Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-09-09
THE DAILY SPY.
The Fugitive Slave Law gain.

The Fugitive Slave Law gain.
AS paper was going TO press last week, coiored
man brought by force from Pou9hkeepsie to this
city, and put in peril of his liberty, before Commits
sioner under the Fugitive Slave Law The particulars
of the arrest given in last weeks paper. This
man, John Boding, or Boudin, respectable and in
susrious tailor, seized in his shop hurried
the cars without being allowed to communicate with his
wife, his partner any of his friends, brought this
city, and locked UP in the Tombs. The articles to
which the mnions of this law in order to secure
their victms show the baseness of the statute. If the
consummate arts OF oppression in Austria italy, have
devised more odlous methods OF spritDg away
to the dungeon and the lash, not aware of the
fact. In one moment, innocent man, peaceable
member OF society, may be snatched from his family and
his business, hurried off distant city, put in Jail like
ielon, and at the word of one an,-ignorant it may
be- of the first principles of law, and brbed by the stat
ute ITSELF fee of FIVE dollars to decide against
the prsoner-may be doomed to life. long slavery To
be sure, the has the mockery of tria; there is
trial before the lnquSton; there trial of some
sort before the siarchamber What is trial where the
preludged, where commercial interests cores
pondlng to political interests in the old world demand
that the accused shall be condemned, and where the
judge himself is brbed the side Of the oppressor?-
The fact that in such the victim has hearing at
all and that the Summary process enioned by this
ute be Delayed shows how far the statute behind
the age and how many checks Christian civilization
oppose to the babarism that this edct would bring
back upon
The case of Bolding continued through several
days. partly of the illness of the Commits
soner before whom it first brought and partly be-
cause OF question of parentage raised by the counsel
OF Boldng. Mr.. Culver, who appeared for Bolding.
conducted his with great ability. Several medical
gentlemen and others, experts in physognomy and
physiology, testified hat they regarded Boldng as chief
y of Indian extraction This fact would raise pre-
sumption in favor of his freedom, under Southern
law and in a of any other kind, the accused would
have the benefit of the doubt Here proper case
TO go before jury and the claimant should have been
required TO prove that the mother of Bolding wasa
slave. But no; the Commissioner decides from the
opinion OF unscenfc men, that Boding has negro blood
in his veins, and from the fact that he has been for
twenty years slave, ners that his mother must have
been slave. So he delivers him to the claimant with
the charitable assurance that any mistake be cor
reced by the South Carolina couits And this is lawi
Indeed, this Commissioner tells that the claimant
might have brought the defendant before him 'slrthom
any warrant whateUer' and he investigation would
have been conducted in precisely the same manneri-
But has the State Of New York no law to prevent her
citizens being seized without warrant?
1t seems that arrangements made to purchase
Boldlngs freedom for about 81 600, including The ex
penses of this seizure; but it was made condition that
he should first be taken back South Carolina For
what purpose! As a triumph for the magnanimous
chlvahy OF that State perhaps, a South Caroni-
an said in the Commissioners room, $50 make him
hou! The sooner such chivalry is out Of the Union
the better. The Evening Post makes the following
torclble comments the case:
| "Boldings greatest objection, however, to going
back is the separation from his wife in Poue hkeepsie
to whom he Is deep attached land whose two brothers,
remarkably fne-lookag young fellows almost white =
are in constant attendance upon him. The nature and
force OF that objection it needless for comment
upon but we blush that our race contains in
sensible to every humane impulse be capable of
violently separating young and afectionate couple for
life, and consigning of them lifelong servItude
for the pary sum which has been named as the price
OF holdings freedom. What mockery is it for people
to talk of their priceless honor who can steel their
hearts to such mercenary baseness.
''We were near forgetting that BoIding re-
presents himself TO be the Of former representa-.
tive in Congress- of that name, from Petersburg Va
He has strongly marked Indian features silky hair s
high cheek bones, expanded nostriIs, and light COP
perry complexion. II he have any African b, Cd in his
VEINS there is trace of it visible except in his com
pleXion, which little resembles thar of NEGRO
than that Of a white man.
"Ifthe Hon. Mr.. Bolding, or Boudin, is alive, and
bears the relation to Boiling which is imputed to him.
trust his paternal sympahies will not sleep at such
crisis this in his amy.''
One of the most melancholy features of this case was
that white man, living in New jersey, appeared as
joint claimant of Bolding, and that other white men,
who trace their origin to New England but have bpsi
ness interests at the South appeared witnesses to
swear away his natural liberty. To what pitch Of
baseness does this law sanctioned by venerable dviEes
reduce the moral Of men! The systematic depra-
Vaton OF the community under Its influence OF the
"Ths agitation cease. No, Mr. Webster;
this agitation will not cease; it cannot cease while
such deeds are pcrpetrated in the of the law and
while any among retain their honor, their patriotism
and their humanity. 1t will cease, till this law is
repealed or has become dead letter, or till the system
that uphods by its ouages, is overthrow forever
The case of Daniel, the alleged fugitive at Buffalo,
has come to different issue from that reported lat
week. Judge Conking declared him entitled to his
freedom, and he has gone Canada This decision is
in accordance with law AID precedent Yet the Com
missioner remanded this free into slavery And
the statute gives redress against the Commissioner
thousand dollars fine and six months Imprisonment
for opposing the execution of the infamous Decree but
no penalty for kidnapping freeman in the Of the
law. Will the citizens of Buffalo tolerate such an of
fetal to Judge upon the liberty of their fellow ctzens7
Have they indignant remonstrance to utter against
the continuing of such in office? Will the Adj
mnisration insult the North by retaining in its service
who has proved himself so utterly incompetent? If
so, the people must make the reckoning in due time
This agitation will not cease.
base attempt was made by some of the secular pa
pers to palm off forged or forced letter from Daniel
declaring his willingness go back to Kentucky, and
his preference OF slavery TO freedom. Why did he not
60 when Judge Conkng gave him the power of choice?
10 such miserable shifts the advocates OF this law
reduced. "Ths agitation cease" Alas, Mr..
Webster, II will not cease.-New 70 k Ipdepainent.
81 The London Times, speaking ofthe late census
of England, says:--
alt is now shown, that duriug the last half century
he, ri n.e hoe,