Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-02-02
Parsons Bill.

The following IL tur. al so"o LII "
Wick We referred to in or las. 1t WIS
ntseo ..,ed,i its present form by Inc ee"-
ate. on the 29,h, too late for the relief OF
Parsons. When it was returned to the
House, it was laid ON the table It being
deemed best bv ils friends to await the re-
.alt Of the trial now pending in Pesnsyl-
yanla.
Whereas it appears to the satisfaction
,of,he Gene,al Assembly, that James Far
sons, Jr., citizen OF the county oil Hamp-
shire, in the State OF Virginia. went from
said county to the county Of Blair. in the
State OF Pennsylvania, in pursuit OF fu-
sitivs slave, the property OF the uncle oil
Parsons; that said Parsons. ON getting into
the Cars At Gay sport. in the State OF Penn
sylyania, found on Board OF them the said
slave, who, as soon as he saw Parsons, be-
folr any attempt was made to arrest HIM,
Jumped ON the cars and fed; that said
Parsons pursued and apprehended him,
having authority from the owner SO TO do;
that said slave was forcibly taken from the
possession Of Parsons by mob, Parsons
himself seized and maltreated; that men
we're found to swear that said slave was a
free man, notwithstanding he had admit
ted both by actions and words that he vas
slave; that q justice OF the peace o: the
said Blair county ordered the saii Parsons
to be confined in prison, unless he, all Ut
ter stranger. would give surety in the sum
Of four thousand dollars, to appear III the
said. county, A,he next court OF Quarter
Sessions Of the peace thereof, to answer a
charge Of attempting to kidnAp and breach
Of the peace; that grand jury was found
at said Court of Quarter Sessions, to in.
diet the SAID Parsons lor all attempt TO
kidnap a 'ree.negro. an offence, by the
laws OF Pennsy lvania, punishable with
eonfncmen in the Particularly; that the
said Parsons upon finding OF the said IN
dictment, was again required to enter INTO
a'recognizance. IN the sum Of two thousand
dollars with a.surety or suresies Tor Tue
san of two thousand dollars conditioned
fot the appearance Of the said Parsons,
u; the said county vi Blair. on the fourth
Monday Of January, in the year 1856,
and to be tried OH the charge aforesaid.
or to be committed 10 prison; that the
SAID Parsons finding. with difficulty, two
individuals willing to becoMe his sureties
therein, entered into said last mentioned
recognlzance with them. That the. Cen
sral Assembly, satisfied tina, fair trial is
not to be expected, il unwilling that the
liberty Of auy innocent citizen OF this State
should be put in jeopardy by being tried
spon the testimony Of negroes aud per-
jured persons, before a jury summoned
from community exhibiting such all ut
ter disregard OF the rights OF others and The
laws Of the land; therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly
OF Virginia. That the Commonwealth OF
Virginia doth hereby assume, on behalf Of
the said James Parsons, Jr.. whom she
feels called ON to protect, TO pay and DIS
charge I'LL costs, tines, torieitures penalties
or othet charges, Of whatsoever character.
which he or his sureties may incur and be
sdjudged to pay by reason OF his non.nP-
pearance in pursuance Of said recognizance
TO be tried az aforeiaid, or which may be
incurred in defending him or his SUI eties
from liability under the recOgnizance or
bail tor his appearanc &C aforesaid.
The Governor OF the Commonwealth is
hereby authorized aud directed 10 pay out
OF the civil contingent fund any sum or sums
OF money foi which by reason OF this act
the Commonwealth oil Virginia may be-
come liable, upon the proper authentica.
ton of the facts on which such payment
is made to depend.
II the Commonwealth Of Virginia 10 re
qu'red to pay, and shall pay any sum OF
money by reason Of judgment Of the State
OF Pennsy lvania in their behalf, and I'M
der the provisions Of this act, the GovrI-
nor Of this State is hereby authorized and
required TO demand the amount OF said pay
nept, with the costs OF defending the said
James Parsons. Jr., and his sureties, from
the State OF Pennsylvania through the Go.
vernon and and Legislature thereof.
Whenever, hereafter, any, citizen oil
Virginia shall be arrested or convicted IN
q non saveholding State, IN consequence OF
acts connected with or growing out OF the
recapture OF fugitive slave, OF the attempt
to MAINTAIN the possession Of slave, and il
shail bp proven to the satisfaction OF the
Governor thai the said citizen was engaged
in the lawful prosecution or maintainance
OF his constitutional rights. or those OF one
OF his fellow citizens. then he shall be ell.
titled to all the remedies herein provided
in the case OF James Parsons, Jr.. and the
powers aud duties Of the Governor Of Vir-
Ainia in such cases shall be The same as are
nsrs conferred and imposed upon him in
tAs said case of James Parsons, Jr.
II the said James Parsons, Jr shall
hereafter br arrested and imprisoned upon
the charge aforesaid. or shall be arrested
and convicted upon the same and sentenc
ed to the penetenliary, or be therein con
fined, the Governor Of Virginia 10 directed
to demand his immediate surrender and
release from the proper authorities Of Penn
syiyauia, and in default thereof will cause
the writ Of habsas corpus to be allied for.
and such other proceedings TO be had as to
him shall see best OH his behalf; and il the
said writ and proceedings shall not effect
the release Of said James Parsons, Jr., IN
such time as the Governor shall deem rea.
sonable uDdsr the circumstances, then il
shall become the duty fthe Governor and
he is hereby directed to eonvene the Leg
islature, il not 10 session, or il in session to
communicate to the General Assembly the
facts OF the case to be provived TOT b. law
as they may think best.
Platform Of the Soft shell Black Republic