Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-01
AN ACT FOR THE DEFENCE OF LIBERTY IN
THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

A great clanor has been raised about null
lifcaton act, said to have been passed within
a few days by the Legislature Of Connecticut.
We find this act, with report Of the proceed-
ings thereon, in the New Haven Journal and
Courier. Ii IN entitled @An act for the De-
fence Of Liberty in this State, and is as follows
An Act for the Defence OF Liberty In this State.
he IL enacfed By the Senate and House of Repre-
Senfofiues, m General assembly convened,
SEC. /. Every person who shall falsely and
maliciously declare, represent, or pretend, that
any free person Is a slave, or owes service or
labor 70 any person or persons, with intent to
procure, or to aid, or assist in procuring, the
forcible removal Of such free person from this
State as slave, shall pay fine Of five thou
sand dollars, and be imprisoned five years in
the Connecticut State prison.
SEC 2. In all cases arising under this act
tho truth Of any declaration prctcnce, or rep
rcsentation, that any person being or having
been in this State, IL or was n slave, or owes or
did owe service or labor to any other person or
persons, shall not 10 deemed proved except by
the testimony Of Mt least two credible witness
es tcstifying to facts directly tending 10 estab-
lish the truth Of such declaration, pretence, or
representation, or by legal evidence equivalent
thereto.
SIC. g. Every person who shall wroDgfully
and malicionsly seize or procure to be seized,
any FREQ person entitled TO freedom, with in
tent to have snch free person held in slavery,
shall pay fine Of five thousand dollars, and
be imprisoned five years in the Connecticut
State prison.
SIC. 4. Upon the trial Of any prosecution
arising under this act, no deposition shall DO
admitted M evidence cf tho truth Of any state
ment in such deposition contained
SIC. s. If upon the trial Of any prosecution
arising under this act, any witness shall, in
behalf Of the party accused, and with intent
10 aid him in his defence, falsely and wilfulIy,
in testifying represent or pretend that any
person 10 OF ever was slave, or docs OF ever
did owe service or labor to any person or per-
some, such witness shall pay q fine Of five thou
sand dollars, and he imprisoned five years in
tho Connections State prison.
SIC. 9. Whenever complaint or information
shall he made against any person f,r any Of
fence described in any section Of this act, and
upon snch complaint OF Information, warrant
shall have been duly issued for the arrest OF
such person, any person who shall hinder or
obstruct sheriff, deputy sheriff, or constable,
in the service Of such warrant, or shall aid
such accused person in escaping from the pur-
suit OF such cficer, shall be imprisoned one
year in the Connections State Prison.
SEc. 7. No declaration, pretcnce, or repre-
scntation, that any person IL or wns an appren-
toe Cor term Of years, or owes or did owe SER
vice merely ~ such an apprentice for puch
fred term, shall be deemed prohibited by this
act and no such declaration, pretence, or rep
rescntation, that any person Is or was such an
apprentices for such fixed torn, or owes or did
owe service merely as such an apprentice fol
such fixed term, shall render any person liable
70 any penalty under this act.
While the bill was under discussion in Tho
House, Jons Ss.h, Mr.. Hyde remarked that i
would nullify the provisions Of the Constitutior