New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-26
The PERSONAL LIBERTY Law or MS
SiCHUSETTS.

Liberty, passed over Gov. GardaeT's veto by
vast maiorities in both Houses of the Massaehu-
sets Legislature:
Az AeT 20 protect she Rshs sni Lhcr'e Of sls fespe o
Couronwesiih ~ na'-schusetfs "
BE u cHqc'ea hyfhe SC1G,s, ~ SArriofl' \. tne
rroyisious Of he Act further protect personal H.
tertv rai sod TIE twCuty-our'h DAY OF March m TIE
vrfr one n ousnud eight hundred and fort N c., hll
arI IS 10 lie Act Of Conlrss approved Sepieno'r
eilfeer in tic wear one thousand eight hunirci AMI
fff, cniiiltd An Act 10 amend. and supplementary
ITO the Act entitled An ~. respecting iusuycs
"'hou justice and persons es,epins Hom Tic service
"'oftl cir masters
SIC. Q. Tie nearing Of the ore hundred AMI
eleventh CHAPTER Of The Revised statutes Il hereby
de- aied 20 BE az every pCrs0n i'm lrtoned or r.
s.aiicd % bis liberty entitled. "a Of night ami OF
oourso to the writ az h0bcgs corpus, exert IN the
ca,es erf'oned In ~ second section NJ That clspter
SIC. 3. Tie wit OF iateas corpus may be i'su d
~ tie Snrr,mc Judicial Court. d., Court OF Commol
Hans lv srv Justice Court Cr Police Court ot any
town or city y any C0ur of heco-'i or by any Jis-
tee Of 6iior said Conris, or by any JUICE oi ITO
haze; AID il moy be issued by any Justice oi me
Teace ii no Magistrate aove named D. knownto sAil
Ju-o of tie Peace 10 be viii iu five miles OF he lace
wltie tie party Ia inn rsoned or rsI ned anu Il
slrll leretuuable before he supreme Judicial Court
q @ Court Of Common Pleas or other Court OF Hs .ori
or any ole Of the justices thereof whether the Court
nay te il session or not, aud in term time or vaca-
ton.
I
lice az either Of .aid Cour before whom the writ ~
IoGe0s Germs shall he made returnabc, shall on mo
errlcatio of party 70 toe processing, order tnh
~ urN A. To any facts stated IN the return of the o
Ger or fs 10 any fncs alleged If Dc shall appear by the
return of tie officer otherwise that the person whose
rofiraiui or imprisonment ID m question claimed 10
he held TO service or labor IN another STATE ana 10
have cacH red from such service or labor, ana may M
nit sad Icrson TO bail IN sum not exceeding TWO
tou,and collars. In such case, issue may De Jonel
lv general denial Of tie facts ale led the pea may
be not guilty ard the jury hail have the nsh 10 re-
tUn general verdict ana the same dr,ttuon a.
iulies have in the trial o criminal cascs and the find
ing Of u verdict Of 10. guilty shall be maj anu con-
elusive. II.
Of hGltds eorDus il rcturnable sbul' uness Jury
already in attendance. 10y warrant comnahl the
sheriff Of the county, bis deputy, to summon aJury
in the manner provided ia the twenty fourth chapter
Of the Revised Statutes 70 attend at the time pace
sisted IN the warrant. az which TINE ana pace tn,y
tLa imvaInoicd, and, having elected foreman ~
ballot the issue 20 framed shall be put TO them tor
heir Determination. In case one Jury SHAH disagree
The issue may be submitted TO the other jury,
ar continued To the next term AZ the discretion OF thc
Court. And in every ease Of Disagreement, another
iury may lie summon ed and qualified az above pro-
yCed forthwith or at future day, IN the discretion
Of he Court or Justice before whom the "riI II re-
turred until verdict shall finally be- rendered upon
tie issue. If any person summoned a. Juror, a.
aforesaid shall fan 10 attend without sufficient
cause lie shall pay fine Of so. And Il, Oy reason
OF challenges or otherwise, there shal not bo jun
ury of tie PERSONS summoned, tie officer attending
lie hearing shall return some suitable person or per-
soIs to supply the deficiency.
