The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-07

"
ping, Prsserps me pubic peace, &C.
Mr. Bowman moved slnke ou all after the enaeting
clause, aud insen the following;
"That the 81 4h bth 9th, aud 7lh sections of the
entitled San prevent siaDapp preserve the
c peace prob the exercise of certain powers hereto
fore exercised b, Judges, Justices Of ,hs ace
slave laws passed the 81 day Of March, ammo Domn
hereby repealed aud the Of the the Sub
day OF Dscembe ammo Domini one Thousand seven hun
oners under authority OF the United Safes
and the supplement- thereto passed the 81 day OF March
Domni one thousand eight hundred and fourteen,
are hereby extended 10 iogitiyes from labor"
MIR SPEAKER Judging from the decisive vote given
Tor the oil pending IN this house lis passage through
the committee OF The whole and lis irs, reading,
which bill very similar the amendment now have
the honor 10 propose 1t scarcely be necessary 10 oc
cupy much time discussion enable us TO come to an
intelligent understanding OF the subject under consdera
ton feel II duty incumbent on me, however TO ex
press the sentiments OF my constituents on hs subject
and also my own opinions as 10 The consul'onaity OF
the 81, 1tn and 9th sections now proposed To be
pealed, OF the act OF assembly oil 81 March, lSI7
The repeal OF The obnoxious sections referred to rs not
topic Of ordinary legislation; II has something to do
with the stability OF the government Itself IL is
ure required hands and due from in good faith
as q grateful peace-ohsrng 10 our southern brethren
is question OF comfy and good nes hborship well
as constitutional nights II is throwing away, out Of oul
sight, the apple OF dscod; It laying the the
root OF the tree OF discussion, which has grown mp n
these latter days with uxuiant and dark foliage, whose
roots have penetrated deep into our peaceful SOIL and
whose branches extend tar Out, aojing protection and
shelter 10 mistnhropc that nurse in their secu
sion schemes OF treason and dlsunon.
The act of assembly of the 3 March, lSI7 was
neither asked tor by people expected from Their
representatives; and struck The public with surprise,
and looked upon by the professional mind with
alarm. bold ac OF defiance 10 the authority OF the
general government, and distinct and tangible pro
mitigation OF the odious doctrine OF the sht OF State
government TO nuly solemn act OF Congress, passed
in conformity 10 an important constitutional provision.
il entitled act ITO prevent kidnapping, preserve the
public peace. prohibit the exercise of certain powers here
n 1ha npar allp
men, and la'Iers m ths Commonwealth and TO repeal
certain slave laws"
Instead Of tina, should have been styled an act to alb
TOgae the 81 clause OF tie 81 the 4h article
the constitution of the United States repe al and nuf
and SET defiance the section pi the of Congress
of l2h February. 1893, and promote rot bloodshed
and murder Such title would have been in character
with such law YET am informed thai, bad is,
was hurried through The legislature OF that year without
the members thereof; and that II u.s. in addition, almost
a literal Transcript OF Massachusetts stane, which
prompted BY the spirit of abolitionism SO rife III
that Safe, and enacted into law osensiby carry into
effect and confirm the decision OF the Supreme Court OF thr
United States in the Of Prgg Common ealih
OF Pennsylvania, but IN reality and truth pervert lis
spirit and real meaning. The bitter fruits of the Massa
chuseus statute have been recently, IN mos, striking
manner exempllhed by g<oss outrage upon law and
order, and The iIampng under foot the constitution oil
our common country and thai, too, in the city of Boston,
which osteniaously claimed The Athens OF Amer
lea, where the owners OF iugltives IRON labor pro
hbied the OF The lis OF that Common wealth in The
reclamation OF such ugltives, and The local authorities
from permtsg them to he used for such purposes under
severe penalties and where many other foolish things
have been done relation to this subject which
have been foolish enough TO initiate and enact in this
Commonwealth
Justice to ourselves therefore, to the people of this
Common wealth. 10 the Common wealth herself as mem
Der OF this great confederation Of States and, above
loyalty to national constitution, and anxious de
Ae 10 preserve lis spflt and compromises faithfully
well catholic love of Union ITSELF formed BY the
wisdom OF forefalhers should make us meet this
question openly and iearlessly
Let us examine the import and manifest tendency OF the
sections OF the act referred 10 Tor the repeal OF which
this bull is now pending.
The thld section enacts tina, Judge of any OF the
courts OF this Commonw eaiih, any alderman Jus.
ce OF the peace of said Common eah shall have iuris
dicuon or take cognizance OF the OF any fugitive
from labor under The Of Congress of the 18th Feb
ruary, 1903, ented " An respecting ugilves IRON
justice and persons escaping from The Of their
masters and !orbids such Judge, alderman justice
issuing certificate warrant OF removal of any such
fugitive from labor by virtue OF said any other ac
OF Congress- under penaliesthose OF beng guilty
jeced 10 fine OF not less than five hundred and not
exceeding thousand dollars And yet The gentleman
from Allegheny tNr Bghsm) stated in debae the other
day that no iavyr emphasizing the term) would
pretend to say that the act of assembly OF March 81
lS47 repealed any OF The provisions OF the act of Con-
Eress Of February IL: 1893 Sir, am willing TO stake
scale with that OF the gentleman iron Allegheny and
abide the whether the OF assembly referred
20 Ss a0 abd IL s
they relate TO the duties OF the peace under that
act | am aware that the gentleman from Allegheny il
opposed to The passage OF ms BILL and is
tain the act OF March 81, 1s47 upon statute book
OF which act he stood the godfather this floor at its
birth | am aware also, that that gentleman carried
many trophies home with him by reason OF his having
secured lis passage, and Thai he received in triumph
BY his constituents and that the free negroes and
fugitive slaves 81 the city of Pisburg and the county OF
Allegheny presented him with a eold-h cane AS a
token OF regard Tor the he bad rendered
in their behalf, and indication of their spprecia
OF his exalted legal abilities Sir, could be dis,in-
guished a lawyer as my Lord Coke Lord Mansfield, OF
even the gentleman from Allegheny himself for since
the passage Of the act Of 81 March, Is47, must
slider him greaer constitutional lawyer than either OF
theml-coud he conspicuous either OF these three
great legal lights, two OF whom have sbone gea, ef.
tulgence upon the eastern hemisphere and still shining
upon this, | am very certain could never be so for
tunae a. 10 become the recipient OF such honors We
have head much SAID here and else here the suhsc
OF the Kane letter. hut know something OF The
eMecs OF the godhesded OF assembly and those
effects have been traced in blood throughout The different
portions oil the Commonwealth. la the county which
have the honor IN psr represent this floor the pas
and Immediate Of. Of the most fearful and
terrific riots that occurred within the limits of
county, and which resulted in the beating and manning
with sticks and siones and the ultimate death
nent and useful citizen OF The nelgbbong State OF Mary
land and these bloody effects have been more recently
traced IN The streets OF The political metropolis the capital
OF the State itself.
The fourth section is osensiby aimed against those
who shail, under any sros authority pbGtsoep,r
ueIerrns no doubt 10 the oil the Congress
OF 18th February, 1893 violently and tumuuousy seize
uPoo ana carry away, or attempt TO do rioous,
tumunous and unreasonable manner so to endanger
npurn uiafts, kta