The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-10-09
COMMISSIONER FOR ONE YEAR, ,
ISAIAH JOHN Of Cattasvissa.
. 9 Q 9 q
READ HI

Topaz The Governor is to be in town 10
explain 10 the people (among other things,)
whyhe has not signed the bill 10 repeal the
sixth section Of the Slave aci of 1S47. This
bill passed al the last session, in accordance
with public opinion, and is required by the
interests and honor Of the State. Why has
he put it in his pocket and refused to permit
1t TO become a law Will he have the face
10 repeat here the false and miserable excu-
ses which he made in Philadelphia on the
s5th Septembers II he does SO let the fol-
lowing facts as shown by the journals Of
las. session, fur nish The complete reputation
Of his misrepresentation and pretences upon
this subject.
He said in Philadelphia 1--WE quote from a
report of his speech in the NeU York Tribune,
a Wing paper,) as follows -
"His last topic was the bill passed last
winter 70 repeal the act Of 1s47, which re-
fuses our prisons TO the use of claimants of
fugitive slaves--a bill which is not a law
because he has not signed it. He explained
thus:-At the opening OF the session he
specially requested the Legislature 10 send
all bills of public concern 10 him long
enough before the adjournment TO give him
time, (the constitutional 10 days,) for their
duo consideration. This repeating bill was
OF their tables the whole winter. If it had
the Importance, and the pressing importance
which his enemies pretend, they should
have given it an early hearing, but they, in
fact, delayed its passage through the lower
House until one hour before they left the
capital" "He insisted tina. the Executive
has rights, and that his office imposes du-
ties which he must protect and [erform,
more especially when it is obvious that they
are ~purposely and recklessly attacked &c."
Now the facts in the case are simply these
A law TO repeal the obstruction act of l847
was introduced into the Legislature at the ses-
zion of 1850, and its passage prevented by
Best who held the casting vote in that
body. 1t was urged by the Democrats. and
resisted by Governor Johnston and his Wing
friends.
Last winter a similar act was again intro.
duced into the Senate during the month Of
January, and the Democrats urged it's pas
sags while the Wings resisted. During the
first week OF the session a test vote was ia.
kensin the Senate and the bill for that time
defeated. The De- with a single ex-
cep,ion, (Mr. Guernsey voted for it, aud the
Wings, with a single exception, {Ms. Frick,)
opposed the bill and all action upon il. 1t
was ihus delayed by the votes of Governor
Johnston's friends until almost the close of
March. After the Wings had dismembered
its provisions and proportions until ii only re-
pealsd the sixth section of the law of ls47,
the Democrats got it up by a vote of is TO 10
at a favorable moment when the Sen ate was
not full, and then il was passed in that
branch.
Alter the bill passed the Senate it came
over to the House for concurrence but ev-
cry person al all acquainted with Legislative
rules and business knows that in such a
case a bill must await It's regular order and
turn unless the rules are suspended by a
vote Of tro airds, which the Democrats did
NOT possess ever in the House. Itis known
too that only at the close Of the session is
the Speakers table relieved from the load of
bills which is piled upon il, and only in the
hurry Of the last few days are any of the
earlier and older bills reached. For this Iea-
son il was that this repeating law (Senate
bill s6s) did not come up in order until the
l4,h of April, just the day before the close
of the session.
Even then the Wing members resored to
every expedieut 10 delsy action, and to
postpone the consideration Of the subject.
The yeas and nays were called eleven times.