Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-01-09
Political.
THE SLAVE LAW DEFENDED


WHITTIER OF WHITE PINE
Extinct from ihs Speech Hos srsyaSs A. Douel,,, on
The " Measure. of Adjustment" delivered 10 the CRY
tlall, Chicago, oei. g. 1850.
viii now examine, briefly, the specific
grounds Of objection urged by the council
against the fugitive slave bill as reasons
why it should not be obeyed
The objections are two in number.
First-that it suspends the writ of habeas
corpus in time of peace, IN violation of the
constitution.
condy-That 1t abolishes the right Of
trial by jury.
How the council obtained the inlorma-
ton that these two odlous provisions were
contained in that law, am unable to d.
vine. One thing is certain, that the men,
bers of the council who voted for these res
olutions had never read the law, or they
would have discovered their mistake.-
There is not one word in the law in respect
to the writ of habeas corpus, or the right Of
trial by jury. Neither of these subjects are
mentioned or referred to. The law is en-
iirely silent on these points. Is il to he
said that an &C, of Congress, which is silent
repeal a great constitutional right by impli-
cation Besides, this act is amendatory-
amendatory only of the old law-ihe act Of
1895, but does not repeal it. The terms
Of the two laws in this respect are precisely
the same. Both are silent IN respect to
the writ of habeas corpus, and the right OF
trial by Jury Ii to be silent is to suspend
the one and abolish the other, then the mis-
chief was done by the old law ffy-seven
years ago. II tins construction be true,
theu the writ of habeas corpus was suspen-
ded or abolished for fifly-seyen years with
out any one discovering the fact, or, il
Knowing IT, without making murmur OF
complaint
Mr. Douglass then read the whole Of the
act of '93. We copy that part which reldte'
to fugitive slaves:
SEc. g. That when a person held to la
Dor m any of the United States, or IN ahy o
the territories on the northwest or south O.
of the river Ohio, under the laws thereof
shall escape into any other of the saio
states or territory, the person to whom sucI
labor or service may be due, his agent o
attorney, Is hereby empowered to seize o
arrest such fugitive from labor and 10 TAX,
hun or her before any Judge of the crcuI
or district courts of the Unned States, re
siding or being within the state. or befor,
any magistrate of county, city, or tow
corporate, wherein such seizure or arres
shall be made, aud upon proof to the salts
faction of such Judge or magistrate, eithe
/ by oral testimony or affidavit, taken beior'
and certified by magistrate of any sucl
state or territory, that the person SO seIze'
or arrested doth, under the laws of ih'
state or territory from which she or he fled
owe service or labor TO the person clamln,
him or her, it shall be the duty of sucl
/ Judge or magistrate 10 give a certihcat
thereof 10 such claimant, has agent or al
torney, which shall be sufficient warrant 70
removing the said fugitive from labor, +
the state or territory from which he or sh
fled.
SEC. 4. Tha, any person who sha
knowingly and willingly obslruct or hinde
such claimant, his agent or attorney, ia $
! SEEKING OF arresting such fugitive from Il