Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-10-19
The Fugitive Slave Bill,

i Scc. j. hat persons who have been, or
may hereafter be appointed Commissioners in
virtue Of any act OF congress by the circuit
/ courts OF the United States, and who in conse-
! qucncc of sucn appointments, are authorized
to exercise the powers that any justice Of the
peace or other magistrate of any of the United
Fl States may exercise in respect to offenders for
, any crime orofcnce against the United States,
l by arresting imprsoning, or bailing the same
under and by virtue of the thirty section
of the act of the twenty-lourth of September.
seventeen hundred and eghty-nine, entitled
"An act to establish judicial courts of the Uni
ted States" shall be aud are hereby uth0rized
, and required to ererciSe and discharge all tie
powcrs aud duties conferred by this act.
b SEES. 2. And be il further enacted, That the
superior court of each organized territory of
/ the United States shall have the same power
to appoint commissioners to take acknowledge
ments of bail and affidavits and to take depo-
sitions of witnesses in civil causes of which is
now possessed by the circuit courts of the u
States; and all commissioners who shall be ap-
pointed for such purposes by the superior
court of any organized territory of the United
States, shall possess all the powers and exer-
else all the duties conferred by law upon the
commissioner appointed by the circuit courts
of the United States for similar purposes, and
moreover exercise and discharge all the pow
ers and duties conferred by this act
4 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the
circuit courts of the United States and the su-
perior courts of each organized territory Of the
! United States shall, from time to time, enlarge
the number of commissioners lciM Vietr to of.
ford reasonable facilities to reclaim fttgtives
from labor, and to the prompt discharge of
the duties imposed by this act
4 Sec. f. And be it further enacted, That the
commissioners above named shall have concur
rent jurisdiction with the Judges of the circuit
and district courts of the United States, in
their respective circuits and districts within
the several States, and the judges of the SUI
perior courts of the territories, severally and
collectively, in term time an vacation; and shall
grant certificates to such claimants, upon sat
isfactory proof being made, with authority to
take and remove such fugitives from service
or labor, under the restriction herein contain
ed, to the state or territory from which such
1 persons may have escaped or fed.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of all marshals and deputy
marshals to obey and execute all warrants and
IPrecep:s issued under the provisions of this
act when to them directed; and should any
!. marshal or deputy marshal refuse to receive
such warrant or other process, when rendered,
or to use all proper means diligently to exc
Icute the same, be shall on conviction thereof,
be fned IN the sum of one thousand dollars TO
TIE aGse Of such claimant on the motion of such
claimant, by the circuit or district court of such
marshal; and after arrest of such fugitive by
such marshal or-hs deputy, or whilst ct any
time in his custody under the provisions of
this act, should such fugitive escape. 1Ohether
aeith or Dithoat the assent of such marshal or
his deputy, such marshal shall be liable on his
official bond to be prosecuted for the benefit
of such claimant, for the full rGlae of the SER
vice or labor of said fugitive in the state, terri
tory or district whence he escaped: and the
better to enable the said commissioners when
} thus appointed, to execute their duties faith
fully and efficiently in conformity with the re-
quirements of the constitution of the United
States and of this act, they are hereby author
lied and empowered, aUithin their countless re-
; spectively, to appoint in writing under hands,
any one or more suitable persons from time to
/, time, to execute all such warrants and other
process as may be issued by them in the law
full performance of their respective duties, with
authority TO such commissioners or the persons
to be appointed by them TO execute process as
, aforesaid, to summon and CALL TO TH9R AID
THE BYsTANDERs, or posse comitatus of the prop
er county, when necessary to insure faithful
, observance of the clause of the constitution re-
ferred to, in conformity with the provisions of
this act and all good citizens are hereby COM
manded to aid and assist iW tie prompt efficient
ereeUtion Of this Ian arheneper their services
mag be required as aforesaid for that purpose
Ion atcC hall a,,A ho FaA
By said officers anywhere in the state, within
which they are executed.
Sec q. And be it further enacted, That
, when a person held to service or labor in any
i state or territory of the United States, has
heretofore or shall hereafter escape into anoth-
!. er state or territory of the United States, the
person or persons to whom such labor may be
due or his, her. or their agent or attorney, in
, writing acknowledged and certified under the
seal of some legal officer or court of the terri
tory in which the same may be executed, may
pursue and reclaim such fugitive person, either
by procuring warrant from some one of the
5 courts Judges or commissioners aforesaid, of
s the proper circuit, district, or county for the
5 apprehension of such fugitive from service or
. labor, OF by scizing and arresting such fugi-
tive from service or labor, where the same
can be done without process and by taking, or
r causing such person 10 be taken, forthwith be-
. fore such court, judge or commissioner, whose
!, duty il shall be TO hear and determine the
; case of such claimant IN Il summary manner =:
} and upon sati&fdctory proof being made by
| deposition or a6idarit in writing, to be taken
= and certified by such court judge or commits
sioner, or by other satisfactory testimony, duly
taken and certified by some court, magistrate,
Justice Of the peace, or other legal officer, au-
!? thorized to administer an oath and take depo-
sitions under the law Of the state or territory
from which such person owing service orlabor