Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-09-10
Tie Harrisburg Outrage.

We exra:I lie f,howIng Just views
ffon the Philadelphia Bulletin. III,
Bulletin is correct IN the supposiIon THAI,
&" moderate men Leyond the Potomac"
are beginning to he eXasPcratcd by these
outrages at the Nortl Unless an end is
PIT to Them. there will he but one feeling
in the South. The Union can only be
preserved, By observing the requirements
Iof the Constitution, both Al the Norh AID
the South. The Bulletin says:
The late afl,ay at Harrisburg, arising
ont of the attempt 10 reclaim certain runa,
way slaves, affords timely argument in
favor of the fugitive slave bill. Had the
law, as passed by the Senate been enacted
also by the House. and signed by the
President, this deplorable circumstance
which must inevitably aomplicate affairs
al Washington. would never have occur
red. The incident has happened at i
most unfortunate crisis. 1t cannot but
further exasperaie Tie South, destroy all
confidence in The good intentions CT the
North, and postpone, if not entirely pre-
vent The adjustment of the slavery agita-
ton. Even moderate men beyond the
Potomac will think they have cause to
complain, when they see fugitives, adj
mitted TO be runaway slaves, not merely
discharged by the court, but the masters
themselves imprisoned as rioters. The
formaities of the law, by which the guilty
are thus shielded, and the wronged pun
ished, will he regarded as bubbles Of the
worst description, and the whole transact
ton will be looked upon, from the Polo-
mae to the Rio Grande, as an unanswera-
bic proof of insincerity and want of faith
on the part of the North. Al confidence
will inevitably be destroyed, between the
different sections of the county, if SINH
lar aifairs are allowed to happen.
We confess that the decision OF the
Judges somewhat surprises US. 1t may
be very good law. but it is very bad NOR
ais. Aware that it would be difficult, IN
the present state of public opinion, to find
a jury willing 10 pronounce the negroes to
be fugilves, the masters took advantage
of the fact that the slaves had run away
with some horses, and had them arrested
for larceny. This was circuitOus way
to reach The end, but ii was made reces-
sary by the feeling at Harrisburg. Had
the prisoners been remandcd 20 prison, as
the masters and public expected, rcquIsi-
ton would have been obtained from Vlr-
ginia, and the sllves carried back to their
native State. But the Judge frustrated
this scheme by declaring that the negroes
had committed no larceny. In other
words, he declared that il was no robbery
for slave to take his masters horse, III
order TO effect his escape. We have al
ways understood, and Blackstone explicit
Ilv teaches, that where horse IS thus
taken, it is a larceny, unless the criminal
means TO restore him, which the negroes,
! il is confessed never intended to do. But
! the decision IS to be condemned quite rs
much for its influence in other cases, as
! for its effect in this. If a slave may steal
a horse to secure his escape. a clerk may
take money to meet his necessities; ina
word, all law may be laid aside, and each
man be allowed to cheat and rob, in exac!
proportion as he thinks his wants demand.
1.-The early passage of the fugitive
slave bill is the best thing the North can
do, to aIIay the suspicion which this at
fair must enevtaDIy create"