SFc e. II any claimant shall appear TO demand the
custody or possession Of the peson for whose oehen'
fad wit Is sued out, such claimant shan STATE III
wiiiirg The facts on which he rehe- WIN precision
and certainty and neither the claimant OF the alleged
FUGITIVE rCr iuy Leraon Interested in bis alleged OBJ
eaton to scvioe or labor nor the alleged tuSnNe'
shan e Permitted TO testify at the t1a OF the issue
.4ra.faa IONA or nI
nllfced gyc against himself shall he given IN eyi'
dence Upon every question Of fact involved IN the
iseue tie iurden of ROOF shall be upon the clam
ant and the facts alleged and necessary - ne esaD
G.ted must be- proved 10y the testimony OF al least TWO
credible witLssses or other legel evidence equlVa-
lent thereto and by the rules OF evidence known una
secured by the con mon law and no eI pare 1eio'i
ton or 1fdayit shah be received IN proof IN boheli oil
tie claimant and no presumption shaA arlse ~ l..or
Of be claimant from any proof hat the alleged ilgVe
trary Of bis ance,tors had been actually held as
slave, without proof that such holding wa legal
SIC T. II any person shall remove from the nits
OF this Commonwealth, or shall assist IN removing
tkercfrCu or shall come inro the Coulmon"eah WIN
tie intention OF removing Of aasstny IN the remo'
ing therefiom shall procure or assist IN procuring
10 be so removed, any person being M me yea
thereof who IL lot held 70 service or laDor by tne
part" making " claim, or who has not escaped
frfm the rarty' making " claim, " whose - ser
vice OF labor is not due to the party making
clam," within tie meaning OF those words IN me
Constitution OF the tuted States, on the pieten'e het
such person held or hGs 80 escaped or uht MS
,ery ice or labor j. 20 due or with The intent 10
subject hm 10 such service or labor, he shall DC
Turished by a fine not Ices than one nor more tuth
I've thousand dollars, and by mpi sonment IN me
State Prison rot less than more tlan hFe yeere
SEcs. ANY Terson sustaining wrong or njGry by any
tyrroceeding puishabe by the preceding secsion may
nsfntan an action and recover damage thereto. IA
any Cour, Competent 10 try Tic SANE
SEC 9. No person while holding any Once OF nom
undo d. I'D
rronweal.h shall in any capacity Issue any warrant or
other lrCccss or grant any ce uIceie, unlef or "
,tue OF an Of Congress approved the l2th day OF
February IN the year 1898, entitled An act respect
irg fue,iyes from justice and persons escaping rom
"the service OF their masters or under or Oy virtue
Of an act Of Congress approved the 18th day Of Sep
timber in the year lsJO, entitled " An acl 70 sm5hH
&" AID supplementary 10 An act Iesfeeung tGSlnyes
from Justice end persons escaping from he service
90 Of thor masters, or shall IN any capacity serve
Hnv such warrant or other process.
SIC. 10. ANY person who shall gran. any certificate
under a. By virtue Of the acts " Congresa menuoned
IN the preceding section, fhal b. deemed 10 nave re-
siared any cOmmif zion flOm the Commonwealth "neh
he nav rossrss hs Office shgl BE- deemed vac ln, AM
Re shall be oryer thereafter ineligible 20 any once 81
trust, honor or emo.umeut, under the laws OF 1ni7
Commonwealth.
SIC II. INV uorson who shall act ~ counsel or a.
,oruey for euy claimant Of any alleged fugitive rom
service or labor. unCer By virtue OF the ec9 o.
Corcress mentioned IN he uilth section OF ms 9c-
sia BE- deemed 70 have reicned any commission rom
he Commonwealth .. a. be may pos and DE- 'hsI
le thereafter incapeCatcd from eppea.ing q. '4-s.4
| or attorney 10 The COur'g Of thE ton-non"eHl-l'
SIC o. Tie two preceding sections shall not apply
10 removal from Judicial Office. but e.hef Oh .-. &c
| tCls there specified shall b. Its.oiI'l " eL' ~ g.
DO lirg judicial Cllcc uLlp lAl No-ii-v"H 80 -
flaU h son.iGircd O. @ violation 81 COCA DeIa'l' a.
vii A. reason for lo,s Of public confidence a-l =
-;.F nj rrtciert crould either for Impeachment VI
/ fCr removal by aCDr-s. c,-.,or