for justice in this re-
gard; and that call, we feel assured. our
Senalorp and Representatives will continue
on all proper occasions, to maintain, until
success shall crown their efforts.
An important Act remains TO be mention.
FL a law has been passed aholishing the