The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-08-14
!, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA THURSDAY, AUGUST H. 1851

threw themselves back on their constitutions
al rights, and claimed the right to arrest and
carry off their fugi.ives wherever they might
find them; and there were instances Of the
removal of fugitives without reference tc
the law or Congress. Combinations were
formed in different parts of the State for this
purpose, and alleged fugtives violently ar
rested and carried of, without the produo-
ton Of any evidence on the part OF the clai-
mant that they were such in reality. Hence
the law of 1917. s
''But this ST; te OF affairs does not now ex-
ist.-In the general adjustment of the slave
controversy, Congress has made ample pro-
vision for the rendition of iugitives, withou,
the aid OF State action. And as this law Is
part of the Compromise, upon the obser-
vance of which may depend the perpetuity
of our glorious National Union, all State le.
gisla,ion calculated in the least to embarrass
or delay It's execution, should, in my hum
BILE opinion, be speedily wiped out If, AS
laid down by the Supreme Court, the right
of State to adopt concurrent Legislation, to
corporate in good faith with the action OF
Congress, be disputeble ground, how perfect
| ly it must be that any State law or State le-
gislation which interrupts, limits, or delays
the execution of the law Of Congress, is un-
constitutional and VOID.
ssIn my opinion the execution OF the con-
s,itutonal provision tor the sendition OF fu-
pitiye slaves is a concurrent power vested In
the National and State Governments, and
duty enjoined on all and that, whilst the
States have no power TO prevent the execu-
ton of this provision, it is nevertheless their
righ, and duty TO facilitate the execution OF
The law Of Congress intended to accomplish
this end
"And in this connection will remark
| that if / were the Executive OF this Com
| monweallb, should not hesitate moment
10 sign the bill which the present Executive
| officer has now in his possessiont | think
the Executive of this great State, under ihe le
critical circumstances which surround the
Union. should manifest the utmost DISPOSE
ton 10 facilitate the execution OF the laws
of Congress, and thus, as far as in him lies,
relieve the apprehensions of the Southern
people on this subject. Nor can l under
stand why those who seem to ieel such a
peculiar interest in the rights OF the fugitive
should object TO tho Governor signing this
bill think, on the other hand, they should
! ask him 10 do.
9TH. frAA nsa of State Prisons. is, pei
haps, a matter of quite as much Importance
TO the fugitive as to the master, but is oil I'M
portance above all, to the officer OF law I;
and let us for a moment notice the practical
operalion. The claimant in slave holding
State, taxes the preliminary steps and OBJ
tains certificate from the Local authorities
of his State that he did own and lose GER
tain described slave. With this ne comes
into one of our counties 10 tho interior, and
makes an arres of a person whom he pc
Geves 10 be the man described in the certiii-
cate. From the time the arrest Is made up
to ,he period at which lie can produce the
necessary evidence to make out the Identity
of the slave so arrested, he must be delain'
ed. And here, for the first, we find the op-
era,ions of the bill now in the hand OF the
executive. If he should siya this bill the
fugitive would very naturally be deposited
! in the County Prison, where he would be III
charge of the hepublic, and where he would
he accessible 10 all--where he could have
counsel. and where those who are concern
ed for his rights, could communicate with
him-he is safe from violence-the clam
ant is safe ard society is safe. But II 'he
use of the County Prison be denied 10 the
agent of the law, does the fugitive there
fore 60 ireea By no means, but. the effect
is to make him to very considerable ex-
tent, the personal property OF the U. ).
] Commissioner, who, If he cannot get the
use of the prison, will have to put the iusi-
tive in somebody's cellar, lock him up in
calaboose, or tie him up with manacles, and
keep him secreted from the public; he will
have no counsel-the public will not be al
|lowed access 10 him the Commissioner be-
ing aloue responsible, he will not take the
hazard of allowing him TO be visited by ev'
erybody, and he will dispose OF the case
with as much raridity as possible. l am
willing that you should decide which o'
these systems is most likely to promote con-
yenience in. the execution of the laws, the
peace of the community and the rights OF
the fugitive. Now, whilst this practical op-
Grafton is thus rather unimporant, except TO
the fugitives, The refusal to remove this OBJ.
struction is more injurious 10 the feelings oil
the Southern people than if it contained
some important principle, for this they
would be constrained to respect, but 1t ap-
pears to them in the light Of aggression on
our part"
COL Bigler closed his speech by retenine
10 the inestimable blessings derived from
the American Union as il is, and was quite
eloquent in his effort TO allay all sectional
iealousies ON the question that has created
SO much excitement throughout the country
The meeting was also addressed by several
other prominent speakers.
nR Snooks wonders where all the pillow