New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-30
ABOUT SLAvE-IiUNTlNG.

ABOUT sLAvE-IIUNTiNG.
The Louisville journal replies courteousy to our
late response TO its structures on IRE IRiBINEs
alleged leaning to disuniOn. Quoting orr statement
that we with very many of like falth) could NOT
and would bear any part IN the cnase ana capture
of persons pursued as fugitlves from Slavery, but
would submit instead to any penalty which the law
might see fit to mpose-t says:
IF we understand this il means that in orderto p ace
and harmony IN END must be put 10 inc ,h G
Northern men of fugitive slaves escaping mo inc 'te'
S,atos In other words, THAI one OF tae re us-
tions of the Constitution OF the United states nus DO
done away with. Well il seems 10 us that tn, obvious
way and the only proper way to attempt 10 nave Ins
brought about, is TO attempt to get the Con''u'yh
am.Lded Ii The editor of IBE TRIBUNE and Nose Who
think with linn OF opinion that the article oil the Goa
fufion r,nuiI,,c the surrender of fugitive slaves u
wrong let TO work to get the Constitution amend
ed in The mode which prescrbes Tor Itsown amendment;
but let them expect members oil Congress- or ohersn
authority dsrel ard It's PLAIN provisions whe they are
sworn 10 support But have we heard from the editor
of TBE TEIBrsE from any one else IN the Norm any
thing like demand call Tor an amendment 81 the DOl
stiionl Have any of the representa- ves oil Northern
feeling in Congress made movement IN that direction
1t might SEEM from the language used by the editor
of The TRIBUNE the paragraph cited above, that ne
would have objection to The southern peoples recover
inc their fugitive slaves escaping into tue North iney
would only require the Northern folks to assist ~ dn-
ug catching ara holding them. We rather hc!ihe now
ever 10 the opinion that c would be bit beite sa
fled IT. whenever slave escapes nto the North, nc peo
,o an the south were To sor dehchmeut Of their own
men TO perform the whole labor Of hunting catching hold
inc and taking him home without troubling the Northern
fol- to have anything at all 70 do wiih The matter We
more than half think haI be would INSIST srennouS upon
the people of his section having fuh participation III
whatever hunting catching, and holding should De u'ne
upon their soil Ii he would at let him say 80 and Men
We shall understand him
I've are really unable 10 any sort OF consistency IN
what the editor OF Tne TaHrSE at different times
about the Fugitive Slave Law just now, he insists that
the whole people of the North Shall be relieved from all
agency in The restoration OF fugitive slaves to their own
err bus most certainly within the last few weeks, he has
insisted upon increase of tho number O official agents
in the North necessary to eyery surrender of futive
slave We surely do not miseate the case. lie mas
veherneny caime,, time and again. mat every person.
arrested fugitive slave in the North, should have
trial by Jury III the where arrested and OF course
this would be increase Of the number OF Northern
agents necessary for the surrender OF fuves Northern
Judges Northern sheris Northern constables ana North
erp lures would be indispensable participants IN every
case OF surrender We don suppose the editor Of The
TRIBUsE possibly allow himself to be caught confess
ing that be would have Northern ures sit upon the cases
of fugitive in the expectation and hope that they
would perure themselves by rendering false verdcts and
therefore bound in courtesy to take for granted
that he would have Northern judges Jufies &c, send
back into slavery such fugitive slaves proved to be
SUCH But bow earth we 10 reconcile thus win nus
vehement declaration that the people OF the North must
be relieved from all participation in me business o, cacn
Ing and holding slaves and sending them back 10 slavery
Has he indeed wrought himself up 70 the point OF re-
pudiatng his own avore scheme of Northern uries for
the trial Of fugitive slaves
eve think the editor of The TRIBUNE might well
state plainly and unequvocay what he wants aud how he
proposes TO get it, Does he want the Constitution 90
amended render the recovery OF fugitive slaves i-
possible DOES he wish the acquisitions OF the Constu
non while mains unchanged to be disregarded or de-
feeted the subject of fugitive slaves concernedl
he Northern ures decide whether men arrest
ed n fugitive slaves are so or not and he does his
wish thar the said uries should render true vefcs or
false ones
Reply.
We propose no such amendment Of the Constitution
as The Journal suggests, because We know as every
one knows that its success is morally impossible,
and We do not waste our strength on utilities That
the fugitive clause in the Federal Constitution does
Justly bear the construction arm med by the slave
holding interest have already shown at length by
citations from the proceedings of the Convention of
81. A black man who has worked twenty or thirty
years for clothes and coarser food, does not
really ore service or labor to the white man who
has thus far robbed him. and fairly constituted Court
could not help deciding. But from Court in
which shareholders preponderate, and doughfaces
nearly 6ll out the bench expect such right
eOus judgments that in SOmersets case which has
rendered the of Mansfield immortal
We object, Of course to hunting at the North
ALL 1t is not fit decent that Free States should
be polluted by the hunting of slaves on their soil
And, if we had power to determine the point there
should be another slaye-hunt on the soil Of a
Free State no matter how great the cost. If the
Slave States chose to separate from the Free on tina,
account We should bid them go in peace, doing ouI
best to preserve amty though the bonds of fraternity
were severed Bat, since cannet get rid of the
Shareholders construction of the Fugitive clause, mol
yet of slave-huntng, desire that the enforcement
of that clause, the prosecution of that sport be
dered compatible with justice and decency pos
sible. To this end, we demand Trial by Jury for al
legged fugtives-not that Jurors may be induced t.
peure then selves, but that they be mpeed to scru
tinize the evidence adduced BY slave-hunters mos
narrowly, and give the hunted the benefit of ever
doubt. We would (in the spirit Of the capital Law
just enacted by the Connecticut Legslature) requr
them TO take their pound Of flesh" so as to she
''no drop Of Christsn blood or falling they shoul