Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-07-16
Tbc Anti 9laprrp Bn9lr.
SALEM, onfo, JULY 10, 1868.
More Constitutional Law.

A ichits fugitive apprentice Yves arraigned last
week, before U. S. Com. Morton, Of n. Y. with
a design of having him returned to New Jersey,
from whence he had escaped. The facts Of his
indcnture and escape were proved. But the
Commissioner contendcd that the words of the
Constitution and the fugitive act Of 1850, which
our readers will recolcct are the same), and the
act of 1903, do not describe persons held to
service or labor as apprentices. But that the
word person in the Constitution is synonymous
with slave, and that the whole scope Of the
Constitutional clause, and Of the Congressional
acts were exhausted in their application to fu-
gitive slaves, and are applicable to none other.
Mr.. Commissioner fortified his opinion by the
Prig casc by quotations from Judge Story and
by the history OF the Constitution and the law
He accordingly discharged the apprentice.
A new Constitutional construction. Probably
which wont lot colored men train in Massa-
chusetts or Ohio, and row demands special
law to send him back to servitudc. Everything
must have beginning, and we shall not won
der if Mr.. Commissioner Morton's opinion WINS
affirmed by his suporiors at Washington, If
any body should think it worth while to carry
it there for revision.
And yet after all we have some little respect
for this decision. We have little doubt it is
the truth in regard to what was intended by a
majority Of the federal convention and by Con-
gross. And we are quite glad to sec SO infam-
Gus and shockingly wicked laws, restricted in
their operation by any means.
Commenting upon this case, the Auti.Sln-
very Standard says:
The advocates for the Anii.Slnvery char.
ter OF the Constitution make or think they
make, n strong point in the argument tInt
that clause in the Constitution. in Sec. 9,
Art. 4, relating to 'liigitives from labor" rnny
apply to apprentices, aud does not necessnr-
lily npply to slaves. The argument hns, at
least, done this COOL service, that The point
will bc judicially considered aud the prncli
cal meaning of tho Constitution como TO lie,
nt length, positively decided by the Courts,
aud all reasonable doubts done away with
IL il should ever I've settled that the article in
question does apply 10 apprentices, the next
step mny be that it does not apply TO slaves,
aud should the door be once opened to innn-
vnions upon the popular construction of the
Constitution, it muy never he closed again
I'LL that instrument is mnde free from NIL pos.
tive or constructive support of Slavery. We
acknowledge that we lave not the lenst hope
or expectation Of this until Slavery is al,ol.
ishcd, or n new Union crenled, though we
should rejoice should we ever find ourselves
mistaken. We ARE glad, lrowe,er, to see the
question rnised and the discussion carried
on in the Courts, for good, we believe, will
come of TINT, lei tie decision he MS it may.
We wish the Constitution were on the side
OF the Anii-Slavery Cause hu, il il is not,
ms we nninnin, the sooner TINT time comes
the better, when history. argument and facts
shall leave nothing on which 10 hang doubt.