Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-03-05
THE Personal LIBERTY BiIs.

W . are not surprised that the freeman
declined to rc-publish the Personal Liberty
hill introduced at the last session. for failing
to pass which tho Republican majority of
the Legislature has been denounced in that
paper as false to Freedom. 1t was crude
and absurd affair that bill, and its simple
publication would be a sufficient reply to all
the attacks made upon those who declined to
support it. A correspondent of the Freeman
has pointed out the defects of the bill so
clearly, that We need only copy his remarks
to dispose finally of the subject
Bv Section | of this Bill, every person
holding any Office under the laws of Vermont
IS prohibited from issuing or serving any pro-
cess under the act of Congress of 1873 enti-
tied ian act respecting fugitvcs from Justice,
and persons escaping from the service oftheir
masters, or under the act Of 1850, entitled
an act to amend and supplementary to an
act respecting fugitvcs from justice and per-
tons escaping from the service of their mas
tors ="
BY Section .. any person issuing any Ger
tifcate under either Of said acts is deprived
of any Office he may he holding, and is fur
Their made torcrcr nebg,jlc To anY ofcc , thus
imposing the terrible penalty of perpetual
disfranchscmcnt and disgrace
BY Section 3, any person who shall act as
counsel or attorney for any claimant of any
fugitive from service or labor under either of
said acts of Congress is deprived Of any Of
fec he may he holding. and is to be forever
inraVacitatcd from acting as counsel or at
torncy in any court in the State.
10, 4
vision for the reclamation. not merely Of
fugitive slaves, but also of fugitive criminals
and fugitive apprentices and servants. and
this law inficts dshanchiscmcnt and igno-
minv upon any officer who aids in the very
laudablc reclamation of runaway criminals
or servants who arc not slaves This fatal
defect was pointed out by Mr. Merrill, OF
Montpelier, and it was perfectly conclusive
The passage Of the bill would have brought
r'dicule and contempt upon both the Iegis-
laturc and the people of Vermont. TIL,
main advocate of the bill, Mr. Nccdham OF
Hartford, who acquired much credit by his
very gcntlcmanly bearing and aptncss in de-
bate was compelled subsequently, to confcs,
the defects of the bill, and by his request the
vote dismissng the bill was rcconsidcrcd, on
motion of Mr. Merrill, for the purpose Of
obyiating the objection by amendments . but
in the press Of business the bill was not again
taken up.
Another wcighty objection wa, urged hi
Mr. Bradley, Of Brattlcboro, with great force
and cloquonco. 1t was. that the Free States
had been Justly asSailng the Infamous Fugi-
tive Slave Law, because it did not give trial
by Jury, and this Bill shows on its face a
oowardly fear Of our old. timc-honorcd Yer.
mont Jury trial, which always has goried in
according to every criminal. however enor.
nous his crime, the privilege of being heard
by counsel and the bill is. in reality, slui
and slap at trial by Jury.
Mr. Editor, it should not he forgotten that
Vermont has already enacted her Persona
Liberty Bill. BY the acts of 1913 and 1850
Compiled Statutes. page $780, every magis
trade is prohibited from acting under tht
Fugitive Slave Law 50 far as respects fugitive
slaves every officer and citizen is prohibited
from aiding in tho arrest of any Fugitive
Slave, or in removing him the States At
tornev Is directed to appear on behalf Of every
such fugitive at the expense Of the State, anC
10 use all lawful means to procure his dis
charge the writ Of hobeos corpus is secured
in case the Judge shall fail to discharge the
fugitive slave, an appeal is granted to th'
County Court, and a trial by jury is secured.
These acts are memorable in their history
and character. They We're assailed at Wash
incton and elsewhere with great bitterness
and yitupcration. The Editor Of the Watch
nan defended these acts, and Mr.. Webster
punished him by taking from his paper tn,
public printing. But in spite Of calumnou
denunciation, these laws stand upon our stat
ute book, and no man has doubt but that
80 long as they remain in force. no RUTHLESS
and mcrccnary man-stcaler will ever violat,
the liberties Of the meancst fugitive. ThcS,
acts are, therefore, all that is needed NJ
supplementary act is required certainly no
such an act as the Personal Liberty Bill 0
the last session. NJ