The New York herald., 1850-12-25
TIE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.
U. 3. COmmissI0ner's Court.
Before Chas. N. Hall. Esn.

ehhhi hAslihmhNT khSPkCTING Ink ALI.EGED FUQT
TIVE SLAVE, HENRY LoNa-UPwARDs or rwo HUN
DRIED POLICEMEN IN ATTENDANCE
DLc "a : The Commissioners office was densel,
crowded this morning By persons anxious to witnss,
me result OF the nvs.tgstion respecting the alleged
fugitive slave. Henry Long 1t suggested to tn,
Commissioner ts hold his court in a more spaciou
room but the Marshal, having consulted with one O
the Judges said that necessary to coNtinue th
proceedings on the premises Of the United Stste
court ana there was no other room but the they
were now In that could be appropriated for the pur
pose.
From the conoourse that assembled it now became
Lecetsary to station officers at the doors in order e
prevent any persons but the counsel the
tvss OF the press and the friends the ac
cused from unnecessarily thronging the room.
Mr. Western uppesrsd counsel for the prosecution
essrs Jay, Whitehead and White, for the sllegs
slave,
Henry Long was brought before tse Court In tn,
custody of TIE Marshal.
Mr.. Jay, on behalf Of the accused, eaid thst h,
soemsy protested against the proceedings being helt
In this room to the exclusion the public and the
numerous persons who fre nds Of accused wers
spxious 10 witness the investigstion-s
hr Western said that, conscious of the rectituda o.
the law under which they acted, he not
10 place any oment In the way Of the accused
hut be would not suffer himself to be excited or in
fuenced ty.ary desire 10 create mswkish feeling in
the community The Marshal has snid, in effect, that
"a is Was proceeding before United states ocer
We must keep II on United States ground and der
the uhited States nss, and he ths oounseD did not
hesitate to say that justice be In this
room as weH as elsewhere True IL is, that We are
crowded but we have several members of the press
here. What is the result Every ssntime Mt that
be uttered every word Of evidence to will 70
Gu the wings OF the wind to every of the United
states, 90 that we may say IL Is open
open to the one end Of the United States
Mr.. White asked as = favor he did not demand IL
ass light that the Commissioner for the convenience
OF counsel. would adjourn to a larger room.
long discussion ensued respecting he propriety of
removing to more spacious room. in which the coun
se for the asged fugitive desigpsed the proceedings
as sisr cham ber and against me intention Of the
act OF Congress, which gave the authority-to this
Court.
The Commissioner said that go far as the remarks of
the counsel for the fugitive which csnsurs
him tor holding the investigation in this room
made be would only say thstthsy we're wholly uneasd
Mr Jay begged state that he did not mean to con-
vey any csnsure to the Commissioner.
The Com missioner said the investigation commenced
here lie did not wsh that the examination should be
secret lie had no power over any other room than
this and he told that none other could be pro
cured The censure is therefore uadeserved and un-
called fer by any act or observations OF his.
hr Jay begged to withdraw any piled censure that
the Commissioner might have felt
The Commissioner directed that the proceedings
sbopld commence in this court, until it
tanned whether more spacious court room could be
Mr. Western then .aid that, as he understood the
proofs Of the claim to the labor OF the man (Ienry)
were already estsbisbed-ths testimony of identity
also insnd the point that the fugitive labor
is the only one which he need sdducs additional
proof if he establishes this IL would then be the duty
OF the Commssioner TO grant his certificate Tor his
turn, which the act ordained to be summary.
DR.. Parker was again called, and examined by Mr..
W esterni ne eaid nave Known Henry for the last
Eve years Twas WRIT to the county In which his
n reeides ana met him there In his masters en-
ploy knew him bret In Richmond, about four years
sgo, when he was sent 10 me by DR. Smith (the claim
anti, TO hire him out; was mot at homo at the time
he arrived aud my brother had partly agreed TO hire
him out at the Columbia Hotel have got the bond
myteH this hiring Of him out continued for two
years
Question-During these two years, had you any
ommnpcstions with Henry respecting his position
Lar " hite ssid the act did allow the fugitive
to be exsmiEed but treated him as chatte the coun-
SCI would not attempt to press a question OF that
MT Western said that he had right to prove tha.
