The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-03

An Act to amend and supplementary to the act enti
tied An act respecting fusitives from Justice and
persons escaping from the service oi their nsier7
approved February twelfth, one thousand sewn
hundred and ninety-three.
Be ii enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
seatatiUes Of the United States Of Aa,eriea IN Con-
gross assembled, That the 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-
quence of such appointment, are authorized TO ex-
ercise the powers that any justice of tie peace or
other magistrate of any of the United States, may
exercise in respect to offenders for any crime or
offence against the United States, by arresting
imprisoning, or bailing the same under and by
virtue of the thirty third section of the act of the
twenty-fourth of September seventeen hundred
and eighty nine entitled An act to es ablish the
judicial courts Of the United Statesn shall be-
and are hereby, authorized and required to exer.
else and discharge all the powers and duties con
ferred by this act.
SEC. 2. And be Il further enacted, That the supe
rior court of each organized Territory Of the Uni
ted States shall have the same power to appoint
commissioners to take Acknowledgements Of bail
and aidavits and to take dispositions of witnesses
in civil causes, which is now possessed by the cir
cult court Of the United States; aud all commits
sioners who shall hereafter be appointed for such
purposes by the superior court of any organized
Territory of the United States shall possess alhe
powers, and exercise all the duties, conferred by
law upon the commissioners appointed by the
United States for similar purposes, aud shall
moreover exercise and discharge all the powers
and duties conferred by this act
SEC. 3. Aad be u furfh~ enacted, That the circuit
courts Of the United States and the superior
courts Of each organized Territory of the United
tai m n m on he
Der of commissioners, with a view to afford rea-
sonable facilities TO reclaim fugtives from labor
and to the prompt discharge of the duties imposed
by this act.
SEC. a. Andbe u further enacted, That the com
missoners above named shall have concurrent
jurisdiction with the judges of the circuit and
district courts of the United States in their re-
spective circuits and districts within the several
States, and the judges of the superior courts Of
the Territories severally and collectively, 10
term-tme and vacation and shall grant certih-
Gates to such claimants, upon satisfactory proof
being made with authority to take and remove
such fugitives from service or labor under the
restrictions herein contained, 10 the State or Ter
ritory from which such persons may have escaped
or fed
SEC. s. Aad BE- Il further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals
to obey and execute all warrants and precepts is
sued 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 execute the same, he shall, on con-
viction thereof, be fined in the sum of one thou
sand dollars, to the use Of such claimant on The
motion Of such claimant by the circuit or distr'c'
court for the district of such marshal and after
arrest Of such fugitive by such marshal or his
deputy, or whilst at any time in his custody IN
der the provisions under this act, should such tu-
gitive escape whether with or without the assent
of such marshal OF his deputy, such marshal shall
be liable on his official bond to be prosecuted for
the benefit of such claimant for the full value oil
the service or labor Of said fugitive, in the STATE
Territory or district whence be escaped and the
better to enable the said commissioners, when
thus appointed, to execute their duties faithfully
and efficiently, in conformity with the require,
ments Of the Constitution of the United States and
of this act, they are hereby authorized and en-
powered, within their counties respectively, toaP-
point, in writing under their hands, any one OF
more suitable persons, from time to time, to exc
cute ell such warrants and other process as may
be issued by them in the lawful performance o.
their respective duties; with authority to sncn
commissioners or the persons to be appointed "
them, to execute process as aforesaid, to summon
and call to their aid the bystanders, or Posss eO.
tatus OF the proper county, wnen n'o,e' ~.
sure a faithful observance oil the CLAUSE VI ".
Constitution referred to, in conformity win inc
provisions Of this act and all good citizens are
hereby commanded 70 aid and assist IN the PROM,
their services may be required, as aforesaid, foI
that purpose and said warrants shall run, ana
he executed by said officers anywhere in the Sta'e
within which they are issued.
Src, 6. And be Il further eaaeed, That when .
nersou held to service or labor in any State OF
Territory Of the United States has heretofore OF
shall hereafter escape into another State or Ter
ritory of the United States the person or per
sons TO whom such service or labor may be due'
or his, her, or their agent or attorney, duly AZ.
thoriaed by power Of attorney, in writing a.
knowledged and certified under the seal OF SOM
legal officer or court Of the State or TERRITORY
which the same may be executed, may Pursas
and reclaim such fugitive person, either oy Pts
curing q warrant from some one Of tne go 60
Judges, or commissioners aforesaid, OF the PIy ou
circuit, district, or county, for the apPrehe"'
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