Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-31

laws OF Pennsylvania to go where she pleased
She went off in company with several cOlored
persons, and Williamson saw no more of her
Shortly after, writ of HabeaS Corpus was
| served upon him, commanding to produce the
| said woman and children before His Honor,
Judge Kane TO this writ he replied that be
had not now and never had the body of said
women and children in his custody His an
swer was called contempt, and Williamson was
| committed to Jail And thus a free citizen Of
Pennsylvania was deprived of his liberty more
than three months, for no offence whatever !;
but on the contrary, doing just what the laws
of Pennsylvania gave him right to do, and
what his duty to God required The black
arm of slavery was mighty enough to reach
him in our own free State, and within the sha
dow of Independence Hall These events in
dicate what we may expect from the Slave
power when it has extended its limits and Sc
cured majority in both branches of the Unit
ed States Congress.
To accomplish this object the Oligarchy is
exerting all its power. 1t covets every foot of
free territory on the American Continent
Guilty of mighty crimes, it feels the uneasi-
ness Of guilt, and laborS day and night to eX-
tend its limits and strengthen its power.
Our fathers at the time they framed the Con
stituton, wisely passed an ordinance prohibit
ing slavery in all the territory then owned by
the General Government When a new ter
ritory was acquired, the Olgarchy demanded
half of it for slavery, and the State of Missou-
ri in the bargain. This was not desired by
the majority of the North, but the bargain was
made by all the South, and portion of the
North, and called the Compromise of 1920
BY that act, slavery was prohibited in the
territory now called Kansas and Nebraska.-
In 1854, the South aided by few North
ern men, repealed the act of 1920, and open
ed this territory to slavery. 1t was assert
ed in the North at that time, as you will re-
member, that slavery would never go to Kan
sas They declared the prohibition of 1920
was repealed for the purpose of allowing the
territory to " fix their own institutions and
govern themselves in their own way" In
1855, the first election for Members of As
sembly was held Five thousand citizens of
Missouri invaded the territOry-tOok posses
sion Of the ballot boXes-and carried the elec
tions, by electing members who were, in
many instances, citizens of Missouri. The
first act of this fraudulently elected LegiSla-
ture was to expel all the free State repreSen-
tatiyes except one, who voluntarily retired,
knowing that he would be of no service to the
cause of freedom by remaining. Their next
act was to remove the seat of Government
from Pawnee where it was legally fixed to the
Shawnee Mission This bill Gov Reedcr ve-
tOcd but the Legislature adjourned to Shaw
nee nevertheless. After this Gov Reeder re-
fused to acknowledge any of their acts and
treated their proceedings as nullity. Reed
er was appointed as Il popular sovereignty
man. and he determined that the doctrine of
popular sovereignty should be carried out
but President Pierce had no such intentions.
When he found Reeder in the way of Slavery
he removed him in the most shameful manner
on charge utterly false, and that too after
Reeder had asked for time, in the most res
pectful manner, to prove himself Innocent
Reeder's place was filed with weak and sup
pile tool of Slavery.
Having now a Governor the bogus Legis-
lature proceeded to frame law to smother
freedom. This law will be remembered in his
tory as one of the vilest laws ever put upon u
statute book.
hold in my hand copy of this act. When
it is remembered that Slavery had no legal eX
istence there, and never had, it will be seen
that every section is an outrage. No section
establishes Slavery, but the first eight sections
forbid the aiding of slaves, and in six cases
out of eight the punishment of death is pre-
scribed. The next two sections command the
assistance of all officers in catching slaves !;
the 18th and 18th sections | will read
SEC IL If any free person, by speaking or by writing
maintain that have not the right to- hold
slaves this Territory shall introduce into this Terri
tory print publish write circulate, to he in
troduced into this Territory written printed published
circulated in this Territory, any book, paper, maya
dpDlD pt
the right of persons hold slaves in this Territory,
such person shall be deemed guilty of felony and punish
ed by Imprisonment ut hard labor for term OF not less
SEC I3 No person who is conscientiousy opposed to
holding slaves, who does not admit the right to hold
slaves in this Territory shall sit juror on the trla OF any
prosecution for any violation OF any OF the sections OF this
act.
This act to take effect and he in force from and after the
fifteenth day ot September, y. ID. 1850
No one doubts that these laws are in utter
violation of the most sacred principles of the
Constitution but the Constitution is a dead
letter when it interferes with the desires or de-
signs of Slavery The oligarchy said those
laws must be enforced" The President re
peatcd those laws must be enforced WI
son Shannon rc-echoed "those laws must he
enforced"
The friends of freedom were in the midst of
danger-if they submitted, it was. to become
slaves if they resisted, they must resist Unit
ed States troops They resolved to proceed with
caution. They declared they would submit to
United States authority but would resist the
execution of the un, institutional laws, made
by Missourians A scene of Anarchy ensued
Bloody murders were committed by pro-slavcry
men, and the officers of the territory refused
to bring them to Justice. Gov. Shannon him
self boarded with a murderer long time ; and
made no effort to procure his punishment.
On the other side, free state men were con-
dcmned for offenses never committcd-con-
demncd unheard, and oftentimcS before they
were arrested. | cannot enlarge upon the
reign of terror, which has existed for months