Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-17
FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.

FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.
BILL amend the entitled IAN act respecting instves
from Justice and the escaping from lie service o.
their masters"
Be enacted by the Senate AMI Hous. Of Representative
of The United States Of America Congress assembled
That persons have beCn may hereafter be appoint,
ed commissioners in virtue OF any act OF Congress- by the
of The United States end who in consequence
Of such appointment authorized 10 exercise the
that justice Of the peace other magistrate Of any oil
the United States exercise in respect TO offenders Tor
crime offence against the United Stats by arresng
npsonng bang the under and by virtue of the
thirty third section vi the of the tweDytuurh Of Sep
-nbe seventeen hundred aud eighty nine entitled An act
10 establish the judicial courts Of the United States shul
be- and hereby authorized and required To exercise and
discharge oil the powers ard duties Conferred y this act
SEC e. and be further enacted That the superior court
Of each organized territory OF the United States shall have
The power appoint commissioners 10 take acknow
Judgments of bail and affidavit and TO take dispositions Of
witnesses in civil causes which is possessed by the
circuit courts of the United States; all commits
who shall hereafter be appointed for such purposes by The
superior court Of any organized territory OF the United
Stnes shall possess all the and exercise all the du
ties conferred By law upon The commissioners appointed by
the circuit of United States for similar purposes
and shall exercise and discharge all the and
duties conferred by this act.
SEC g. And be further enacted That the circui,
of the United States and the superior of organ
ICED territory of the United States shall from time TO lime
enlarge the number of commissioners, with view ~ afford
reasonable facilities to reclaim ugvcs from labor and 10
the prompt discharge of duties imposed by this act.
SEC d. And be further enacted That the commission
- above named shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the
in ieir hs sEsqS qea ah' dsss wn The several
States and the Judges Of the superior courts of the Terrific
rie, severaly and cole ctivey in term time and vacuon
shall grant certificates such claimants upon sasacto
ry proof being made, with authority take and
such fugitive from service labor under the restrictions
herein continued the State Territory from which such
persons have escaped or He'd.
SEC 5. And be further enacted, That it shall be the
duty OF all marshas and deputy narshals obey and
all and issued under the provisions Of
this act when 10 them directed and should marshal
deputy marshal refuse receive such other pro-
IS, when rendered, In all diligently TO
the he SHALL conviction thereof be fined in
the of thousand dollars to the of such claim
ant motion of such claimant by the circuit dis
trct the district of such marsha and
of such fugitive by such marshal his deputy whilst
any time in his custody under the provisions of this act
should such fugitive escape whether with without the
of such marshal his deputy such marshal shall be
liable his official bond be prosecuted for the benefit Of
such claimant for the full value Of the service labor OF
said fugitive in the State Territory, district whence he
caped and the better enable the said commissioners when
thus appointed execute their duties faithfully and eff
GENTLY in conformity with the requirements OF the const
tuition of the United States and of this act they hereby
authorized and empowered within their counties respec
lively appoint In writing under their hands, any
suitable PERSONS from time to tne execute all such
and other be issued by them in the
lawful performance of their respective dutes with auhori
ty such commissioners the persons be appointed by
them, 10 execute processa aforesaid and call
their aid the bysandes posse comatus of the proper
county, when necessary to insure faithful observance of
the clause Of the constitution referred 10, conformity
with the provisions of this act and all good citizens
hereby commanded to aid and assist in the and eff
cient execution Of this law, whenever their services be
required aforesaid for that purpoe and said
shall run and be by said officers anywhere in the
State within which they are issued.
SEC g. And be II further enacted That when a person
held to service labor in any State Territory of the
United States has heretofore shall hereafter escape into
another State Territory of the United States the person
persons 10 whom such service labor may be DUE
his her. their agent attorney duly authorized, by
power of attorney in writing acknowledged and certified
under the seal of legal officer court of the State
Territory in which the be executed,
and reclaim such fugitive person. either by procuring
warrant from some one OF the courts, judges, commits
soners aforesaid of the proper circuit district county
for the apprehension of such fugitive service or labor
by seizing and arresng such fugitive where the same
be done without process and by taking, causing
such 10 be TAKEN forthwith before such court Judge
commissioner whose duty shall be to hear and deter
mine the of such claimant In summary manner;
and upon satisfactory proof being made. by deposition
affidavit, In writing TO be taken and certified by such
court Judge commissioner by other satisfactory es
mony duly taken and certified BY court, magistrate,
justice Of the peace other legal officer authorized ad
minister oath and take dispositions under the laws of
the State Territory from which such person owing
service or labor may have escaped, with certificate of
such magstracy other authority aforesaid with the
seal Of the proper officer thereto attached which
seal shall be sufficient establish the competency of the
proof and with proof also BY affidavit Of the identity Of the
person whose service labor is claimed be due
said that the arrested does fact service
labor to the person or persons claiming him or her in the
State or Territory from which such fugitive have es-
capped aforesaid and that said person escaped make
out and deliver such claimant his agent Or altor
new certificate setting forth the substantial facts as 10 the
service labor due from such fugitive the claimant
of his her escape from the State or Territory in which
service labor due 10 the State Territory
which he or arrested with authority such claim
ant his agent attorney to use such reasonable
and may be necessary under the circum
the case take and such fugitive person
back the State Territory from whence he she may
have escaped aforesaid In trial or hearing under this
shall the testimony of such alleged fugitive be admitted
in evidences and the certificates in this and the first section
mentioned shall be conclusive Of the right of the or
persons In whose favor granted TO such fugitive to
the State Territory from which he escaped, and shall pre-
all molesation Of said person persons by any pro-
issued by any court Judge magistrate other person
whomsoever
SEC T. And be further enacted That any person who
shall knowingly and willingly obstrIc,, hinder prevent
such csman his agent attorney person persons
lawfully assisting him. her. them, from arresting such
fugitive from service labor either with without process
as aforesaid shall rescue attempt such us
live from service labor, from the custody of such
claimant, his or her agent attorney other per-
son or persons lawfully assisting aforesaid when so
arrested, pursuant 10 the authority herein given and de-
clared; or shall aid abet such person. owing
service or labor as aforesaid directly Indirectly
from such claimant his agent attorney other person
persons legally authorized aforesaid; shall harbor
conce. such fugitive 50 as TO the discovery and
of such person. after notice knowledge of the fact
that such person fugitive from service or labor as
aforesaid shall for either of said offences be subject 70
fine not exceeding thousand dollars
not exceeding months by indictment conviction be-
United