Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-05-15
BEDFORD. PA, FRIDAY. MAY Is. 1857

iion providing only for the arrest and giving
up of fugitive slaves, does not apply, aud ha,
never been construed TO apply. TO cascl
where the master voluntarily takes his slave
into free territory or fres State. Suci
has ever been the law of England, and ci
these Uoitcd States, until now. In the Grs,
and second sections of the sixth article o
the Constitution of Illinois, il IS declared
that neither Slavery nor involuntary seryi-
State, otherwise ihan for crimes, OF which
the party shall he duly convicted; and in
the second section it IS declared, that any
violation of this article shall effect the eman.
cipation of such person from his obligation
to service. The Supreme Court Of Illinois,
10 the case Of Jarrot Us. JaFroi, e Gilmore
Rep. ~ declared. ".lfter the conquest OF
this territory by Virginia she ceded it TO the
United States, and stipulated that the titles
and possessions, rights and liberties of the
4lCAtn cItsAEfS GS tt
them. This, II has been conieaded, secured
them in the possession of those negroes as
Slaves which they bal before that time, ani
that neither Congress nor the Convention
bad power to deprive them of it; OF, in
other words, that the Ordinance and Con-
stitution shoul,! not be 50 Interpreted aud
understood as applying to such Slaves, when
il is there shall be neither Slavery nor
involuntary servitude in the North West Ter
ri,ory, nor iu the State of Illinois, otherwise
than in the punishment Of crimes; but, IL
aras held that those rights COLD not Be this
protected, but must yieIato the Ordinaaes
and coRsfifation''
Amoog numerous other cases establishing
the same principle decided by the supreme
| Court Of Missouri, is he leaiing case OF
Rachel rs. Martin. a Missouri Rep. $50,
June Term 1885, substantially the same in
every prticular as the Drel Scott case
Rachel sued for her freedom, and it appeared
that she had been bought as slave 10 the
State of Missouri by Stockton, IN officer of
the army, taken to Fort Smelling where be
] vas atasionea, and she v - seiained rs q
slave there one year. Stockton then re-
moved TO Prarie du CHEN, taking Rachel
with him as bis slave, where he continued
to hold her for three years, and then took
her back to tue State of Missouri, and sold
Der as slave. ln the opinion of the Court
on these facts il was said:
"The officer lived in Missouri Territory at
the time he bought the slave; be sent to a
slaveholding country and purchased her
This was bis r2taatary act, done without
aLy other reason Than that OF his convenience
and he and these claiming uGder hun must
be holden TO abide the consequences Of in
Producing slavery both 10 Missoari Territory
and Michigan contrary 10 hu. and pn this
ground Rachel IS declared entitled 10 her
freedom.
In 1851 the Coust of appeals of South
Carolina recognized the principle that slave
being taken to free state became free
tCommoawsatfh rs, ieasaats,P Leigh Rep
697l. Ia Betty us. Horton toe Co.rt OF
Appeals held that tho freedom os the slave
was acquired by the action of the laws of
| Massachusetts, BY The slave being taken
there Leigh Rep. 6l5). 1t has been so
held BY the Supreme Courts of Mississippi,
Virginia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Maryland,
and other slave States; and in the free States
the doctrine is believed 10 be universal. Ii
was firmly established in the State of Penn
sylvania at an early day and among Other
cases is that Of The Commonwealth rs- Hoi-
lopay Il Sergt and Raiole 305) in which
CHEF JUSTICE TILGHMAN, and justices
YEATEs AND GIBSON, all concurrcd in
opinion.
An innumeeable list Of other authorities
might be cited; but with this cloud of witness
es against the accuracy of the second position
laid down 10 the Dred Scott case your com
mittee will proceed TO the consideration of
the last proposition.
3. Slaves are property, BY the express
provisions OF the Constitution Of the United
States, in no wise differing from other pro-
perty, and therefore neither the Congress of
the United States nor any territorial gov
ernment created by il, has any power to ex-
clude slavery from the National territories.
| To the citizens Of Pennsylvania, and the
other free States, this is perhaps the most
startling and monstrous doctrine ever pro-
claimed; and the sensation it has created,
and the excitement and condemnation With
which it has everywhere been received
evince but q just appreciation Of its vast i'm
porsance. The institution of slavery is
hereby not only declared to be National but
/ Congress is denied the power 10 restrain it
within any limits whatever, and by clear
and inevitable implication slavery is carried
into every State in TIE Union, and the Leg
isatures thereof prohibited from excluding