The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-26
THE NORTHERN TATES:
Manifesto Of Stewards Negro Voters In New
York.
From the New York Evening Post, Oct. 20 ]


TO THE PEOPLE or THE STATE OF NEW YORK:
FELLOW. CITIzENs-On the eighteent day of Sep
tember 1850, by the usual OF national egis-
lation, the Fugitive Slave bill became the law of
the land.
BY this enactment, the personal liberty of every
American citizen is seriously pered, If not entire
ly taken away for,
First. BY the second section Of said act, power is
granted To a certain person styled Commissioner,
at any time OF placetoshold court, consisting Of
himself only, with plenary authority, summary
and forever TO deprive Of personal liberty any per-
or persons brought before said missioner.
Second. And SAID commissioner (upon oath
made before him by any one person) is empowered
(sec %, on the erpa,fs evidence Of the person so
affirming, To deliver up the person or persons,
claimed under said oath, to perpetual slavery; and
said commissioner (sec 81 exercises this authority
without appeal from his decision by any other
court or process whatever; and can use all force
visions the rules OF evidence in common law are
entirely set aside the right of trial by Jury s ebo-
lshed, and privilege Of the writ of habsas corpus is
pra ctically annulled.
Third. Any citizen who, ia obedience to the
written law Of God, and the teachings of his own
conscience, may aid or harbor fugitive from un
paid labor, Is by this act (sec ~ punished by
hne OF one thousand dollars, and imprisoned during
six months.
Il was popularity thought, felow-citizens, that
this law could affect only persons Of color: but
little reflection convinces you that it pertains to
the liberty Of all citizens, OF whatever complex
ion. There are white compexioned slaves at the
South; hence any white person may be arrested
under this act, which does not specify color, and
white person, so arrested, may be hurried of AZ
rapidly as Hamlet, and be consigned to perpetual
slavery, because the bill contains no safeguard to
establish personal identity, penalty for the ar
rest and extradition Of the wrong person, and de-
prives the party arrested of all right TO moments
time to give has own, or TO summon other evidence
in his behalf. Mrs. Evans, recently pursued in
Honesdale, Penn, is as white as any lady in the
land, her claimant being a colored man now re-
siding in New Orleans.
BY this slave bill, therefore, trial by jury, the
writ vi kabsas corpus, the laws Of evidence in COM
mon law, the common appointments. and the COM
mon condition of court OF justice-all the safe
guards OF personal liberty all the foundation, ele-
mehis Of modern civilization, are at oncs swept
away! And why
We have been told that this bill vas necessary
"to secure the compromises Of the Constitution, 10
remedy certain evils inflicted on the South, and to
hush the agitation OF the question OF slavery"
Ihe sparli OF compromise il OPEN frank, concili-
sng bearing on lie brew TO brand Of shame IN its
soul no isint o. ig,omv Ind depending for the full
hlmentofits enpulstonst~ he pledged assent of all
concerned. In such spirit wa framed The n,er,
car constitution, IN der whose rgis W hav, h,nn;lv
lived near three-fourths Of a century, --.Jaaii,
doing away With the large prevalence 0f cSs'