Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-12
WASHINGTON. ID. c.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.


Be al enacted By The Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of the United States Of
.fmeyica IN Congress assembled, That the
persons who have been or may hereafter
be appointed commissioners in virtue OF
any act Of Congress, by the circuit courts
Of the United States, and who, in conse-
quence Of such appointment, are author
lied TO exercise the powers that any JUS
tice of the peace, or other magistrate OF
any Of the United States, may exercise ~
respect TO offenders for any crime or Of
fence against the United States, by arrest
ing, imprisoning, or baiing, the same,
under and by virtue OF the thirty-third
section Of the act Of the twenty-fourth Of
September, seventeen hundred and eighty
nine, entitled An act to establish the
judicial courts Of the United States" shall
be, and are hereby, authorized and requr-
ed to exercise and discharge all the pow
ers and duties conferred by this act.
SEC. 2. lind be 1T further enacted, That
the superior court Of each organized Ter
ritory Of the United States shall have the
same power to appoint commissioners 70
take Acknowledgements of bail and aff-
dayits, and 10 take dispositions of Witnesses
in civil causes, which is now possessedby
the circuit court Of the United States; and
all commissioners who shall hereafter be
appointed for such purposes by the supe-
rior court of any organized Territory Of
the United States, shall possess all the
powers, and exercise all the duties, con-
ferred by law upon commissioners APP
pointed by the United States for similar
purposes, and shall moreover exercise and
discharge all the powers and duties con-
ferred by this act.
SEC. 8. find be IL further enacted, That
the circuit courts Of the United States,
and the superior courts of each organized
Territory Of the United States, shall from
time to time enlarge the number of COM
mssioners, with view to afford reasona-
BILE facilities to reclaim fngitives from labor,
and TO the prompt discharge Of the duties
imposed by this act.
SEC. 4. find be 1t further enacted, That
the commissioners above named shall have
concurrent jurisdiction with the judges of
the circuit and district courts of the United
States in their respective circuits and dis
tricts within the several States, and the
judges Of the superior courts Of the Terri
tories, seyerally and collectively, in term
time and vacation and shall grant certi-
icates to such claimants, upon satisfactory
proof being made, with authority to take
and remove such fngitives from service or
labor, under the restrictions herein con-
tained, TO the State or Territory from
which such persons may have escaped or
fled.
SEC. s. find be II further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of all marshals and
deputy marshals to obey and execute all
warrants and precepts issued under the
provisions of this act, when 10 them d.
rected; and should any marshal or deputy
marshal refuse TO receive such warrant or
other process when rendered, or to use all
proper means diligently to execute the
same, he shall, on conviction thereof, be
fined in the sum Of one thousand dollars,
to the use Of such claimant, on the motion
Of such claimant, by the circuit or district
court for the district of such marshal and
after arrest Of such fugitive by such mat
shall or his deputy, or whilst at any time
in his custody under the provisions under
this act, should such fugitive escape,
whether with or without the assent ofsuch
marshal or his deputy, such marshal shall
be liable on his official bond TO be prose-
cuted for the benefit Of such claimant for
the full value Of the service or labor Of said
fugitive, in the State, Territory, or District,
whence he escaped; and the better to en-
able the said commissioners, when thus
appointed, 10 execute their duties faith
fully and efficiently, in conformity with
the requirements Of the Constitution Of
the United States and Of this act, they
are hereby authorized and empowered,
within their counties, respectively, 10
appoint, in writing, under their hands,
any one or more suitable persons, from
time to time, 10 execute all such war
rants and other process as may be issued
by them in the lawful performance of
their respective duties with authority TO
such commissioners, or the persons TO be
appointed by them. to execute process as
aforesaid, to summon and call to their aid
the bystanders, or posse comifafus of the
proper county, when necessary to insure
faithful observance Of the clause Of the
Constitution referred 10, in conformity
with the provisions Of this act; and all
good citizens are hereby commanded to
aid and assist in the prompt and efficient
execution Of this law, whenever their SER
vices may be required, as aforesaid, for
that purpose !; and said warrants shall run
and be executed by said officers anywhere
in the State within which they are issued.
SEC. s. find be ii further enacted, That
when person held to service or labor in
any State or Territory Of the United States,
has heretofore or shall hereafter escape
into another State or Territory Of the
United States, the person or persons TO
whom such service or labor may be due,
or his, her. or their agent or attorney, duly
authorized by power Of attorney, in wri-
ting, acknowledged and certified under the