New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-01
THE KIDNAPPING CLAUSE

in this partnership how it operates amieaby VIII NAL
efsctors in committing the very crime for which one OF
them has already suffered in the penitenriary There
is no dispute among decent people about Iae crinnay
Of tearing such man as George Smith alias Bill Fish
or from biz PeDnsy home and bis family and con.
signing him TO ebattel slavery in Maryland, vhetherbe
under amaster whose veins purple with the blood sfth-
Towards. or with similar liquid which has " creps
"tbroueh scoundrels since the flood No one usr
fees even on the ground Of saving the Union simply No.
it would not do to commit so mean and rev'uns
crime even 20 rave the integrity OF this great Repuo
lie, if it were not soemnly prescribed and esoaed IN
the fundamental law received from the fathers thereof
The creed from which il results that the nted states
must stoop 20 the inefiabie degradation OF becoming
1Ytceps crrainis with such Ruthless villains IS AOeru
ia this That the Constitution the handwork Of Wash
ippton Jefferson, Adams, Wilson, Sherman franAhn
and other revolutionary peers solenny adopted BY te
peote OF these States in Conventions assembled Or
dsned that lie Federal Government, IN acAnoF.ed--
melt Of the right Of property which one man ma! loil
in The body and soul Of aoober, shall b' rs. mighty
power srd all the machinery Of Us JEs'ies, AID tne
siareLci4,r 10 recovering his fugitive Stare Flo mN
have escaped soce he date Of tbs sad Cjlst,atol'
into any otler SAFE.
This is a very hard curd to swallow, for men wlo
resEect either themselves or tner country. Even
me larousce fthe Constitution seemed plainly 20 e1-
mes. il sucb men would naturally believe, rom the!r
lsitI In the hisory Of their counfrys heroes tha II
mo.t be cspab.e Of more decent Interpretation re-
conripg u 10 the known principles Of the trainers o.
,ho Constitution But the Language OF the Con'l u
ton j. il notorious does not plainly nor a. AL express
any such thing For the honor Of the Constitution ~
love 10 quote tie very words, honorable ana pure
word. as con any where be found. Ihcy are mes
"Nofec-.n he'd 90 service or lao'r 10 one o.Ae ule
,ts ~ ~ feof .srayigg ito smother ~ 1l I'd co'.'
ou.rc4 f any .g regulation therein o. ui' h'IS-l
D. sfol s.rIo. cr labor but shall De delivered mp on
+ c>u % he party 20 W. IL SUN ''' ''10 -
/ cue
A. question Of words governed by the laws OF EGG
ush grammar and standard dictionaries nothing can De
palmer han thas this language has nothing . do win
slaves Ty the loyal definitions of the Slave states
themselves slave is person from whom nothing can
be due" He is inca yable of giving anything. 10
WLomsceser else tis language may apply 1t neither de-
fcibes slaves nor applies TO them, by aoy erce oil ts
own. Neverthekts by the creed Aforesaid 1t IS he'd
tom,su slaves End we are referred 10 history Tor the
res'onHhy.
Let Us go to history though the rules OF consti'u-
tona Interpretation sanctioned by the Supreme Court
Of the nited S,a'es forbid it, in cases where the Ian
cuaee +. plain Of itsef 1t must be rich history which
could mske language 50 perfectly innocent impose the
horrible Obligation to commit crime. Let us see Wnas
contract f. al,d N blood what awful sacramen'el let
ters for the soul Of the nation history hangs OUTSIDE OIL
this laiuless stipulation that people shall not oe de-
barred 10y State legislation from recovering service or
labor which may be due TO them The story Is long
4 I g..r, I,ftV We. ha pu
It's .sien points aud get bearings by transa'tion
IN he early colonial time- there not only avery
such as Low exists but specious of involuntary ser'
tude which does not DOW exists Hilre,b, in his very
valuable Lstory Of the United States, vol J. page 5J4
under date OF 1860, says:
~Inotifed service etsied indeed in al the American
cfloni.s mt the cultivation of tobacco cressi special
dtuar f il in Virgins and Maryland regular ut4e
early established the tram port ~ persons "lo oI
esskt OF psagr 20 America suffered th-ee 90 % se
IT. by ffe matr 81 ae vfss- 90 serve no q" year.
after tlrr arrival B.t tn mbtrk4n 90 $50 lno-n q
servsi. io' 81 ways voluntary some IN 'l~y were
eutralytd ~ mfaH.us art. sometimes ~ Edntppfa
md soa eus sentenced 70 ir4nsq 'rtaon r , 81 aAd
/ o.ler 'titIses
Again in vol p,ee l2s under dare Of 1852 he says:
me .mp,rsion If inoeifed white persons. clsI ser
"vsuts cr sometimes rtdrmpuouars m 81 s1ncI'n 'n
he ItgIo,s, who were known as slaves WAS s nsve
ly CARED o., ieCi.y n Tie ~ -ti- .Iies Del t'.1
ns IN cLtu's for keeping tte.e serv sni' 10 ORDER arr
especially iol lr.yrnttR them Om running away were
often 7, harsh aro sever~
The earliest Of these euactnents which we find on
cord ]. that contained in an Agreement Of C)nie iera
lion between several Of the New England colonies
dated May 10 1913 SEE Hazards State Papers vol.
P 81 a. follows:
also agr-ed that 81 srv servant rr1 away ffon Dds
master INFO aly other 81 those lort.I-ra'ef Ilrdi
tlf iu 20 case ul.u fh- c.rlrt- ~ one t--frt 81
tlr itfior.on QUE ghc. tHe said servant JED or la1-
ole oil. Ig1,ff. Sire sa servant shtl pes c~rtef -ia
&C. b.. master, 90 bly, other tl.t rAfslrs --- 0-. ga
cert 6,.tt ar lroeie
TIE servants concerned in this lgre, mems could NO
lave been ngo slaves because AT tha, time very ie"
fauy Lad been INTRODUCED into any Of TEE Mes Eoga
colonies save Massachusetts and thar colony had passed
lsw JUST three years before Sc i Pcserirg Case
Of Meo thai negroes should lot be- held slaves. L
vac very natural that such class vi servants should
give Do, colonies trouble by their fugaion from one Ju
isfc.i,n 20 suother and they did up % The tine o.
III. Rel i,n se,r afer which the class by having beer
sbsofb,d inc Toe amy and 90 longer rep an.se ID by
importasiois from Europe led out. IL has aln0s
persisted from tie memory % tie present. race % s3s
men. Iut It occupied very impor anr pace IN Oh,
flcuglt, Of those who achieved Tie Revolution alC
founded be Cou.tirution as any vii see b. Perus
ne theL'fr AID Writing. Of Washingt,n
Here. hon. i. one salient pont-at lie date Of th.
Constitution there we've tire distinct classes Of person
vLouf.h. &c. from servi-ude and be recovered anl
that which sss mos. likely 10 require some provision
frrecarture Was the class thar could AMI dd otr ser
vice, thousL IT'S scry.tlle po2ua termed iayo
hn-ary." Negroes al not tteu reached The p,nt oil
general stampede thtifilgaci,y gave ys l.tle trouble
bu tis bound .cry ants ia tLe very acr Of gen
era ,sesre They were utterly restless. TIE null