Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-01-08
The Workings OF the Fugitive
Law.

We give the following as related to US, and
hope that the knowledge of such cases may be
spread far and wide, that the American people
may be made to understand the real character
of that law which we are called upon to support,
under threats Of prosecution and death
Some years since a STAKEHOLDER held muIat-
to woman as a slave, who was his own daugh-
ter Familiarity with the system had not OBJ
liberated all traces of human feeling In his bo
som, and he desired that his daughter should be
made free. Years passed or, and she became
a wife after the slave law mode, and the mother
Of children. For the purpose of attaining his
cherished object, the mother and children were
sent into Ohio, where of course they became
free by Ohio law, as having been sent there tor
the purpose by the master. One OF these ch'Id'
rem, daughter, was at the time but eighteen
months old. The STAKEHOLDER died; aud his
wife, as was stated, in the settlement oil the es
tate, paid thirteen bundled dollars as compen-
saton 10 the heirs for these slaves who had been
sent away. This woman also died, and 10
| legal evidence Of the transaction remained.--
| The children Of the woman sent into Ohio grew
up to womanhOod and we're married. The lit
lie girl, only eighteen months old, when she
came to Ohio, has been resident OF Cincinnati
for fifteen years, living as unsuspectng OF dan
ger as any woman Of our city. Size is nearly
white, 1t requiring practlsed eye to detect her
color. is the mother Of two children, and she
with her family were pleasantly situated, with
the comforts and convenlenccs OF lie around
them.
A few days since a messenger from distant
spot was sent to them in bre thlcss haste that
the heirs Of the father Of this womans mother
had made claim to all the children Of the wo-
man sent into Ohio SO many years ago, and Of
course their children also, and that it was sup
posed that warrant was already in the city for
the seizure of the woman and her children here,
while The other branches of the family had just
been hurried away for the north
Consideration seized this household. True,
the woman was legally tree, but once in the
grasp Of the stakeholder she knew that nothing
could save her. Not moment was to be lost
The officers were probably on her track. As
the only resource, she with her babes were hur-
red instantly from their home, and with such
comforts as could be hurrIedly gathered, she
bid her husband farewell, (who could not at the
tine accompany her,) left her pleasant home to
deSoIation, and fed for Canada, where, thanks
10 the great protector Of the oppressed, and to
the humane policy OF the British Government
she is safe.
This is the operation of the law against
which it is treason to speak, the law which gov
eminent dvnes support from the pulpit, and this
law is the creature of that system OF outrage
which finds its most secure resting place in the
bosom of the church.
The list of such sh ocklng transactions swells
with fearful rapidity upon the records of God -
Each day in some portion of our(tree? p north
human lights are thus stricken down, and free
American homes are broken up, and given tt
desoIation, woe and tears. Who is responsIble
FELLOW christian, Go you belong to a churct
which sanctions slavery b, its fellowship ant
communion with stakeholder? II 50, thou al
the man. for without the support which slave
holding thus receives, this law could never have
been enacted, nor could il feman to disgrace,
oar statute book, would each christian do his duty
and Withdraw his own sanctiont aud throw IIi
iehote influence where it would tell agllnst OPP
pTessioH.-Free .Missiou1rU