The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-04-29
wnmops vision OF slaves floating mp the
Susquehaupa.

w UmttS ttcIoH VI StuVCs ho9ttbB thC
Susquehaupa.
II was Said that Wilmot had challenged
Gen. Packer to stump the State with him,
but that proved TO be one Of the Republi-
can electioneering stories, like which we
had many last fall, and may expect many
more. By the last number of Wilmots pa.
per, the Bradford Reporter, it looks rather as
if the Judge intended TO fight out this con-
test for Governor with the Star, since he de-
votes long article to our papers position
on the "nigger question" He talks about
slaveholders bringing their slaves into Penn
eylvania and hiring them by the year TO
labor in our factories, mines and workshops;
and intimates that the decision in the Dred
Scott case would authorize this. 1t does no
such thing. Whoever becomes a citizen of
Pennsylvania acquires the rights of citizens
in this state; and the black man would be-
come free whenever Pennsylvania became
his residence and place of permanent occu-
patton by the assent of his master. Indeed
the Judges article admits incidentally that
the doctrine Of the Dred Scott case is that
Shareholders may consider themselves cit
liens of other states, while in Pennsylva-
mia, only so long as the animus rerertendi is
preserved.
MORGAN the Wilmot men complain that
this time during which there may be the
animus reUerfendi is uncertain or indefinite,
and might be unfairly construed to legalize
slavery. The object and time of holding
slaves was limited and defined by Benja-
man Franklin's emancipation act of 1880,
so as to apply to travellers and sojourners
visiting our State or going through it from
slavestates, but was never to exceed six
months. (See any old copy of Purdon's
Digest.) This law the abolition Legislature
of iS47 repealed, at the same time that
they refused the use of State jails and state
laws TO carry out that provision of the Uni
ted State constitution which provides for
the restoration of fugitive slaves, and made
it misdemeanor in any State magistrate to
be engaged in such execution of the law
(See pamphlet laws of ls47 or Purdon's Di-
gest If now it is uncertain and indefinite
how long the animus reuertendi may exist, it
is the Abolitionists who have made il 80.
The act OF 1880 shows how the men of
that day understood the rights of slavehod.
ers to visit Pennsylvania, and the reciprocal
duties of Pennsylvanians to treat the citi-
zens of other States with fraternal comfy,
and not as aliens and outside barbarians.-
Franklin and his compatriots abolished sla-
very in Pennsylvania, but they did not feel
any necessity or duty 10 establish Under
ground Railroads aud deal in "nigger steal
ing" They did not get up riots like those
at Philadelphia, Christiana and Boston, nor
did they shoot down United States Mar
shalls, because their philanthropy and pa
triotism was no crazed fanaticism. From
1880 TO Is47 the people of this good Com
rnonwealth felt no danger if Southerner
visited our State with dozen slaves, for il
he staid over six months the slaves became
Free. But this peace. and security was dis
turbed by political demagoges; and they
have only mischief, agitation, fears and
alarms to offer in their places. There is re
ally no dargefshow more than at any time
since 1880.
The article in the Reporter admits alsc
that the operations of the Underground Rail
road would limit the probability of slaves
being hired into Pennsylvania. Men of coo
sense know that it alone would limit the
possibility of any stakeholder ever recover
ing negro from Pennsylvania, even if i
were one not worth having.
elf'Judge Wilmot were guided more by
reading and reflection, and less by impulse
and temper he would find that the Cons,i
tuition of the United States and the fugitive
slave law only provide for the restoration o
fugitipes from labor and not of such as thu
owner may himself have made permanen
residents and citizens of free state.
But the main answer and most forcibl,
reply TO the suppositiOns Of these Abolition
lists as to what might happen, is 10 refer t,
whathas happened Pennsylvania has abol
ished stauery, and its influence has been 70
freedom both by the sentiment and the in
terest of its people. 1t has not found slav,
labor either desirable or profitable in ou
soil, climate and pursuits OF business
These forces, more powerful than laws, wi
keep slavery out of the State much NOR
easily than they drove itout years ago.
The Abolition demagogues may deal il
fears, conjectures and apprehensions t
move some weak-nerved old ladies i
breeches--they may deal in dark picture
of RATS of slaves floating up the Susque
hanna, Just as they used to deal in the raw
head and bloody bones of the poor ol
Pope TO terrify bigols and fools but til
great fact stands out on the history of Penn
s-slvania that her people and her interest
have built up an eternal barrier against sla
very.
The IsMs ARE SHORT. .aVEp.-ihe oPt''fuo
Tstgroph gives list Of ss ss'''uai newspa
pers which has been started since l.. peg,n
ming Of 1850, and of these 81 have been GO
continued. The editor Of the Telegraph
says that for conducting that paper he ha