Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-04-12
Resolutions

Adopted at the Mass Convention Of The friends Of
Freedom, IN Boston, on Tuesday, April s, 1851.
Resolred, That the people of the United States
entitled TO all the "rgh;s and liberties" which by Nag
ma ChaTta, the haJeas corpus act, the Declaration Of
Rights and the Common Lau Of England, belonged be-
fore the Revolution to the free subjects of the British
Crown; that it designed in efecting the pot-
cal in dependence of the Colonies to stbv TT or endan
ger, butt on the contrary, to maintain, and per-
peuate the rights and liberties Of the people, that all
statutes, the effect of which may be to change freeman
into slave without the ''rerdic ofs PEERS" and with.
out Judicial proceedings according to the CLAW of the
and, are in violation OF these rights Of Englishmen
for which the Of the Revolution was fought not to
part with, but to retain; which the Constitution was
formed to protect, and not to destroy, and which we
can never disown, desert, betIay compromise, SO
long as we remain worthy to be known citizens OF
New England.
Resolred That the existing enactments of Congress,
upon the recaptue Of persons claimed have escaped
from service, alarming usurpation of power not
granted by the people, the States are subversive
of the ancient rights and duties Of feemen, of the ex-
press provisions and reservations of the American Con-
Sution, and the fundamental maxms of free govern
men.
ResolDcd, That no person in any State of this Union
can constutionally be deprived of his liberty without
due process OF law, which process in the case of an
alleged Fugitive from service is a snit at common law
in which he person claimed is entitled to trial of all
claimant, before court of competent Jurisdictions by
jury of the vicinity where be is found; to be heard
fully, in his defense, be confronted and to cross ex
anime the witnesses against him. and to have the ben
eft of the rules of evidence they are accustomed to
be administered in the courts of common law; and that
in the determination of such issue, all Prescriptions
of law and fact and ought be- in favor Of liberty
Resolved That it is the paramount duty of the law
making power TO maintain and secure the ''libertes of
the people; and that any enactment which eliminates
against the liberties of the people in favor of proper
y is unconstitutional, oppressive and UNJUST and that
law which dscrimnates against liberty in favor of
one specific kind Of property, thus giving TO one class of
capitalists (and those slaveholdersl privileges which
are inconsistent with the personal safety of eemen land
not shared by any other holders of property can stand
only upon the assumption that there no states in the
Union but slave states, people but Shareholders and
no property in the nation but slaves.
Resolred, That it is impossible aid, by word or
deed, in REMINDING fugitive slave to bondage without
aiding to rob him of an ualenable right without pare
patng in the act of holding him in slavery, and, thus
without SHINING against Christian light and against
God
ResolUd, That the Act of Congress providing for the
recapture and return of persons claimed as slaves,
ought to be Immediately and forever repealed.