Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-08-28
WHOLE NO. 942

The trial by jury, another chief slfeguar
Of freedom and sanctuary of rights is in ef
feet destroyed, in all cases affecting the in
terests OF slavery. The constitution pro
vides for an impartial jury. But the Kans
as cIde will allow no one to sit as Juror il
such cases who does not admit that slavery
righlfuily exists in that territory, though
even Douglas dare not admit in the Senate
that slavery can be established by q terriIor
al legislature.
The alleged criminal must be tried by
pro-savery jury, and even that selected by
a Sheriff Jones, who, on former occasion
pointed his pistol at the head of a free-statt
Judge of elections, and told him that he hac
! five minutes in which to resign, with the
alternative of being shot down. The sys.
tenn is rounded off and completed with a
similar provision to the effect that no one
can serve as an attorney in the courts who
does not take the unconstitutional and un.
lawful test-oath of obedience to the Fuei
| tive law, that Ies;-oath, which so called
forth the indignant animadversions of O
senator from slave state, the Hon. John
NJ. Clayton.
Thus do we see not only public faith,
justice and law, but the constitution itself,
in its most halowed provisions. .sucrillegious-
ly laid PROSTATE that slavery may be estab.
ished..on the teeming soil of new and great
empire in the west. And no wells are yet
standing. of which one stone will be left
upon another, if The same occasion requires
their overthrow. But what need of this when
the branches are wide enough row to admit
the most unbounded tyranny, with all its
engines.
3. But we come 10 survey the apex of This
pyramid, which crushes down liberty and
right-the bloody and atrocious penalties oil
this code. the fangs and claws. the tiger
strength and serpentine folds with which
these lawless and unconstitutional statutes
are guarded. Death, in ali his array Of ter
ors. is summoned 10 enforce these wicked
and monstrous claws
To raiFe an insurrection among Stoves, 10
assist in such rebellion to persuade to such
revolt, each of these crimes is to be prnish-
ed with death. But this may be justified on
the plea of exprdiency and example of the
southern states. We therefore. search fur
ther into the code, and find that
To eniice any slave out of the Territory
in order to procure his freedom, is a grand
larceny. 10 be punished by DEATH or impri-
sonment, at hard labor, for not less than ten
years.
TIE aid in thus entcing slave is similar
offence, to be published by DEATH, or i'm
prisonment al hard labor, for hot less than
ten wears.
To enfice slave from any territory or
state into Kansas,s 10 be pun shed by DEATH
or ten years Imprisonment at hard labor.
To entce a slave from his service, or to
harbor who has So escaped,is punishable
BY izaEriS0an!en' at hard labor, for OF ! 5 tina
FIVE YEARS.
To aid or harbor slave who has escaped
into Kansas from another State o; Territory
is punishble with such Imprisonment for not
less than FIVE YEARS.
To ent;ce slave to escape rom the
custody Of an Gffiter is to be pun SIZED swi:h
Imprisonment at hard labor for a term not
less than TWO YEARS.
To assert, ir spoken words, that M one
has right to hold slayes in the Territory,
is a felony, to be punished with imPris0n-
nent at hard labor for term not less than
TWO YEARS.
To print, circulate or possess any printed
paper calculated to produce disorder amlng
slaves (in the opinion of such judges and
uries, influenced by such attornies } is to be
punished with Imprisonment at hard labor for
not less than FIVE YEARS. And this hard
labor. on public works or for private indiyi- |
Iuas to whom the offenders may be hired
Is are slaves in the SJuth, is not nude Jess
rigorous by Il further statute, the very crown
Of border ruffian ingenuity, which provides
that heavy chain, sir feet in lsngth, with
ball of iron at the end, SIX INCHES in Giam-t r
shall be fastened to the dacse of the offend
er, while at work, with strong loct Gad
i'y.
And all this, while slavery has no legal
existence on the soil; in defiance OF an eX
press provision OF the constitution again-t
cruel and unusual punishments; and amid
he illumination Of nineteen centuries of
christianity! If the friends of the lnquisi-
ion, driven from Spain, desire some new
ield fo7 their exploits o! blood ana terror,
we woul Id advise them to settle upon a ter |
-itory midway between Kansas and Utah.
their peculiar institution on the
principle of popular sovereignty; and ii
Lhev are ambitious to improve on the atroci-
ties OF the lnquisiton. we would send thFru
not to the old world, to Spain or Austria,
FOR profitable lessons, but to TIE authors o.
he bloody code of Kansas. To graduate
IN that school, is to be perfect in all the
science of lawlessness, desp1tism and cruel |
".
Nor do we yet comprehend the depth and |
height of this mystery of iniquity, TIL we
see the unscrupulous provision they have
made to perpetnate the reign of terror, pro |
.racting the term of their official life for
almost year beyond its legal bounds, guard
ng adverse votes by refusing the elective
in such as will not swear to sus
tain the Fugitive Slave law, aud providing
ror any requisite number OF fraudulent MIS-
.iouri votes, by allowing suffrage on the
payment ii Of dollar poll tax, without days
residence. Even this is improved, for,when
he Judge examines a challenged voter, no
uidence shall be receired. Fitting climax to
border ruiiian hardhood. With suitable in
'trument, in Office TO enforce these statutes
Ill the ends aimed at must be secured, and
aw become terror to well doers and
,rase to them that DO i'll.
Behold the fruits. Can we confde in the
rec upon which they grew! 1t has been
,ertinently asked, do men gather grapes
rom thorns and figs from thistles! Can We
ccept the new Kansas bill from the men
Who have made and sanctioned these claws"
specially when we discern latitude in its
rovisions through which the same despot-
SIN might drive its coach and fourl
The Clevelnd Herald publishes the fol-
owing: "We get it from reliable source