Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-23
Mason's Slave Catching Bill.


Mason's Slave Catching Bill.
We publish below the man catching bill now
before the United States Senate, which re-
ceives the support of Daniel Webster, Rufus
Choate Rev. Moses StuaIt and others Of that
class. We place it npon the outside ofthe pa
per, and keep it there for a while that the PEG.
pie may see what their Senator proposes to vote
lor.--Emaa. & Repub.
A BILL to provide for the more oflectual exc
cution of the third clause of the second sec.
ton of the fourth article Of the Constitution
of the United States
BE IL enacted By the Senate and House 2J Rep.
reseniatires of The United States Of .1merica IN
Congress Assem6ied, That when person held
to service or labor in any state or territory OF the
United States, under the laws of such State or
Territory, shall escape into any Of the other
said States or Territories, the person to whom
such service or labor is due, his, or her agent Or
attorney, is hereby empowered to seize Or arrest
such fugitive from service Or labor, and take
him or her before any Judge of the circuit or dis.
trict court of the United States, or before airy
commissioner, Or clerk of such courts, or mar
shall thereof, or any postmaster Of the United
States, residing or being within such State
wherein such seizure or arrest shall be made,
and upon proof to tie satisfaction Of such Judge,
commissioner, clerk, marshal, postmaster, or col
lctor, as the case may be, either by oral testimo-
nv or affidavit taken before and certified by any
person authorized to administer an oath under
the laws of the United States or of any State,
that the person so seized, or arrested under the
laws of the State or Territory from which he or
she fed, owe service or labor to the person
claiming him or her, it shall be the duty of such
Judge, clerk, commissioner, marshal, postmaster
or collector, to give certificate thereof to such
claimant, his, OF her agent or attorney, which
certificate shall be sufficient warrant for taking
and removing such fugitive from service or Ia
Dor, to the State or Territory from which he or
she fed.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That
when person held to service or labor, as men
toned in the first section of this act, shall es'
cane from service or labor as therein mentioned,
the person to whom such service OR labor "Gy
be due, his or her agent, or attorney. may apply
to any one of the officers of the United States,
named in said action other than marshal of
the United States, for warrant 10 seize and ar
rest such fugitive, and upon affidavit being made
before such officer, each of whom for the pur-
poses of this act is hereby authorized to admin
lister an oath or affirmation, by such claimant,
his or her agent, that such person does, under
the laws of the State or Territory from which he
or she fed, owe service or labor to such claim
ant, it shall be, and is hereby made the duty Of
=, such officer to and before some such applca-
ton and affidavit is made, to issue his warrant
to any marshal Of any Of the courts Of the Unit
, ed States 10 seize and arrest such alleged fugi-
tive, and to bring him or her forthwith, or on a
day to be named in such warrant or either Of the
other officers mentioned in said first section, eX-
E cept the marshal TO whom the said warrant is
r directed, which said warrant or authority, the
= said marshal is hereby authorized and directed
in all things to obey.
= SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That
upon affidavit made as aforesaid by the claim.
ant OF such fugitive, his agent attorney, after
such certificate has been issued, that he has
reason to apprehend that such fugitive will be
rescued by force from his or their possession, be-
1t fore he can be taken beyond the limits of the
State IN which the arrest is nade it shall be the
y duty of the officer making the arrest to retain
y such fugitive in his custody, and remove him to
e the Safe whence he fled, and there to deliver
st hun to said claimant, his agent or Attorney
4 And to this end, the officer aforesaid is hereby
authorized and required, TO employ so many per-
{ sons as he may deem necessary to overcome
e such fOce, and to retain them in his service SO
r long as circumstances may require. The said
p officer and his assistants, while so employed, to
receive the same compensation, and to be al
y owed the same expenses as are now allowed by
= law for transportation of criminals, TO be certi
# fed by the Judge of the district within which
- the arrest is made, and paid out of the Treasury
" ofthe United States
- iroplCed, That before such charges are in.
h Cured, the claimant, his agent, or attorney sha
secure to said officer payment of the same, and
in case no actual force be opposed then they
shall be paid by such claimant, his agent or at
U torney
8, SEC. And be it further enacted, When a
}. warrant shall have been issued by any of the Of
p fcers under the second section of this act, and
there shall be RIO marshal or deputy marshall
/ within ten miles of the place where such war.
d rant is issued, it shall b. the duty of the officer
}. issuing the same, at the request of the claimant
his agent, or attorney, to appoint some fit anl
s discreet person, who shall be willing 10 act as
: marshal, for The purpose OF executing said war.
l. rant; and such person SO appointed SHALL 10 the
extent of executing such warrant, and .detan
ing and transporting the fugitive therein named
- have all the power and authority, and be, witt
= his assistants, entitled TO the same compensation
y and expenses provided in this act, in cases where
,, the services are performed by the marshals q
| the courts. ~
IL SIC. 5. And be it further enacted, that any
u person who shall knowingly and willingly OBJ.
IL struct or hinder such claimant his agent or at
y, - torney, or any person or persons assisting him.
- her, or them, In 80 serving or arresting such flu
y gitve from such claimant, his agent or attorney
when so arrested, pursuant to the authority py.
en- or declared, or shall aid, abot or assist such
person so owing service or labor to escape from
, such claimant, his agent or attorney. or shall
" harbor or conceal such person, after notice that
p he or she was fugitive from labor. as aforesaid
N shall for either of the said offences, forfeit and
e ply the sum of one thousand dollars, whichpen.
Of atty may be recovered by and for the benefit Of
4 such claimant, by action of debt in any court
proper to try the same, saving, moreover, to the
person claiming such labor or service, his ripbl
a. OF action for, on account of, the said injuries OF
ID either of them.
E. SEC. g. And be it further enacted, That when
l. said person is seized or arrested under. and by
n virtue OF the said warrant by such marshal. and
g is brought before either of the officers aforesaid
other than said marshal, it shall be the duty of
such officer to proceed in the case of such per.
u son, IN the same way as he is directed and auth