The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-02-05

free whiskey, in tn free city OF Cincinnati,
the slaves whom they brought over to insult
the freemenof Ohio, take advantage ofthese |
midnight orgies, and when the time of re. |
turning to bondage arrives they are not |
forthcoming. What then is the slave driver
to do; he cannot arrest the slave under the
Fugitive Slave Law, for he is hot n fugitive
from service, and while the Law remains
upon our statute books, he cannot s,lze HIM
by force. How then, are these Sou hern
gentleman to recover their "stray animals,
Sir, they call upon the "gallant Senator
from Hamilton--and that Senator ever ready
to act upon the principles Of "comity," re-
pairs 10 the Capital of Ohio, and makes his
appeal TO the Ohio Democracy; and the Gun
terrified" in grand council assembled, de-
cree that this law--the only law upon our
statute books which is declaratoty of one of
the fundamental principles OF our Constitu-
ton, shall be repealed for what pnr
Hamilton county to pounce upon the I.S.
and women who have been made free by the
voluntary act of their masters and by thu
Operations of law, and to drag them back by
violence and brute force into the dominion
of slavery forever. Sir, repeal this law, and
Ohio, the cradle OF liberty, the first-born Of
the ORDrsAscE of 1877, Territory which
has been consecrated to Liberty for more
than seventy years, will be overrun and pol
llu.ed with SOUL drivers from the South, Nor
thern negro catchers; and it will be danger
Gus for q "colored gentlemen TO venture
beyond his own residence unless he is SUI
fcien,ly armed to repel the assaults Of these
SOUTHERN BLOOD hounds in human shape.
Sir, this bill is the first OF a series Of re-
pealng measures about to be thrust upon
end Of the Capitol, a representative from
Hamilton county has introduced bill ten
dering our county jails TO Shareholders ofthe
South, fol "slave.pens" in which to incarce.
crate men and women and helple IS children,
claimed to be fugitive slaves; and, il rumors
l be true, this law, together with the repeal OF
he habeas corpus act, lis to be forced, through
! this Legislature, in direct opposition to- the
known and expressed wishes Of the people.
) And. sir, permit me to ask who is it that de-
mandS the repeal of these humane laws!--
Where are the petitons' Who has heard
the public voice demanding the repeal of
this law, or the others ave namedi Per.
1 haps, SIR, it is the Democracy who, in the
0 year lsis, repealed that obnoxious code OF
$ laws known as the Black Laws Of 0hioi per-
t haps, sir it is the 700 Democrats, who
: reelected Governor Wood upon the anti
, slavery platform, and sustained his admin
e istra,iun after Governor Wood had declared
e that The Fugitive Slave Law was unconsti-
4 tutional, disgtace to the country, and that
:, It never could be enforced in Ohio; or is it
:. the lGl ,O00 free and Independent voters OF
:. Ohio, who, at the last gubernatoorial cleo
is ton cast their votes for that great American
~ statesman who now, AMI who has for the
v last two Yeas presided over this great State
), with snch distinguished ability. ! ask you,
:. sir, are these the gentlemen who are thun-
4 derng at the doors OF your Capitol, dcman-
If ding that this law shall be rcpcalcdl No.
IA sir, not single one of them has asked ioi
If its repeal. The law has been examined, ,ap.
is proved and endorsed by the people, and
IS should he permitted to remain upon til,
- statute book. AMI, sir, | venture the as
|, sertion tina. if this law should be submitted
l. 10 a vote OF the people Of Ohio, that outside
e of Hamilton county. (for fear that Ham!l
e ton county IS beyond the hope Of resource
1t tion,) say, outside OF Hamilton county
II there could not he found even respectabl,
lie minority who would vote for the repeal o
d this law.
at But again, our Democratic friends tell u:
Of that the principle Of comfy and justice t,
the South require that this law should be re.
!, pealed. ! have examined a number o
or the statutes Of the Southern States, and
or am somewhat familiar with the unwritt Il
,e law Of the Southern States, and ! caaa /;
in find, and do not know of any principles o
ID comfy In existence, which require ofus tn,
repeal of this statute. On the contrary,
IS find nothing in those Southern laws, eithe
v written or unwIltten, but eternal hostility
he violence and mobocracy manifested b
re Southern men towards Northern men ant
in Northern measures.
er Sir, let US examine for a moment some o
e. the principles Of Southern comfy, and see
as they are of such nature as to require oil u
IN the repeal Of this law. II the gallant Sena
he tor from Hamilton were to be invited by th'
in chiyalrous sons OF Old Kentucky to delive
Id m aiIIaa n 10 hitfbIau nf Inn aKic
hs liberty, and in his appeal to the patriotism
rn of his Kentucky audience the gallant Sena
IS, tor were 10 declare, in the language Of tn
of sage of Monticello, "that all men were crea
ly ted free and equal; and that they are endow
rs ed with certain inalienabIe rights. anon
re which are life, liberty, and the pursri. 0
IT. happiness" sir. | apprehend OF this pom
OF the gentleman's address, Bowie knive
10 ond Colts Teyolvers, and other such South
US ern Arguments would greet the gentleman
N. patriotic appeal, and now imagine that
10 see the gallant Senator leaving his Ke entuck
nd audience. and in hot haste bounding toward
ng the beautiful Ohio river, with mob Of in
III. furiated devils in pursuit. And this woul
a be one of their acts of comfy, which ou
BILE Democrstic friends tell US demands Of I
}, the repeal Of this wise. judicious and salt
en- taIy law.
mi Again, sir, l have examined q number
the criminal statutes of the Southern Stat,
ma and find among them a law which wi
ot read. 1t is this, "If any person shall teal
'et black or mulattae, how to read, write,
aia spell, such person shall be deemed guilty
efn misdemeanor, and upon conviction ther,
'ia' Of, shall be sent to the penitentiary for
lat- period Of not more than three years." 81
nee should minister of the Gospel leave Il
isl. st.,a of Obin unon n mission of rnaYcv n,