Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-11
WASHINGTON. d. c.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.

An Act 20 amend and suppIeme 10 the act enti
tied San act respecting fasitiyes from justice and
persons escaping from the service Of their masters
approved February twelfth, one thousand seven
hundred and ninety-three.
Be ii enacted By the Senate and House Of
Representatives. of the United STATES q
.Ameyica in Congress assembled, That the
persons who have been or may hereafter
be appointed commissioners III virtue Of
any act Of Congress, by the circuit courts
Of the United States, and who, in conse-
qucnce 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 IN
respect to offenders for any crime or OIL
fence against the United States, by arrest
ing, imprisoning, or baling, 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 requir-
ed to exercise and discharge all the pow
ers and duties conferred by this act.
SEC. 2. find be At further enacted, That
the superior court of each organized Ter
ritory of the United States shall have the
same power TO appoint commissioners TO
take acknowledgements of bail and atli-
davits, and 10 take dispositions Of Witnesses
In civil causes, which is now possessed BY
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 zap
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 1t 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
missioners, with view to afford reasona-
BILE facilities to reclaim fugitives 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-
ficates to such claimants, upon satisfactory
proof being made, with authority TO take
and remove such fugitives from service or
labor, under the restrictions herein con-
tanned, to the State or Territory from
which such persons may have escaped or
fed.
SEC. 5. find be 1t 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 to 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,
Of such claimant, by the circuit or district
court for the district Of such marshal; and
after arrest of such fugitive by such mar
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 Of such
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 ef 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, to 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 comitatus Of the
proper county, when necessary to insure
a faithful observance Of the clause Of the
Constitution referred to, 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. 6. find be 1t further enacted, That
I when person held 10 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 os,ch eoyvicp or labor NAV he dine