Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-02-05

fr by iuicia. force and oppresson the sacred guar
autcc, u! !hc Federal compact II is intended I" pro
claim To the Slave, that in Pcnnsy ylvaua he may 80
cure an asylum from purSu,t-a par. y! refuge lnt'
wch his white pursuer dare not enter. And IT IN,
citizen ui siaveholdng State in the exercise Of hi!
acknowledged constitutional rights may thus, upon
tasc charge be arrescd-tlrOwn I'M" prison, lUudcC
with irons aud treated with hnrhGrfy which ia no"
almost universally repudiaed in thern'c oi the w"rs
of luns; If there be vuic" OF sufficient power Il
reach his Opprcssnr arm al sufficient strength t.
rescue him from impending in:amy aud peril; if hl
is IL be lc H. his fate undecEdci and without the ne
tive synpGth:cs oi thosr having common cause
with him. who can fail 10 perceive how disastrous
must be the influence ut single fact like this. upon
the general interests of the shareholders OF the South
What stirnulant To the slave To cscnpe from hi
muster. What an encouragement 10 the abnItoIist'
Ia pursue his wicked Vaccinations amongst us
What al unsupcrhble difficulty to the recapture o.
| slnvcs ahsconding from lis! The fate OF Jonathan
Little would at once spread an alarm amongst nj
that cnss ot men, both in Maryland and Pennsylva
Iia upon whose services we can alone rely Tor the
| recapiure Of the slaves that escape from us
b most nf the free Snlrs, the fugitive slave IL. ny
express law, defended ir his right 10 freedom at tIt
PHji,r cat. And this rule of general policy j.
II thea too rnurh H.! III 'Hgis instance IN ask
that the Governor al SlavehodnI State shall, from
the Executive fund at his disposal, appropriate 80
much rs mas be necessary Ia defend, NJ the public
cost, citizen ut your State, whose very liberty will
probably depend on this small appropriation There
il no icGr that such rnScs Will often nrse tor similar
drafts on the Executive fund. ii It did, maintain
there could BE- no more beneficial appropriation "t H.
But they will not often occur. II IL only necessary
for two examples to b" exhibited, hy which II
will appear thut the State is determined 10 see justice
done 10 her citizens, AMI the GGgrcssors upon
their rights, brOugh; before the Federal Tribunals Tor
punishment, and wes shall earn" more "fsuch ourages
lie men vino 90 III pursuit o! fugitive slaves are
u,u-nlly poor Much uf the calculation OF the abo.
I IN nj
upon the poverty and supposed u!irr'!"'! condition
Ui such persons. lhcY knnw the difficulty ind cX-
peis oi procuring Witnesses from the distant slave
States; aui how few u such persons Gre III condition
10 incur suc!i cxpeus,.. They know, that according
10 the fundamental laws ol their Saes all pcrsons,
whether black white, are presumed to be frcr I'M
III the contrary Is shown. They know the j0ct ~
Silrcry. can only be- established by testimony, and
they make their calcI.GtIun that from the expense Oi
procuring such testimony, witnesses will not be forth
coming, and conviction Drc"nrs inevitable. But let
il hc understood amon.S; them, that rather than
Siicr their ncihrluus purnecS 10 Dc chrrtu mo ci
t.r; the State will Dcrny the expenses oi the defence
and uy solemn belief Is, that You at once crush all thai
gives vitality and existence Ia such atrncOus pruSccu
tionS. Il i, my fill belief that the ntcrposlon OF the
State in more than one two such Gases will never
| Dc necessary.
| In conclusion, theu allow Inc tn say, that whilst
do not tender my own services IL your EXce!cncy H.
counsel liz the case above referred to- prrsulnlng Il
!
letter, trt yuu would prefer I" select c"'nsc! iron
your ow State, still should be false to all the I'M
pulses nl my heart. and regardless "l the solicitations
ui the friends oi Mr.. Little, if did not say, that
any such responsibility Is dcv"lved upon me, vii
assume the duty and discharge Il with pleasure:
beg leave t" invite the prompt attention III YOU
| Exceliency to this communication, rs the Court o
| Huntingdon county is held i'll the month "t 'lanuhr,
the precise time do not know, and some time Wi
be necessary notify the witnesses, who are located
| in if,.r,.u ui
am dear Sir with the hi; chest respect, very truly
yours, CllAS. J. Eau LNNEh.
| The Special Message and accompanying papers
were on motion ui Mr.. ChU>I>, ordered 10 he PRINTED
nni referred tn the judiciary Committee.
The Judicury Committee not acting upon the suo
icci with sufficient promptiuLe, the following pro
crcir.s occurred in the House "t Delegates on ;h'
| 18th January, lSJn. ~ copied from the baltimore
Suns report ui them:
Mr.. Macgill offered an order. authorizing the Gov
crnnr 10 employ counsel Ia defend Jonathan Little
confined in Huntingdon county, Prnnsyl lvania, upoI
4 c!arsc ot kidnapping.
| McSsrs. Stake, Davis md Duvail, wanting c'i
drncc rs to the fact that Little went into fennsyVa
MIA To grrs, fugitive slaves desired the matter shnu
90 the Judiciary Committee, who had the sunJec
| under consideration.
Mcssrs. Mucgiil, Harris Dixon Chew and Brown
argued in favor of immediate action and espresso
willingness To vote every dollar from the Treasury
upOn principle. in matter ot -uch high interest I
every citizen If Maryland. The resolution was u!t
! Iuntriy aCuptcl,