Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-09-06
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.

" otout hooit anu 'iSoiouS dCuOu " SeCuio TIC
full triumph of our principles.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.
This bill as it has passed the Senate and gone
to the House, provides as follows
1. For the appointment of commissioners by
the United States Courts in the States and Ter
ritories, whose duty it shall be to hear the de-
mands and grant certificates to the claimants of
fugitive slaves for their apprehension.
2. Commissioners shall appoint assistants to
execute their duties in the counties, and shall all
of them have power to summon the posse COM
mitatus to their aid.
2. Testimony of claimant or agent to be prima
facie evidence against the fugitives, whose evil
dence is not to be taken; and upon hearing be-
fore any magistrate, justice of the peace, U. S.
Judge, commissioner or assistant, upon the testi-
mony of the claimant or agent, the fugitive is to
be delivered up.
4. Persons hindering the execution of the law
to be fired $500 and imprisoned six months, and
on conviction by trial of having caused the escape
of fugitive TO be fined s 900, subject to reco-
very by law.
5. Prescribes the fees to marshals, and depu-
ties, and clerks of the U. S. Courts, &C. for their
services under this act
g. Additional persons provided for TO assist, if
necessary, in the reclamation and transportation
to his master of fugitive, and their compensa-
ton defined.
7. 1t is provided that a certificate shall be gi-
ven from one State or Territory for the pursuit
of fugitive, and his recapture in another State
or Territory.
That on the production of such certificates. and
of proof, oral or by affidavit, the officer shall is
sue an order to deliver up the person claimed,
or,Ht hat tho =, II
Judge or other authorized officer may grant GER
riicae to that effect and of the value of the pri-
soner, on production of which atthe U. s. Trea-
sury, the sum shall be paid, and shall be claim
of the U. S. against the State from which the
prisoner was taken.
Thus it will be seen, the whole force of the
United States is brought into requisition to cap
ture fugitive slaves. And there is no man, how
ever ardent his attachment to the principles of
liberty, or whether he live north or south, but is
compelled to bear his proportion of the expense
to restore the painting fugitive to servtude. But
we are told it is so " nominated in the bond" and
inasmuch as we were sold even before we were
born, to the spirit of injustice and wrong, we have
no duty but to submit with fortitude So mote
adding insult to injury is not SO apparent, and
net to be borne with so much fortitude. 1t is no
where nominated that we shall be guilty Of the
gross injustice apparent in this bill. Thus it
will be seen that nothing whatever is necessary
to remand colored man to slavery but the testi-
mony of the claimant or agent, the party most
interested being denied any voice in the matter.
For instance, we have in our midst, one or two,
or more, colored men, who would be an homer to
any population. Now some man, prompted by
the spirit of evil, sits down and writes all accu-
rate description of these citizens to some south
ern kidnapper; this kidnapper makes his appear
ance description in hand, swears to the property,
and our citizens are marched into perpetual ser
vitude. Nor do we perceive that there is any
provision whatever to test the question of pos
session of the person claimed, on the contrary,
all the force of the law is employed in faciliting
the efforts Of the slave holder or slave hunter
There are tribunals enough, carefully organized
and without reference to expense, to guard all
the interests of slavery, but not one to look after
the interests of freedom. go, Justice, thou art
fed to british beasts, and men have lost their
reason"
This law has been enacted by the Senate of
the American Republic, sitting under the waving
folds of that flag boosted as the emblem of free
dom throughout the world. Should it pass the
other House, which God forbid, we trust that flag
which as customary, will that day be lowered to
signify the close of the days sitting, will not
again be elevated till it can be done in honesty
and truth. IfAnnanias and Saphira were struck
dead for lying, what may be feared as to the fate
of this nation, in claiming to be the land of the
free"
The Wisconsin Senators voted against It.
ETAs might have been expected, the offence
of VIM. L. Chaplin, in the recent ARRAY connec-
ted with the slaves absconding from Washington
has been very much exaggerated. Mr.. Chaplin,
it appears, did not fire pistol at all, and it is said
he will be proven innocent of the attempted abb
duction laid to his charge.
NJ If one crime ever justified another, we
should say that the advice given to slaves by the
late Cazenovia convention was RIGHT and proper.
Tint assemblage doubtless held, that mans
right to himself was paramount to all other RIGHT
and that any course necessary to vindicate that
right, was correct; but we think the laws of
right are unbending in their character, and that
it is by no means impossible that one right may
be violated in indicating another Inasmuch
then, as it is much better to suffer wrong than
to do wrong is it not better that right remain
unattained, than attained by the violation OF other
rights.
BELoIT CoLLEGE.-We have received cata-
logue of the officers and students of this nsttu-
ton, for the years ls49-50. The faculty is now
fully organized, and consists of the Rev. A. l..
Chaplin, NJ. A president; s. Pearl Lathrop, NJ.
D., professor of chemistry and natural science
Rev. jackson J. Bustwell, NJ A., professor of |
languages, and Isaac E. Carey, B. A., tutor.
The classes are yet small, but we have DO doubt
will continue to increase