Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-11-27
Judge Huntington's Charge.

the District of Indiana
The undersigned members Of the lar
Of the Circuit Cour; Of the United States.
having heard with great pleasure the
charge Just delivered to the Grand jury, on
Inc subject or the fugitive slave law. re-
>pecttully ask Of your honor copy Ct
that part of the charge for publication be-
Loving that il reflects truly the sentiments
of large majority Of the people Of the
State OF Indiana.
iOur,. &c.
.. II. Smith Charles Dewey,
Charles H. Test, J. Morrison.
r. Crawford. VIM Henderson,
Hugh O'Ncal, ). MAJOR.
J. \. Lston, Jas. Rariden.
Gentlemen Of The Grand Jury:
feel il my duty TO ask your attention
10 another subject which | an sure you
viii think with me, deserves at this mo
ment the prayest consideration Of every
citizen OF the State. | aiude 10 the last
act of Congress. commonly known as
1.-The Fugitive Slave law"
When the Constitution of the United
States was submitted 10 the ditlcren;
States for adoption. and ratification. II re-
cognized by ore Of It's PLANES; provisions.
slaves as properly: and although the term
slave was not used in the INSTRUMENT. that
part Of il which provided for the eNtradl-
ion OF fugitivcs from labor was as well
understood and we'll considered as any
other part Of the instrument. IL was as
clear as any portion OF the bill OF rights.
and received the sanction Of those states
where slavery did not exist as we'll rs OF
those whore il did. Indeed. without such
a provision, the Constitution could not
have been adopted; for il Is well known
that at that time slavery existed in many
of the oil States, where it has since been
abolished
That same Constitution is still in full
force. governing all and protecting all
In 1913. congress. IN pursuance OF the
constitutional rcqulation. passed fugi-
tive slave law. defining the mode IN winch
funitives from labor should be reclaimed
by those to whom they owed service.-
From that dav 10 this il has remained
law Of the land. In the mean time. how
ever, many changes have taken place III
the social condition OF the country. Pm
or - 1850 the casts III winch the owners
of the fugitive slaves found II necessary
10 resor, 10 the law. were comparatively
frw-,here was no organized opposition TO
,h. insti.ution-at all events there was 1T
lie or no difficulty in enforcing the law
Since The Constitution was adopted. state
after State has abolished slavery. and il
has been nraluaii, receding from the
North and East. until II IS now confined
merely to the planting States There
have always been men in and out Of the
and pure morality. opposed to the system
Of negro slavery: but this class of men
never dreamed Of interfering with cxist-
ing institutions. much less Of interfering
with the individual rights OF the owners Of
slaves | ntil within the last few years.
his right 70 his slave has been deemed as
sacred a his ri9ht 10 any other species of
property: and until very recently. 1t has
never been claimed that there was any
..hiIher law than the Constitution which
could defeat that RI ght.
Without tracing the progress OF anti
slavery sentiment IN this country up -
tins time. or referring to the causes which
in my Judgment have gwen party char
acter 10 what otherwise would have been
harmless opinions. We cannot close our
eyes to the fact, that at this moment We
are passing through the severest ordeal 10
which tho Constitution has ever been sub
jectcd Evil passions seem 70 have been
let loose. and madness, in some sections
Of the country. seems 10 rule the hour
The continual agitation of the subject for
the last few years. ha, had tendency To
encourage the slave to flee from his mas
ter. hoping for protection from that class
in the free States whose svmpathies have
been so strongly expressed in his favor
While Indiana has by statute aided the
master, obstacles have been interposed
BY some Of the other States 70 the recove
~ Of flgitives: and this has led very rap.
. idlv. as NAV have been supposed. TO sec
iional irritation The difficulties have
been more and more complicated by the
extension Of our territory. thereby crea
ting the necessity for new States and new
Territories, until at last they have as
suned an importance 50 threatening 4
: the integrity of the Mon. as 10 lead Il
the passage by Congress at lis last seSs
ion. Of series Of measures intended a
an adjustment Of all controversies. g
these measures. ..ihc Fugitive Slave law
IS one. This law provides some add
tional facilities for the master in the recov
! tonal penalties on those who al in De
featinG his recovery. This IS all-th
rights Of the fugitive are substantially III
same as they were under the oil act {
1928: and vet the passage Of this law f.
which there seemed 10 be sort of ne
ceSsi,y. has been made the theme Of vic
len, denunciation by public meetings. an
threats OF resistance whenever II IS a
tempted 70 be executed. By the provi>
ions Of the late act. the duty Of aidin
the master 70 recover his property
I chiefly devoived on the courts of the Tn
. ted States. and other officers connecte
/ with them. 1t is the duty Of this cour
I, where there is necessity for it. 10 aPpoii
n commissioners. VINO are charged with n
5 performance Of certain duties in all
! the master: but in all TINS. the r. hts of III
. fugitive are as clearly protected as the