Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-04-04
Tho Rcmovai Of Judge Lorins.


The Remavai of judge Lorinz.
The removal of Edward Greeley Lorng, Uni
ted States fugitive slave law commissioner for
Massachusetts, from the Office which he now holds
under the commission of this State, should be
pressed with ygilant zeal BY every friend of free
dom and Of Massachusetts, constitutional rights,
/, until its accomplishment The perfect right oil
Edward g. Loring, or any other man, to hold any
position he chooses to accept under the United
States government, whether bloodhound to
pursue Indians in Florida, or as commissioner to
hunt fugitive slaves in Massachusetts,, no one will
question; every man to his taste. But il old
Massachusetts, yet retains any of her sovereign
rights as a State, she retains that Of determining
that no official of hers shall soil the ermine of his
station. and the fair fame of the Commonwealth
(which in part he represents by his position, by
stopping at the same time to accept the commits
tion Of official agent and hirelng of the Southern
slave hunter to issue warrants for the pursuit Of
his prey across the backgrounds and over the
battle-ields of the old Bay State.
The laws of Massachusetts, which Judge Lor-
ing, by virtue ofhis present position. has solemn
" sworn to support are explicit on this point
Sections 9, lC Is. and IA, of chapter 4S9 of the
laws of 1866, read as follows -
Seer O. Noperson, while holding any office Of honor
trust, emolnment, under the laws of this Common
wealth, shall in any capacity issue any warrant or 9TH
process graft any certificate under BY virtue Of
an act Of Congre s approved the twelfth dag Of February
IN the year Thousand hundred and nnety three
entitled An respecting fusittves from justice, and
parsons sespng from the Of their masters
under by of act Of Congress, approved tie
eip day Sepie bar in the year ttonaad eight
lundeed and IF e1tiilad "An act to amend, and sup
merit to, Aa act respecting fugives from justice,
appeTsons escaping from the service Of their masters
shall Ia any capacity serve any such warrant or other
process.
EEcT 10. Any person who shall grant any certificate
under BY virtue Of the acts Of Congress mentioned in
the presiding section, shall be deemed to have resigned
any commission from the Commonwealth which he may
possess his Office shall be deemed vacant and he shall be
forever thereafter ineligible any office Of trust honor
or emoumenf, under the lass Of this Commonwealth.
SECT. l3 No person who holds any office under the
laws Of the United States which qualities him to issue
any warrant other process to grant cerhcats
under the &C Of Congress- named in the ninth section
OF this act TO the shall at the same time
hold any once Of honor trust or emolumeD under the
laws Of this commonwealth.
SECT H. Any person hoiing any Judicial Office under
the Constitution or laws Of this Commonwealth who shall
elrtnue for ten days after the passage of this act to hold
the office OF United States commissioner any office
der the Of the United stses which qualities him TO
Issue any warrant other process, grant certih
cate under the Of Congress named the ninth
on Of this act shall be deemed to have violated good be-
ami Furnished sufficient ground, either foF impeachment
or for removal oy address,
Yet, in defiance of these plaiu provisions, Ed
ward Greeley Loring. while clinging with the te-
nacity of a bloodhound to the office Of commits
sioner for the slave-hunters of Virginia, South
Carolina, &C., claims the right 10 retain his State
Office Of Judge Of Probate, by coolly denying, in
an impudent letter, the constitutionality Of the
Personal Liberty act Thus does Commissioner
LOring have the insulting audacty to sit in judg-
ment on the laws Of Massachusetts,. We submit
that it is full bad enough for the Supreme Court
to assume the authority to dictate to as to the
constitutionality of the laws, but to be thus dc
tated to by mere Probate Judge, and blood
hound commissioner to boot, is more, we trust
than the people or Legislature of Massachusetts
will stand.
Then let the Legislature, at the earliest prac-
teal moment, move in the discharge of their
obvious duty, BY declaring that Judge Loring, by
his conduct, has forfeited his right longer hold
the Office Of Judge Of Probate, or any other 9 Of
fee Of honor, trust, or emolument, under the
laws Of this Commonwealth" and proceed ac-
cordingly in the work of his removal by address.
Two years ago, the address was passed by vote
of about two to one in the House, and nearly
three to one in the Senate, yet owing to the re.
fuaal Of the Governor to accede to the wishes Of
the people, as thus expressed through their rep
resentatives, Loring has continued to hold on to
hisjudgeship. Subsequent to that refusal, how
ever, the law Of which the above four sections are
apart was passed, yet has that audacious official
continued to adhere to his judgeship for nearly
two years, in utter violation Of the provisions Of
the statute in that case made and provided The
Governor can now plead no excuse for not com.
plying with the request Of the Legislature, i'm
peratiEe as the duty has now become, by the pro-
visions Of the Personal Liberty Act, which de-
elares explicitly, as above quoted, that no per-
son who holds any office under the laws of the
United States which qualities him to issue any
warrant OF other process, or to grant any certf.
cate under the acts OF Congress named in the
ninth section of this act, or to serve the same,
shall at the same time hold any Office of honor,
trust, or emolument, under the laws of this Com
monvealth." II he shall do so, as Judge Loring
has done, for two years, he shall be deemed to
have viOiated good behavior, to have given reason
for loss 81 public confidence, and furnished ssi-
Client for impeachmentor for removal
W 1O@fess
Let him, then, be removed, accordingly. If
there eau be found persons in the free States,
mean and subservient enough to accept of the
position Of Commissioners to do the dirty work
Of the slayehunters Of the South, let old Massa-
,ohusetta exercise her unquestioned right and pre-
Togative, in the premises, by deposing from State
trust any official Of hers who shall, in violation Of
her laws, descend to such ignominious service
as Edward Greeley Loring has 40 done. Lethim
hereafter devote himself entirely, If he pleasea to
the work for which he manifes,s such proeliyity,
but let the Commonwealth feek some other and
different person for her servant Her Judicial err
mine should not be longer soiled by any such
foul contamination as association with the Office
Of fugitive slave law Commissioner.
The address for the removal Of this obnoxious
lpnctionafy, which passed the Legislature two
years ago by vote Of more than two to one, was
earnsslly supported by such conservative men as
Hon Robert B. Hall, 10 the Senate, fwhers the
vote sssed q p ~ The following extract from,
he sondlnding portion Of Mr.. Hais speech on
ths occasion. puts the ground for the removal in