Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-09

in evidence" strip the poor fugitive Of s right and leave
him at the mercy Of his relentless pursuers Now, in the
name of and common honesty what is the
plain unmistakeabe meaning Of these words Why nothing
less than that the party shall not testify in his
behalf shall not dispute bis identity by his OATH p
viese nowhere allowed by the common law In fine, the
fugitive slave law takes away right neither does with
hold lessen any privilege which ugves from labor had
prior to its passage.
Liability Of Marshals for an Escape.
That provision of the law which makes the United States
marshals liable to the for the full value Of fugitive
slaves escaping from their whether the escape
with their assent not is decried Of peculiar hardship
And yet what is but making marshals responsible SINH
lar extent with sherfs at the law What that
sPonsibily is is readily determined In Bacons Abdgmsnt
the law on this point is laid down as follows
Ate debtor has been lawfully committed to jail and he
escapes the sheriff is liable, hooever innocent he may be-
unless the has been by the of God
the Kings enemies"
If mob riotously and by force demosh the Jail, by
which the debtors escape the sheriff aer is answerabe
10 the creditors for their escspe."-Vol. 8, D. 6S3.
The ofths responsibility that the posse conats.s
is at the shers command and the law obiges him Judge
Of the Proprety and necessity Of summonng his
ance If ne doth not summon it and injury result he
bear the consequences
Ihelatc treats SLAVES chattels instead of persons
Another Of the objections the is that il makes those
Who 10 any way aid in the escape Of fugitive slave after his
arrest hinder obstruct the harbor
such fugitive liable for the value of the slave chae
when IN fact the constitution only regards slaves peons
might be sufficient say, in this that if ndv
duas will obstruct oppose the execution Of the law is
right that they should psy the full penalty Of their illegal
duct But admitting the argument in all its orce that the
constitution does not recognise property in slaves the mun
cpa laws Of the Southern States do recognise that property
and those laws, under the guaranty Of the Constitution
Persons held labor in State, under the
laws thereof escaping into another State sha be deliver
ed up. must govern all controversies Of this kind The
language of the Supreme Court in the Of Pgg the
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania was that this right Of the
owner bis fugitive slaves and the duty General Govern
ment TO deliver them up care uniform and coexensve
throughout the whole Unon The labor of the
slave certainly valuable to the owner and whoever wuy
and illegally deprves him of such service labor does him
an injury for which, draw any distinction between chaes
and persons please he should be answerabe damages
the of which is the value Of such service labor
is however, unnecessary dwell upon this point further
The decision in Van Zandt Jones, How'd 2l5 same
case, McLeans G. c. r. 596,) has settled conclusivey
The Citizens of Free States communicable assist
IN the capture and deiuery.
But say the agitaors, this fugitive slave law commands
the free States aid the ecapue and delivery
OF fugtves from labor whereas the Supreme Court has de-
cided that the claim upon the General Government and
upon the States The law commands the United States
shals, under penalty for refusal neglect lis pro-
cess. and authorizes them to the posse comitMus
Of the proper county, when necessary faithful OBJ
servance Of the Constitution " and it commands a good
citizens" in such to assist them just they boY
when called upon, assist their she and consables
and safe custody of persons charged with treason felony
other crime Now they wish be freed from this legal
obligation, all the people Of the free States need do neither
to resist. nor COUNSEL counenance resistance In this
way they will not only fulfil their duty good citizens
but be relieved Of any conscientious scupes which they
might otherwise have in aiding and assisting the prompt
and efficient execution of the law"
The Fees ofthe Commissioners.
is also alleged that the law holds direct reward
Commssoners by allowing larger fee for their services
to issue such certificate the claimants Of fugitive slaves for
their removal to the Stale Territory whence they escape,
no matter whether the proof Of ownership identity, and
cape be satisfactory In the first place Is be
presumed that the Commissioners Of integrity above
any price, much the pary Of ten dollars and that
their ympathes will incline rather to the fugitive than to the
claimant And in the second place surely be de-
nied that increase of deserves corresponding in
of pay It upon this principle that Congress acted
in making distinction in the fees be received in the
case and the other.
These constitute all the allegations against the fugitive slave
law which its enemies and ressers have, their ingenuity
been able to frame pretexts for its repeal Whether they
have been fairly and fully answered. leave TO the judgment
Of discerning impartial public have only to inquire what
consequences would ensue.
fh could be Nu1ifed or Repealed.
The Union under which live is Union of compro-
misses And, whenever either section of the country dsre
CARDS those compromises the injury dshonor the other
section, will not be worth preserving The fugitive slave
law is based of the compromises Of the Constitution
and the broades sanction was moreover Of the
inducements to the South to those other and kin
dred of the late session of Congress- the admission
of California into the Union, and the establishment Of Terri
toa Governments for New Mexico and Utah, by which the
and influence of the North and will be increased
in the Federal Government II in fact Of that series
of measures the failure Of Of which involved the failure
ALL designed give peace and repose the country, and
augment its prosperity. Viewed in this light should and
must be respected and obeyed although may be pre-
csey what each one could wish Any attempt to modify
win with yet greater fury that fearful controversy in
respect to slavery which has long distracted National
Councils to the imminent danger Of the Republic would
be indication of bad faith which conservative
man should counenance approve 1t should be indignantly
owned down deliberate attempt ALLEVIATE portion
Of the people from another The Constitution the
South the right to reclaim slaves escaping from their owners
in any and every part of the Union Why this security
given, and under what circumstances given, history
has accurately informed Congress, acting under and in
obedience to the Constitution, has fulfilled It's duty by pro-
viding law for "the eectual execution of its
mands It remains for the people Of the nonslavehoding
States to fulfil theirs.
There is fear that the law be resisted
nufed with mpuniy success because the Constitution
and Laws OF the Union have placed the military power the
disposal Of he Executive and doubt that " he ,cH
take that the laws be faithfully executed The only APP
prchenson the friends Of order and harmony need have for
its repeal Than this greater calamity could befal the
country Consequences too terrible to conceive almost.
would result would be aggression upon the South
Il would unite the whole Southern people, and awaken
spirit Of hostility and resistance among them which nothing
could aay n.imidate. would indeed prove the knel
Of the Union.
What, them the plain duty of all good citizens To
stand by the law and maintain and preserve the