Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-01-16

demned. The distinction attempted to be
drawn by the aboitionists of the North, be-
tween the fugitive slave and fugitive from JUS
tice, falls to the ground, then, if the slave is
allowed an opportunity of proving his freedom
That the most ample and liberal provision fol
this object is made in some Of the Southern
States we are satisfied. We only quote from
the statutes of Virginia, in the present No
The law is as follows =
OF SUITS FOR FREEDOM.
SEC. l. ANY person conceiving himself
unlawiuly detained as slave may petition
the circuit court or court of the county oil
corporation in which he may be detained
for leave TO sue for his freedom, or he may
complain thereof TO a justice.
SEC. .. If the complaint he made to a
justice, he shall, by precept in writing, give
the complainant III charge to the sheriff or
other officer, 10 be produced before the cir
cult court. or court OF the county or corpora
ton, las the complainant may elect,) at the
next term thereof, and IN the mean time 10
be safely kept, at the expense of the person
claiming 10 be the owner, and shall cause
such person TO be notified thereof.
"SEC. 5. lfthe person claiming 10 be the
owner, or some one for him, will enter into
bond. approved by the officer having The
complainant III charge, IN penalty equal TO
double the value OF the complainant, supp0s-
ing him 10 be Il slave, conditioned 10 have
him forthcoming before the said court a the
next term thereof, such officer shall deliver
10 him the complainant.
"SEC. 4. The court 10 which such peti-
tion may be presented, shall aid him in the
prosecution of his suit: and until the person
claiming 10 be the owner, or some one FOR
him, will enter into bond, before the court
or its clerk, IN such penalty us the court
shall direct, conditioned 10 have The petit
TONER forthcoming, TO abide the Judgment of
the court, and in the mean time to allow
him reasonable opportunity TO prepare FOR
trial, shall deliver him in charge 10 the prop
err officer fer safe keeping, al the expense OF
the person so claiming 10 be owner; but the
petitioner may III the mean time be hired
out if the court so order, and the hire shall
be disposed of as the court shall Direct
The petitioner SHALL have, free of cost, al!
needtul process, services OF officers, and at
tendance of witnesses.
"SEc s. 1t shall be the duty of the
counsel TO file with the clerk a statement i'll
writing Of the material facts of the case with
his opinion thereon; and unless it appear
manifest theretrom that the silt ought not
10 be prosecuted, the court shall cause the
person claiming TO he The owner 10 be sum
moned TO answer the petition.
"SEC. 6. The case may be tried, without
regard to its place on the docket, at The term
of the court 10 which the summons shall be
returned executed; and jury, free from ex-
ceptlon, without line Formally OF pleading,
shall be empanneIied TO Try whether the Pc
titioner be free or not
"SEC. Z. If the verdict be for the petit
toner, the jury may find damages for delen-
ton pending the suit and The court shall
ndJudge the petitioner 10 be free, and award
10 him the damages and costs"
slave in that commonwealth can 90 before q
justice of the peace and say that he is entitled
to his freedom, and from that moment the lau
takes him under us protection, and does mo-
leave him until he has fair opportunity o
obtaining justice at the public expense. l:
the white fugitive from justice thus favoTed:-
viii it be said, in reply to this, that the sym
pathy is all on the side of the white man
care for him: In refutation of this we havt
only to quote the following comparison ins,i
tuted between the two by the New York Ex
press, which goes to show the false sympathy
abroad in the community =
THE DIFFERENCE. There are two fug
tive cases pending in New York-onc lii.
case of the negro Long, and the other that 0
three white FrencEmen, who are being deal
with under the exlraCitlon treaty viii
France.
The black mans case makes grea
noise. because he is blank-the three whit
men. who are in a similar predlcament, re
10 notice or sympathy at all, being nothing
but white men.
"The negro, Long, has two abe counsel
one J. l.. White, and The other John Jay
The frs! of these counsel does not work II
such case without adequate pay.
The three While French people pay thei
own counsel; aud may have committed
robbery-rn Paris, or may have not; are, per
haps, innocent, though possibly guilty; bu
here they are, with no chance OF lrIal be
fore a jury. IF they are sent back, and ar
convicted, they GO 10 the galieys, and ar
slaves perhaps, for life.
"The negro, Henry Long, lucky fellow
for being black, lives in clover here, has on
ftAe best speakers in the city on the bes
fee, interests all the abotionisIs in all quar-
,ers, who contribute money freely for his de
fence, and, if he is returned, leaves here ca
nonized as martyr, and goes back TO I'M
condition he was horn into, iatten on hot
and hominy, better fed and better clothed