Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-18
The Personal Liberty Bill.

Mr. EDITOR The majority Of the last House
of Representatives have been condemned by some
of your correspondents, with unsparing severity,
as false to Freedom. And it has even been said
that in House numbering over 300, only 66werc
true to Liberty. Allow me to make some COM
ments in reply, more especially in answer to
your correspondent, Mr.. Ithamer Smith, who is
entitled to consideration and esteem from his
talents, his patriotism, and the eminent probity
of his private and public life.
By Section l Of this Bill, every person hold
ing any Office under the laws of Vermont is
prohibited from issuing or serving any process
under the act of Congress Of 1898 entitled s. an
act respecting fugitives from justice, and per-
sons escaping from the service of their masters
or under the act of 1850, entitled can act to
amend and supplementary to an act respecting
fugitives from justice and persons escaping from
the service of their masters
By Section 2, any person issuing any certiG-
cate under either of said acts is deprived of any
office he may be holding, and is further made
forever ineligible to any office; thus imposing
the terrible penalty of perpetual disfrauehise-
ment and disgrace.
By Section 3, any person who shall act as
counsel or attorney for any claimant Of any fa-
gitive from service or labor under either of said
acts of Congress, is deprived of any Office b@
INC nv ha hold Nd ,e tn In
tated from acting as counsel or attorney IN any
court in the State.
The acts of Congress referred to, make pro-
vision for the reclamation, not merely for fuEfs1
tive slaves, but also of fugitive criminals, and
fugitive apprentices and servants and this law
inhicts disfranchisement and ignominy upon
any officer who aids in the very laudable recla-
nation of runaway criminals, or servants who
are not slaves This fatal defect was pointed
out by MIR. Merrill of Montpelier, and it was
perfectly conclusive. The passage of the bill
would have brought ridicule and contempt upon
both the Legislature and the people of YER
mont. The main advocate of the bill, Mr..
Needham of Hartford, who acquired much
credit by his very gentlemanly bearing and apt
ness in debate, was compelled subsequently to
confess the defects of the bill, and by his re-
quest the vote dismissing the bill was reconsid-
cred, on motion of Mr.. Merrill, for the purpose
of obviating the objection by amendments but
in the press of business the bill was not again
taken up.
Another weighty objection was urged by Mr..
Bradley of Brattleboro, with great force and
eloquence. 1t was, that the free States had
been justly assailing the infamous Fugitive
Slave Law, because it did not give trial by
jury, and this Bill shows ON its face a cowardly
fear of our old, time-honored Vermont jury
trial, which always has gloried in according to
every criminal, however eoormous his crime,
the privilege of being heard by counsel and
the bill is in reality sur and slab at trial by
jury. cannot refrain from adding in this con-
nection, that believe Mr.. Bradley is true to
Freedom in all his sentiments and principles,
and eminently worthy of the highest honors of
the State.
Mr.. Editor, it should not be forgotten that
Vermont has already enacted her Personal Lib
erty Bill. By the acts of l843 and 1850 (Com-
piled Statutes, page 536) every magistrate is
prohibited from acting under the Fugitive Slave
Law SO far as respects fugitive slaves; every Of
fcer and citizen is prohibited from aiding in
the arrest of any fugitive slave, or in removing
him the States Attorney is directed to appear
on behalf of every such fugitive, at the expense
of the State, and to use all lawful means to pro-
cure his discharge; the writ of habeas corpus
is secured in case the judge shall fail to dis
charge the fugitive slave, an appeal is granted to
the county court, and trial by jury is secured.
These acts are memorable in their history and
character. They were assailed at Washington
, and elsewhere with great bitterness and vtuper-
, alton. The Editor of the Watchman defended
these acts, and Mr.. Webster punished him by
} taking from his paper the public printing
But in spite of calumnious denunciation, these
laws stand upon our statute book, and no man
has doubt but that so long as they remain in
, force, no ruthless and mercenary man-stealer
will ever violate the liberties of the meanest
fugitive. These acts are therefore all that is
needed no supplementary act is required Ger
tainly not such an act as the Personal Liberty
, Bill of the last Session.
; regret to see any imputation cast upon the
last Legislature as wanting in the true spirit of
Freedom. They may have been mistaken. But
D strongly as desire that the Anti-Slavery feel
ing of Vermont should ever be both sober and
intense, shall rejoice if future Legislatures
! shall in this respect equal the last one N