Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-08
From the Congregational Herald
STILL MORE OF THE BLACK LAWS OF
ILLINOIS,

'If any person shall harbor or secrete any ne
gro, mulatto person of color, the same being
slave or servant, owing service or labor to any
other person, whether they reside in this
State, or any other State or Territory, or Dis
trict within the limits and under the jurisdiction
of the United States or shall in anywise hinder
or prevent the lawful owner or owners of such
slaves or servants, from retakiug them in law
full manner, every such person offending shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. and fined
not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisoned
not exceeding six months"
This is law upon the Statute Book of Illinois,
approved March 3D. lS45, and reapproved in the
last Legislature, which refused to repeal it. So
then, it is crime worthy the penalty of five hun
dred dollars fine and six months prisonment, 70
harbor fugitive slave This law is purely a
Free will offering to the Dragon of American Sla-
very. 1t was claimed that the monstrous Fugi-
tive bill, which we believe is unconstitutional, was
required by previous arrangement as due the
South. But no such claim could be set up for this
State law. 1t is not enough that Federal provis
ion was long ago made for the rendition of fugi.
tives, but our State must step in and make it
crime to lodge or feed fleeing slave. A mis-
demeanor," subject to fine and Imprisonment, to
open your door to one who loves liberty better
than slavery! crime to admit under your roof
one who is guilty of pIelerring to work for him
SELF after having served his master many years
for nothing A crime to do the simplest act of
ter weary, homeless wanderer!
This law reads quite differently from another
we know, which, instead of making it crime to
"harbor secrete," makes it duty to 'hide the
outcasts," to be "coUeu to them from the face of
the spoiler," to feed the hungry, even if he be an
enemy, and offers the highest reward for taking
in the stranger. Instead of making it q crime to
hinder and prevent" the deliverance of fugtives
it expressly declares, "Thou shalt not deliver unto
his master the servant which is escaped from his
master unto thee"
But in spite of the cruel law humanity proves
true to itself. A volume of thrilling incident
might be written upon the 'Underground Rail-
way"-how men have travelled by night across
bleak praries, from station to station delivering
their passengers to the next conductor-how many
hair breadth escapes have been effected. when the
pursurers have walked over wells in which their
prey was concealed, as in days of old. Rare are
the specimens of heroic exploit superior to many
upon that pioneer iine Men loved 1t, they were
enthusiastic in it, they endured hardness as they
would in hardly any other cause The writer Ct
this is proud TO have opened his door at midnight,
lodged and fed weary wanderer, and III the morn
ing to have taken him on in the direction Of the
| North star. Besides these, many who have held
to the letter of our black laws, have found chap
ter in their experience similar to that one IN
which it appears that senator is but man
men who would swear by their party but feed
and lodge fugitive. A physician OF this city
found Methodist preacher in the South by the
name of Calhoun, of distinguished relations, WI Q
really supposed that this railroad under 9round
,l-and really its track above ground has never
been very accurately defined /; but the thousands
of refugees in CaDada testify that it has North
ern terminus.
The section which defines who may be witness
es in criminal cases says: mo black or mIlatto
or Indian, shall be permitted to give evidence IL
! favor or against any white person whatsoever
Any white person may rob the property as
saut the body violate the virtue of any black per
f son, and yet no other black person who wal
' witness to the crime can bear testimony
!, against it. So that if any white wishes Il
3 commit crime upon black, with impunity' h'
has only to see that no white person is present
:. Now, why this diabolical law in Tree State u
u In the slave States, where the testimony OF COZ
= orcd persons ia rejected in both civil and crmha
n cases, we can see how it should be necessary u
4 the system, for slavery is upheld by suppressini
:, the testimony of its victims. But where we hay'
y no such need, why may not Justice avail hersel
A of the testimony Of any competent witness 7 Doe
the color of the skin determine the competency
, evidence2 10 bear testimony against injury ~
n cieved is a natural right of man; 1t Is par'
y the great law of self-defence and to Withol'
q that right is not only an outrage upon man. ou
an insult offered to its divine Author. IL woui
. seem that this the eommonest of all rights migh
be granted if not out of regard to their privilege
=. at least for the purpose of preventing CRIME
But the restriction has its origin in the very spr
!. rt of slavery it rests upon injustice ana ARC
# gance.
D. Another disability imposed upon the colore
= citizens of this State is denying them the etecuG
# franchise. The ignorant foreigner is hardly land
ed in our State before he is brought to the bslio
b box knowing nothing of Tho principles OF ou
d Government, to vote for the party that farnishe