Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-05-22
expense Of the litigation without indemni


Expense Of the litigation without indemni- !
=, and would learn, by sad experience. ,
II he had By far better have abandoned
~ right in the first instance. than TO esta-
,lish il at such unrernunera.ed cost and
,savy sacrifice.
But. whilst the committee conceiveihat
/ trial by Jury. in State where fugiiive
rom service or labor is recaplured. would
be q virtual denial OF justice to the claim
ant Of such fugitive, and would b. tan'a-
mount TO positive refusal to execute .ho /
provision Of the con .titution. the same
objections do not apply to such trial in
the State from which he fed Ia the slave.
holding States full justice is administered.
with entire fairness and irnparilaiity. in
cases Of all actions for freedom. The
person claiming his freedom is allowed 70
sue in foyma p1uperis-counscl is assign
ed him; time is allowed him 10 collect his
witnesses and 70 attend the sessions Of the
court; and his claimant is placed under
bond and security, or is Invested Of the
possession during the progress Of the
trial. to ensure the enjoyment OF those
privileges; and if there be any learning on
the part Of courts aud jnrics. it is always
In Difference 10 tho feelings aud prciu-
dices which prevail in the non-slavehold
ing States, the committee propose such q
trial in the State from which the fugitive
fled, in all cases where he declares 10 the
officer giving the certificate for his return
that he has q right 10 his freedom. Ac
cordingly the committee have prepared.
Gnd report herewith (marked c. two sec
tons which they recommend should be in
corporatcd in the fugitive bill pending in
the Senate. According 10 these sections.
the claimant is placed under bond. and
required to return tie fugitive 70 that
county in the State from which he fed. and
there 10 take MIN before competent tri
bunal, and allow him 70 assert and esta-
blish his freedom, if he can. affording to
him for that purpose all needful facilities
The committee indulge the hope that il
the fugitive bill with the proposed amend
ments, shall be passed by Congress. il
will be efTectual TO secure the recovery of
oil fugitives from service or labor. and tina:
il will remove all causes Of complaint
which have hitherto been experienced on
that irritating subject Blu, itin this prac-
teal operation il shall be found INSULT
cient, and if no adequate remedy can be
devised for the restoration 10 their owners
Of fugitive slaves, those owners will have
. Just title to indemnity out Of the Urea
sury Of the United States.
u remains 10 report upon the resolutions
in relation TO slavery and the slave trade
in the District Of Columbia. Without dis.
cussing the power Of Congress to abolish
slavery within the District. in regard TO
which a diversity OF opinion exists. the
committee arc Of opinion that il ought not
to be abolished. II could not be done
without Indispensable conditions. which
are not likely to be agreed to. 1t could
not be done without exciting great appre-
hension and alarm in the Slave States. II
the mower we're exercised within this Dis
irict. they would apprchend. under some
pretext or another. il might be here after
attempted to be exercised within the slave
holding States. Ii is true that at present
all such power is almost unanimously dis
avowed and disclamed in the free States
But experience III public affairs has too
often shown that where there is desire
to do a particular thing. the power to ac-
compliSh it. sooner or later, will be found
or assumed.
Nor does tho number Of slaves within
the District. make the abolition Of slavery
an object Of any such consequences as APP
pears to be attached to il in some part OF
the Union. Since the retrocesslon OF
Alexandria county TO Virginia, on the
south side Of the Potomac. the DlStrlc,
now consists only Of Washington county
on the Forth side o! that river; and the re-
turns Of the decennary enumeration o!
the people OF the United States show a
rapidly progressive decrease in the mum
her Of slaves in W ashington county. AC-
cordipg 10 the census of 1880 the rUmbcr
was 4, sos: and in 1910 it was reduced 10
3.3 o; showing IL reduction in ten years
Of nearly one-ihird. II il should continue
in the same ratio. the number. according
to tho census now about to be taken. will
be only little upwerds Of two thousand
But majority OF the committee think
differently in regard to the slave trade
within the District. BY thattrade is meant
the introduction Of slaves from adjacent
States into the District, for sale. or TO be
placed in depot for the purpose of subse
quent sale or transportation 10 other and
distant markets. That trade. majority
If the committee are OF opinion. ought TO
be abolished. Complaints have always
existed against. no less on the part OF
members Of Congress from the South than
on the part Of members from the North
IL is trade sometimes exhibiting revolt
ing spectaclcs. and one in which the peo-
pie Of the District have no interest. but
on the contrary. arc beloved to be DESTROYS
thar il should be discontinued Most. il
not all. Of the slaveholiing States have,
either in their constitutions or by penal
enactments. prohibited trade in slaves
~ merchandise within their respective
jurisdictions. Congress, standing in re-
gard to the people Of this Distric, on this
subject in relation similar. 10 that of the
State Legislature TO the people of the
States. may safely follow the examples Of
the States. The committee have pre-
pared. and herewith report. bill for the
abolition Of that trade. (marked d. the