New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-28
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 49, 1856

criminal but the alleged fugitive from
Slavery in Tennessee, when taken thither
as a runaway, could not possibly there
prove himself freeman if he were in truth
a free native and citizen Of Pennsylvania.
His witnesses would be far away, and he
without the means of compelling or securing
their attendance. There is no fairness, no
justice, in the attempted parallel between
fugitiyes from justice and fugitives from
Slavery.
But we have been asked, Wherein is
this new law more Objectionable than the
act of '93 which it supersedes 2 We
might answer that if it were not more
harsh summary and unfavorable to free
dom than that law was, it would have no
value in the eyes of its present champions,
and might better be repealed,-But we
consider it widely different from the old
law.
l. In offering and paying the U. S. Com
missioner bride for decision against the
alleged fugitive. He is to be paid S. if
he decides that the alleged fugitive is a
freeman, $40 if he pronounces him slave
his own labor in either case being exact
" the same. If this is not contrary to the
obvious dictate of justice that the Judge
should be entirely unbiased in his decision
by considerations of personal interest, then
we know not what could be. Admit that
the Judge will generally decide according
to law and evidence. still the fact that the
law offers him bride to decide in parti
cular way remains unaffected.
But we object also to the provision of
this law which saddles the cost of slave
catching on the Federal Treasury. A
Southerner's right to his slave who has
strayed into Pennsylvania is certainly no
greater, no clearer than his right to his
horse would be under like circumstances
yet he must pay the expense of identifying
and recovering his horse, while his slave
is to be restored to him at the cost of the
National Treasury.
These two are but specimens Of the pro-
visions of this law, which we think the
good sense of the South should consent to
modify. We are preaching no crusade,
and prefer that the law be left untouched
till near the close of the approaching ses-
sion. We desire no clamor, no heat, no
fury, but judicious and reasonable modi-
fication. The South should desire this, no
less than the North. 1t must be evident
by this time that no considerable proper
ton of the fugitives from slavery ever can
or will be restored to it, no matter how
stringent the laws may be made. There
are probably at this moment fifty thousand
runaway slaves in the Free States, and as
vet hardly ten have been remanded to
slavery, since this law was enacted. Not
one nifty even of those who may hereaf-
ter run away, ever will be enslaved again,
after having once crossed the border I'm
pursued. And if they all could be, whom
would it benefit? Would the South really
wish to have these Fifty Thousand fugi
tives all returned to- morrow What would
be the effect of dif1using them among her
present ignorant if not contented slave po-
pulation? Do let us have this whole sub
ject of slave-catching treated with some
share of moderation and common sense.
1t will be better for all-better especially
for those who are now making hobby of
it. Will any sincere friend of the South
say that the slaveholding interest is likely
to gain any thing by insisting that this Flu
gitivc law shall remain unmodihed