The southern press., 1852-05-20
The Na,saehusotts Respite.


also has the ass trance prate about COALITIONS
and charges tie Dem Gratis of that State with
having made Il" moa' ,ous blunder." What Is
treason in the Sout : only a political blunder
in the Nortf, accord - to the ethics of this ad-
ministralioD orgar Ne reason why it ventur'
ed to say even so muca may BE- found in the
note appended to the editorial, as follows:
"On Saturday the bill came up in the Massa.
chusetts house of rep-o .entatives for engross-
ment, and was defea,ta y eleven majority"
The Boston p. apt to be more accurate,
says: "
"LEGTsLAmyE--ia ttle house on Saturday
considerable busj0,5s Of Importance was dis
posed of, not the east Of which was the defeat
of the personal liberty bill, by nine notes.
| There were twenty six more votes against it
than on its passage 70 a third reading, and four
teen NOR IN fauor Gt t' "s"
We may now eSpee shortly blast from the
| Union, which has siagnbered silently over the
matter until It has been temporarily disposed Of.
Obvious reasons Of Focy dictate delay in its
passage, and powerful indeed must have been
the sentiment that could have oyerpowered
them, even for time. But be itremembered
by the South That this is respite, not re.
prieye
We subjoiN the bill and the report of the joint
special committee
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts
In SENATE, March 81, 1852.
ha inin M Al.
OF Delaware, New Hampshire, and New Jersey,
to which was committed the petition of seventy.
six legal voters of the town of West Boylston,
for law similar 10 the law of Vermont, grant
ing a trial by juryto fugitives; the petition Of
Josiah Trow anl seventy-nine others, legal
voters of the tow of Buckland, for the enact
ment OF law granting the fugitive from slavery
the right of trial by jury; and an order to con-
slider the expedency ofpassing law authorizing
the executive to appoint commissioners to pro
Lect persons arrested as fugitive slaves, &C., re-
port the accompanying bill.
s. E. SEwALL, Chairman.
AN AcT further to protect personal liberty
BE enactF By The Senute and House of Rep
-eSentat,res in General Court assembled. and 6u
he authority Of The same, as follo,Ds
SEC. !. The governor, by and with the ad-
ice and consent of the council, shall appoint in
every county Que or more commissioners, learned
n the law, whose duty it shall be in their re-
spective counties, when any person in this State
Is arrested or seized, or in danger of being ar
rested or seized, as fugitive slave, on being in.
formed thereof, diligently and faithfully to use
all lawful means to protect, defend, and procure
the discharge of every such person.
Sec 2 II shall be the duty of the clerks of
courts in their respective counties, and of any
justice OF the peace in any county in which any
person may be arrested or imprisoned as a fupi
tive slave, on the petition of any such commis
sloner or any other person, setting forth that he
is informed and believes that any person, whose
name, If known, shall be given in the petition.
is seized or arrested or imprisoned in anv pIsce
within the cohnty as a fugitive slave by any
person whose name, il known. shall be piyen in
the petition, which petition shall be verified by
the oath OF the petitioner, il shall thereupon he
the duty Of such clerk or Justice to issue writ
OF habeaS corpus IN favor Of the person claimed
a. fugitive slave, under the seal of the surname
judicial court, or the seal of the said Justice, in
the same form and manner az nearly as NAV be.
AZ is directed IN tie one hundred and eleventh
chapter Of the revised statutes and said writ
shalt be maze returnahie forthwith 10 the supreme
Judicial court il if session n The county m which
the person claimed as a fugitive slave NAV no
when the writ is iss ued, and il not so in session
before any justice of The said court
SIC. 3. Ii shall be the duty of all judicial aud
executive officers in this commonwealth. in their
respective counties, who shall know or have
good reasons TO believe that any person in this
commonwealth is about 60 be arrested or seized
as fugitive slave, forth with TO give notice there
OF to some commissioner of the county in
which the said person resides or NAV be found
SFc. 4. IT, upon the hearing before any Judge.
IN vacation, of any writ of hdbedS cOrpns issued
in favor Of any person claimed as a fugitive
slave, he shall mol be discharged By The judge, ne
may appeal from such decision, aud claim a trial
by jury, which shall be had at the next term of
the court in the same county, or at any adjourned
session of said court before the next term and
the person so claimed as a fugitive NAV give
bail to the claimant for his appearance AT the
next term Of the court, or said adjourned ses.
sion, in such sum as the Judge shall think sufii.
cient. not exceeding one thousand dollars. with
one or more sureiies, 10 the satisfaction of the
Judge; and in default Of such bail he shall be
committed TO the common Jail to await the trial.
SEC. 3. The court 10 which such appeal i,
taken, and any court 90 which a writ Of haJeas
corpus is returnabIe in any case under this act,
may and shall, on application Of either party 10
the proceedings grant trial by jury on all
questions Of fact in issue between the parties
SEc. 6. The commissioner shall defray all
expenses Of Witnesses, clerks fees. and officer's
fees, and other expenses which may be incurred
in the protection and defence Of any person
seized or arrested as fugitive slave: and the
same, together with the reasonable CHARGE, Of
the commissioner for his services a. attorney
and counsel in the case, shall be paid by the
State treasurer, on a warrant 10 be issued bv
the governor
SIC. z. This act shall take effect on and after
its passage.
sauye Qui Peut