The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-17
HARRISBURG FOR THE SOUTHERN MARKET.

The Hunkers of both the parties in Pennsyl-
vania are endeavoring to make merit down South
out of their zeal for the repeal Of their statute
forbidding the use of the jails of that State for
the detention of fugitive slaves. This is very
small business at best but besides its undue de-
votion to the wrong, it is pretty we'll mixed with
pretence, and even hypocrisy, toward the inter-
est 1t processes to serve
Our Southern readers will please to observe that
the resolutions intended to please them always
speak Of the 9Th section of the act of Assembly APP
proved Sd of March, lS47. Let them note the date
of the act and the fact that it has the sig nature of
Francis r. Skunk, Democratic Governor of the
State James Cooper, Wing, then Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and now Senator in Con-
gress, Of the Compromise line of Union savers and
Charles Gibbons, Speaker of the Senate, a Hunk
er Wing of Philadelphia; both Of which last
named gentlemen supported the measure in their
respective Houses while on its passage, and the
last of whom afterwards, in the court house of
Philadelphia, spoke Of his signature to that bill
as one of the proudest acts Of his public life, or
words to that general effect. Let it be further
noted that Colonel Bigler, the present Democrat
ic candidate for Governor voted for the law in
his office of Senator and that ii was only in the
last hour of the last session Of their Legislature
that the Hunkers hurried through the House the
repeal Of the 9Th section-the repeal having been
under way two whole winters, and the law full
four years old Mark, the whole statute was
under pretence of repeal during two sessions of
the Legislature, and finally passed in the hurry
of the last hour Of the last one, in such fashion
that only one section out Of eight was touched by
it. and 30 late that the Governor could not posi-
bly, read and return the bill with his signature,
or without it, before the adjournment!
And still further, look at the character of the
other sections Of this law, which neither party
and nobody in Pennsylvania now proposes to re-
peal We give synopsis of them all:
The first section provides for the punishment
of the crime Of kidnapping any free negro or mu-
latto.
The second section Furnishes the act of selling
or buying any free negro or mulatto for the pur-
pose of carrying such free negro or mulatto out
of the State with the design of reducing him or
her to slavery.
The third section provides that no judge of
any Of the courts of the Commonwealth, nor any
alderman or justice Of the peace, shall take juris-
dictiop of the case Of any fugitive from labor from
any Of the United States or Territories, under q
certain act Of Congress passed the 18th Of Feb
ruary, 1893. These officers forbidden to
issue or grant any warrant or certificate Of re-
moval Of any such fugitive from labor under said
act Of Congress, or under any other law, authori-
ty, or act Of Congress, under penalty OF fine Of
not less than $500 nor exceeding 1000, and to
be deemed guilty Of misdemeanor in Office.
The fourth section provides that II any person
or persons, claiming any negro or mulatto fngi'
tive from labor, shall under any pretence of su-
thority whatsoever, violently and unanimously
seize upon any such negro or mulatto, so as to
disturb or eudsnger the public peace of the Com.
monwealth, either with or without the intention
of taking such negro or mulatto before any Dis.
trict or Circuit Judge, tof the United States
Court) the offender shall be sentenced to pay O
fine Of not less than 500 or more than 81 900
with the costs Of prosecution and further to b
confined In the county jail for any period not eI
ceeding three months
The fifth section reaffirms the right Of the wri
Of ha6eas corpus in behalf Of "sny human being
within this Commonwealth"
The sixth section (the section repealed by thu
act Of last SESSION. forbds the use OF the jsils o
the State for the detention Of fugitives from la
bor under the penalty Of $500, and the remova
Of the jailor from his office, and his future inca
pAcity for holding II during his natural life.
The seventh section, lentire) "ThAt SO muci
Of the act of the General Assembly entitled al
sct for the gradual abolition Of slavery passed
list Of March, 1850, as authorizes the MASTER
or owners Of slaves to bring and retain sucf
slaves within this Commonwealth for the period
Of six months In involuntary ssrvitads, or for Any
period Of time whstsosvss, md - nssA Of sAid