Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-04-13
rletti
Slave Hunting -.-COmprOmisc Impossible.
(Ertraei from GIDDrSos's SPeeeh.l

II is proposed to pass further and more
stringent laws for the arrest and return OF
fugitive slaves to make every postmaster,
and deputy marshal, aud other petty officers
of this Government, resident in the free
States, the catcl-pole of slave-hunters. We
are TO impose upon them the obligation TO
leave their shops or their fields, and give
chase to the flying bondman as he hastcns
from the scene of his oppression; to seize
the trembling victim of Southern cupidity (;
10 assist in riveting the cold iron on his chat
ed limbs, and then TO force him back to q
land of chains aud sgls and tears and suf-
fering. Yes, sir il is now gravcly proposed
that tliis Congress of Christian men, at this
middle of tho nineteenth century, boasting
that we are surrounded by the most intelli-
gent, free, aud virtuous people upon the
earth, shall turn our attention and exert our
officinl influencc--our Legislative power-in
fnvor oftlie viest system ofoppression known
among civilized men; that we shall aid the
arrant usurper of the South to hold his grasp
upon bis fellow-inan, to compel him TO toll
and to suffer under the scourgc, for the ben
eft Of his oppressor; that we will help rob
him of his liberty, his enjoyments, his all,
that others may revel in wealth. Sir, lwould
rs soon turn savo-hunter as would vote for
buNt u law. ICt uO iIEltt chth ~
measure is to come before us. i am willing
TO see members compelled to show their
hands. desire that the country shall un-
derstaid who is willing thus to degrade the
character of American statesmen by prosti-
tuting our official powers TO such purposes.
But there are circumstances which render
such action at this time still more objection
able and Illuminating Since the early his
tory of the State in which live, men have
occasionally come from the slave States and
kidnapped our colored people; and when such
offenders have been demanded as fugitivcs
from justice under the Constitution, their sur
render by the slave States has, believe, al-
ways been refused. Yet, the Representa-
tives of Ohio are now called on 10 turn round
and lend their influence to catch and return
Southern slaves! When our free cOlored
people visit the slave States, they are seized,
imprisoned, sold, and enslaved and South
ern gentlemen now ask us to pass law that
shall make il the duty of our postniasters and
deputy marshals tn seize and return to bond
age those very citizens of Ohio, should they
perchance escape from their oppressors in
the South, and return to their wives and
children in their native State. Will the Rep
resentatives of Ohio vote for such law?
The citizens of Massach husetts have been
seized in Southern ports, enslaved, sold, de-
graded, and brutalized. They now moan
and weep in chains. Representatives Of the
sovereignty of Massachusetts, when sent to
those States, to test their proceedings Judi
cially, have been driven by mob violence
from their jurisdiction and their Legisla-
tures have passed laws prohibiting, under Sc
we're penalties, all persons from prosecuting
the rights of all such enslayed citizens TO
freedom.
Sir, while the South thus violates and
tramples upon the Constitution, while they
treat the free States generally, and Massa-
chusetts in particular, with most sovereign
contempt, distinguished statesman of New
England, a representative of Massachusetts,
comes forward, and, before the nation, chi
ding the people of the North for their remiss-
ness in arres,ing and returning fugitive
slnves, proposes that we shall exert our leg
islative powers in favor of Southern piratical
slave-hnnters.
Sir, the proposition is humiliating. | de-
test, i execrate such policy. Sir, have no
language capable of describing my own feel
ings In regard to il. ! would as soon legis-
late TO make the people of the free States the
slaves of the South, in direct and positive
language, as would vote for such a mea-
sure. To me, the slave-hunter is the most
detestable human being that lives or moves
upon the earth. 900 #fr
We cannot under the Constitution protect
or seerete the slave from his master. But
the Legislatures of free States may prohibit
their own citizens from aiding or assisting
the master to track out the painting fugitive,
in order again to subject him to tia lash and
the thumbscrew. Such u law has been in
troduced into the Legislature OF Ohio; and
am free TO say, that il there be a crime for
which would hang citizen of our State, il
is that of aiding the STAKEHOLDER to seize his
trembling victim upon soil consecraled to
freedom. 4a
You may pass such law, and il will re-