Hsnfy he'd admitted 70 the witness that be was the
Mr.. White argued against the sdmIs,ibility of the
gu..tion the confession s OF the party + to hsv:
the party expressly forbd-ft will require cossides
BE Ingenuity to make the oonfesson good for any
evidence which c arly admissible ir law; and
be srsv,y urged upon the Com missioner that con-
ession Of the s good fer anything when his oath
s, D. III. Law, 1ered good for nothing, Here
s man who, by the laws, Is not man except for
sorio purposes but witness in his case he is
not N man Counsel Therefore, eontepded that the
ropfeesiops OF the alleged slave not sdmis-
sibe, coming through another party than they would
be coming from himself L. IL the Law, that what the
n Gays cannot BE- used 10 establish his svn eedor
but that what he rays be used TO establish the
of those Who claim him as alehatte IL there IN
irsinis where gro can be produced as evidence
against white man! Mo- the Law prociains him an
Incompetent witness
Mr. jay followed, on the same eide, and urged q
Mr. Western repled and ,eid that the very srgu.
nent Of the counsel ON The other .s Ia itself
tuirldsI 90 a cir case Their mt amounts 70
bis" ca csDaot give the adnifsiODs OF tb, man,
b. cause be is saye"-the very thing that hsre
BOT that Is the rationale to be drawn from IL cir argu-
nent. The stands there as "A freeman until his
iaytry established, and Therefore his conversatiops
Nth the WitIsss are perfectly admissible.
Commissioutr Repeat ysur question.
Q-Hayeyo1 had any convefsations with Henry, In
VrsiIia IN which he resosn1ed himssf a. the slave
After ,cme further argument the Commissione
aid, fuk that the question,of the claimant
le pu hat tie Hls slave said cHnnot BE- given In
whence VIII permit any act q his 90 be putin evi.
ience 20 prove hr .eryituds to show the relation be-
veen him and the claimant; but conversation
must b admitted The question IL, therefore over.
Coun,.I fer defence excepted.
1he elimination 81 Or Parker Wss then rssumsd
on ycur return TO Virginia, In what position did
.ou tud henry
This qus,tisn was also objestsd 20 by counsel for
Here = bust Of Dsuosthene. vas, by the throsg Of
'efsons, n,aIlJ thrown fom case on uhich It vas
lace and Mr Western Interrupted tbs eoasssi for
he otence ~ say he viHket 70 remOFy as thst
t could noi iAli uPon his bead :
air White remarked that be hoped tha counsel aud
BIZ head would be Preferred tor the puPoae Of 0sins
lrFrEsd Ia more laudsele causes thAa tns IA
pAieh he nov appeared ,Lauehtsrl AI waite
ntlnu'd q, At Gune cnrh, % argue egsinst tnt al
uistibdity of the question Proposed ne conteuda1
That ss tAe CcDmisaones Lad decided not % Aimit
he confessions Of the man, be cann0L receive Ia tos
md ais kewifs incoh Pstent evidence lie asii, seS
has it would lead toi man may; by durossa gam
Tree uaa OF cotE TO work for him. ant would " be
evidence II has laveIy 10 obtain NitEcf8es 70 ps0Ve
hat they had sen him wofk in tobacco heil that
pcrton might be ient 90 eiaysry b. the atmisgon u
ls ac,s. vAilst tbs Law repudistcs sac uegAaoh of
iuoL evidence,
Mr western contended that tbis being ptnAl act,
q shooo ts legally construed on one side aud the
her lie lar W. ala rot Hiatt be ptoois % the .
mans own nots, but 20 cifcBmstancei surtoun 1ing
m during the term oi years he Has kutWu % TIE
witness There hundreds aye th0usand', oi ltrti
In Virgins held without one scrap 81 paper aud how
could their bondage b. proved but tho evidence
0i ls acts and the conditions In whlcn he existed
Ie a. err insisted that thsre u vide 5iHerence
htfvtgn the admissions q sAe man ana his acts, he
Dwnershp ~ man bofse r. evidenced ~ posseiOn,
n Cpueubip - his house s evidenced ~ d@els bot
the oeneTfhpo o hs whseibarrov 10 deLced by pos
sesiion lie loounseD olfsrtd 20 show that this man
came On go miles tofa Doctor smith 20 Doctor rar
ksr 60 b. hiftd ne slave ttat he vas hired out aud
that Doctor Paiher set up With hm uenrJ) Ons night
w the capacity Of phy ttcan lie therefore submitted
his right 90 continue vith this exsmiustiOn
Br jay replied aud coutepded that evidence of
acF. 81 party While IN state of dresse cannot be
sdiuiasihe. law n south Osrona enacts that every
rolorgd arrivir that rlace fDreign