Washington telegraph., 1850-11-06
BY AUTHORITY.
PUBLIC ACTS.

PUBLIC ACTS.
Passed during the first session of the Thirty first
Congress.
[PuBLIc--No 81.
AN ACT 10 amend and supplementary to the act
entitled, can act respecting fugitives from Jus
t;ce and persons escaping from the service Of
their masters approved February II, 1893.
Be IL enacted by the Seaqte and House Of Rep
resentatiUes of the United States Of America in
Congress assembled, That the persons who have
been or who may hereafter be appointed commits
soners in virtue of any act Of Congress by the
circuit courts of the United States. and who, IN
consequence of such appointment ale authoFEzeu
to exercise the powers that any justice o the peace
or other magistrate of any OF the United states
may exercise in respect to offenders for any crime
offence against the United States, by arreslpg,
implisoning, or baing the same under and by vir-
tue of the thirty-third section oil the act qf the
twenty fourth of September, sevepteen hundred
and eighty-nne, emitted can act to establish the
judicial courts of the United States shall be and
are hereby authorized aud required to exercise aud
Discharge all the powers and duties conferred by
this act.
Sec. g And be it further enacted, That The
superior court of each organized Territory OF the
United States shall have the same power 10 appoint
commissioners to take Acknowledgements of bail
and affidavts, and take depostions OF witnesses
ia civil which is now possessed by ihe circuit
court of the IIntad t.i..~, ~ III commissioners
who shall hereafter be appointed for such purposes
by the superior court of any organized Territory Of
the United States, shall possess all the powers aud
exercise all the duties conferred by law upon the
commissioners appointed by the circuit courts Of the
Unite States for sin Jar purposes, aud shall more
over exercise and discharge all the powers and
duties conferred by this act.
SEC g. And be it further enacted, That the
circuit courts of the United States and the superior
courts Of each organized Territory Of the United
States shall from time to time enlarge the number
of commissioners, with view TO afford reasonable
facilities to reclaim fugitives from labor, and to
the prompt discharge OF the duties imposed by this
act.
SEC 4. And be it furthe, enqcted, That the
commissioners above named shall have concurrent
jurisdiction with the judges Of the circuit and DIS
trct courts of the United States, in their respective
circuits and districts within the several States, and
the judges Of the superior courts Of the Territories
severally and collectively, in term time and Vaca-
ton: and shall grant certificates to such claimants
upou satisfactory proof being made, with authority
TO take aud remove such fugt!ves from service or
iabqr, under the restrictions herein contained, TO
the State OF Territory from which such persons
may haye escaped or fed.
SEC s. Aad'Je it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals TO
eb,y and execute all warrants and preceP's issued
under The provisions of this act, w!en TO them d.
Tecicd; and houd any marshal or deputy narshai
refuse to receive such warrant cr other process,
when rendered, or to all proper means diligently
execute the saIn- he shall OF conYiction thereof
be fined in the sum Of one thousand dellarS TO the
Use of such claim ant on the notqn OF such claim
ant, by the circuit district court for the district
of such marsha; and after arrest Of such iugtive
by such marshal or his deputy, or whilst AT any
time in his custody under The provisions OF 'h'S
act, should such fugitive escape whether whh OF
without the assent of such marshal or his deputy,
such marshal shall be liable OH his oincIa boha 10
be prosecuted for the benefit OF such claiinah',
for the full value Of the service or labor OF SAD
fugitive in the State Territory, District whence
he escaped; and the better to enable the said COM
mssioners; when thus appointed TO execute their
duties faithfully and efficiently, IN conformity
with the requirements of the constitution OF the
United States and of this act, they are hereby
authorized and empowered, within their counties
respectively to appoint, III writing, under Their
hands, any one or more suitable persons, from
time to time, to execute all such warrants and
other process as may be issued by them in the law
ful performance of their respective dnties with
authority TO such commissioners, the persons TO
be appointed by them, to execute process as aiore-
said, to summon aud call 10 their aid the bystan-
ders or posse comntqfus Of the proper county.
when necessary to ensure faithful observance OF
the clause of the consttut ion referred TO, IN con-
formity with the provisions Of this act; and all
good citizens are hereby commanded to aid and
assist in the prompt aud effc execution CT this
law wheneyer their services may be required, as
aforesaid, for that purpose, and sad warrants
shall run and be executed by said officers any
where in the State within which they are issued
SEC. 6. And be 1t further enacted, Taat when
person held to service OF labor in any State qr
Territory Of the United States has heretofore or
shall hereafter escape into another State or Ierl-
tory of the United States, the person or persons
TO whom such service LABOR may be due, or his,
her, or their agent attorney, duIy authorized:
by power of attorney, in writing, acknoWiedged
and certified under the seal of some legal officer
or court of the State CT Territory in which the
same may be executed, may pursue ana reclaim
such fugitive person, either by procuring var
rant from some one Of the courts, Judges, or com.
missoners aforesaid Of the proper circuit district,
or county, for the apprehension OF spch fugitive
from service or labor, orby se;zing and arreSlin9
such fugitive, where he same can be done wins
out process, and by taking, or causing su;a per-
sou to be taken, forthwith before such court.
Judge, commissioner, whose duty IL sllill oe 10
hear and determine the case of such claimant In
summary manner: and upon satisfactory PROOF be-
ing made by deposition affidavit, in writing, ff
be taken aud certified by such court, judge, or
commissioner. or by other satisfactory testimony,
duly taken and certified by some court, niagis-
traie, Justice of the peace, or other iega' oihcer
authorized TO adm mister oath and take drpo
sitons under the laws of the State or Territory
from which such person owing service or labor
may have escaped, with certificate to snci mag
isracy or other authority, as aforesaid with the
sea, of the propar court or ocer therr'" d,'achea'
which seal Shall be sufficient to cstab'jsn The
potency of the proof. end with proof also by affi-
davit, OF tie identity of the person whose service
or labor is claimed to be due aforesaid, that the
person so arrested does in fact owe service or la
Dor to the person or persons claiming him or her,
in the State or Territory from which such iugl.
tive may have escaped as aforesaid and that sad
IL. nufa d.Iv 10 "A