Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-02-27
Amendment of Fugitive slave Law,

In The Senate Of The United States, February TO- 1851
MIR. BRIGHT, in pursuance of notice. asked and OBJ
tanned leave to introduce bill explanatory of the
approved 18th September, 1880, entitled AN act 10
amend and supplemental the entitled an act re-
specting lu2tves from justice and persons escaping from
the service of their masters, approved February -
1882 which read first time by its title.
The bill is in the following terms:
BE enacted &C., That all actions and causes Of
ton and all proceedings instituted be instituted
for any violation of the provisions of said respecting
ugitves from justice and persons escaping from the
vice OF their masters, approved 18th February, 1893
may be instituted and prosecuted to final Judgment and
execution If the said act of September 49, $780, had
not been passed
Mr.. BRIGHT. Mr.. President, move that this bill
together with the accompanying papers, 90 to the Com
mittee the Judiciary. Before the question is put
however desire that there a misapprchen-
sion the part OF Senators the object
of this BILL To correct any impression that
may exist here elsewhere will that this bill in
no way intereres with or dsturbs what are known as
the compromise measures passed at the last session
OF Congress. / advocated those then, and
and when present at the voting uniformly gave them
support shall be the last Senator on this floor to offer
any proposition proposing repeal of any of them
in any way renewing the agitation and mschievous
excitement we have passed through. There con.
fcting opinions, Mr. President, among the legal minds
OF the country, 10 whether the act of 1893 Gas it is
called) was repealed by the compromise measures oil
last session. This bill is merely declaratory its
enacting that all legal rights existing under the law
1893 may lie presented final Judgment and execution
though the fugitive slave law of 1850 had passed
1t is proper should that this bill prepared by
distinguished citizen of Indiana. member of this
body, gentleman OF acknowledged talents jurist
and statesman-I refer to the honorable o. III. Smith
and / understand from the letter that accompanies
the BILL is intended to class of cases pending and
undsposed of when the law of 1850 passed All that
he petitions for reference of this bill the appropr
ate committee of this body, not doubling: | cannot
Doubt they will make such report. and Congress will
take such action right and justice demands. ask
that the accompanying paper 90 with the bill TO the
Committee on the Judiciary.
The letter submitted by Mr. BRIGHT calls the atten-
ton OF the Senate to matter connected with the recent
slave law Long before passage of the it says
that Mr.. John Norris, of Boone county, Kentucky, was
robbed of his slaves by violence South Bend Indiana
He brought suit for the price of the negroes, and
May term last recovered Judgment; the o
great aQgravation, much to make right and
proper bring suits for the penalty under the act o
1898. Several suits pending at the time the act o
1850 passed. At the present of the court de-
murrers filed to the declarations, and the ground
taken was that the act OF the last session repeal
by implication of the of I793 far related to
the penalty and did by such repeal put end to the
ses, and right OF Norris to recover The court. after
long argument took the cases under advisement and as
it not TO he supposed that Congress intended 10 defeat
the prosecutions pending at the time Of the passage
the act the writer suggests order to leave ground
for doubt the subject that Congress pass declara
tory law that all prosecutions actions pending the
date of the act of September 1885, for violations of the
of 1893 and all right bring actions for the viola
ton of that law before the passage of the of 1850
shall remain the that act had been passed.
Mr. HALE. Before the question is putt am not
going to oppose i'll want simply call the attention
Of the Senate and the country to this singuli fact
Here is subject conlesscdly within jurisdiction, up
which are legislatng and upon which are pro-
posing to act, and yet the most respectful petitions that
sent here the subject contemptuousy refused
a hearing.
Mr.. FOOTE. In regard to the action referred to by
the Senator from New Hampshire, far my own
course is concerned would say that have intended no
contemptuousness any portion Of the people of the
United States, even to those who have been somewhat
oiicious in bringing mp these matters.
The motion TO refer the bill to the Committee the
Judiciary agreed to.