Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-01-09

| States Commissioner, and Lecturer at the
| Cambridge Law Schools and also VIM. w.
Greenough, son-in-la law of Charles P. Curtis,
| merchant.
ICoYYEcTToS OF THE CURT1sEs WITH rHE RECENT CASES
OF hIDNAPPISG IN BOsTON.
l. In 1886, Charles P. Curtis and Benia-
min r. Curtis appeared as counsel for the
slave-hunters in the famous case of the girl
Med, originally slave in the West Indies and
brought to Boston by her mistress Med
claimed her freedom on the ground that Sla-
very was not recognized by the laws of Mas
eachusetts, and could not exist there unless it
were in the special case, under the Federal
Constitution, of fugtives from the slave States
of this Uni II. The Curtises contended with
all their might-totjs ciri5,es, as lawyers say
that Slavery might, by legal comfy, exist in
Observation-Disclosures alaves were property by
the law of nations; and that an ownership
which is legal in the West Indies continued in
Boston, at least so far as to leave the right to
seize and carry away. But the Supreme Court
of Massachusetts held otherwise
, After Daniel Webster had made his
speech of March Z. 1880, pledging himself
and his State to the support of the Fugitive
Slave bill, then before Congress, ''to the full
est extent, Thomas B. Curtis, with the help
of others, got up a letter TO Mr.. Webster, DAT
ed Boston, March %, 1850, signed, it is said.
by 9S7 persons, who say: ave desire to ex-
press to YOU orr deep obligations for what this
speech has done and is DONG s'You have
pointed out to tho whole people the path of
duty, have convinced the understanding. and
touched the conscience of nation" 'We
desire, therefore, to express to YOU our entire
concurrence in the sentiments of YOUR
speech
g. A little later, MIR. Webster returned TO
Boston, and was rapturousiy received at the
Revere House, April 90. 1850, by a great null
titude when Benjamin r. Curtis made a pub
lie address, and expressed his saboundiDc
gratitude for the ability and fidelity which
Mr.. Webster had drought to the defense of
the Constitution and Of the Union, :" and com.
mended him as "erninently vigilant, wise and
faithful to his country without shadow of
turning
4. Presently, after the passage of the Fuai.
tive Slave Bill, at a dinner-party, at the house
of distinguished counselor of Boston, Cha's
Z. Curtis declared that he hoped that the first
fugitive slave who should come to Boston
would be seized and sent back
3. Charles Z. Curtis and his step brother.
Edward q. Loring, defended the Fugitive
Slave bill by writing articles published in the
Boston Daily A9aertiser.
6. In November, 1850, the slave-hunters.
thus invited and encouraged, came to Boston,
seeking to kidnap William and Ellen Graft;
but they in vain applied to Commissioner,
Benz. F. Hallett and to Judges Woodbury.
and Sprague. for a warrant 10 arrest their
prey. Finally they took themselves to Com
missioner George L. Curtis. who at once
agreed to grant warrants bat, according to
his own statement, in letter to MI Webster.
MS he anticipated resistance and considerable
very important that the Marshal should have
more support than it was in his mower as n
Commissioner to afford, he procured meet
ing Of the Commissioners four in number.
and with their aid succeeded in persuading the
Circuit Court, then in session, to issue the
warrant.
/ I. The warrant having been issued for the
seizure of Mr. Craft, Marshal Devens applied
to Benz. r. Curtis for legal advice as to the
degree of force he might use in serving it, and
whether it ought to be regarded as civil or
criminal process. George T. Curtis was en-
ployed by his brother to search for authorities
on these points. They two together, as appears
from the letter of Geo. I. Curtis to Mr. Web
ster, induced Marshal Devens to ask a further
question, which gave Benz. r. Curtis an OPP
portunity to come out in an elaborate opinion
in favor of the consttutonality of the fugl-
tive slave bill. This was published IN the
newspapers. In order to maintain the consti.
nationality OF this act, Benz L. Curtis was
urlNeh 10 assume, as all Its defenders must,
that the Commissioner. in returning the fugi-
tive, performs none Of the duties of the Judge;
that the hearing before him IS not a lease arts
ing under the laws of the United States +"
that he acts not as a judicial but merely as
an Executive oficer-not deciding the man to
be slave, but merely giving him up, to ena-
bic that point to be tried elsewhere. But,
spite of this opinion, public justice and the
Vigilenee Committee forced the (Southern)
nlave-hunters to flee from Boston, after which
Mr.. and Mrs. Craft left America, to find safe
ty in England, the evident rage and fierce
threats Of the disappointed (Boston) slave
hunters making 1t unsafe for them to remain
8. Alter the tallue OF this attempt to arrest
Mr. Craft, Thomas B. Curtis got up a" Union
Meeting" at Faneuil Hail, Nov. 26, $780,
The call was addressed to such as ''regard
with disfayor all further popular agitation of
the subject of slavery. Thomas b. Curtis
called the meeting to order William w.
Greenough, from the 'Committee of Arrange
ments," presented the resolutions. Benz. r.
Curtis made one of the principal speeches in
defence of man stealing in Boston, He de
clared that fugitive slaves were ga class of for.
eigners, with whose rights Massachusetts, has
nothing to do. 1t is enough for us that they
have no right here" He read passage also,
from Mr. Parkers Sermon on Conscience, and
4 II