Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-06-05

We are in the iron embrace of the Slave Power
and its grasp is being frightened on us more and
moro at every opportunity. tThesolds Democratic
doctrine of State Rights, maintained by Jefferson
and jackson, is gradually. yielding to, the steady
advances Of Slavery. The Federal authority is
bent on comprising the subjusation of the Statee,
and bringingtthem to the feet of the central despo-
tism. We have seen Federal bayonets overriding
the local authorities of Massachusetts, and tramp
ling under foot State sovereignty in order to estab,
lish the supremacy of Slavery. We have also
seen the power of the Federal government inter-
posed, in one of our territories, to shape the ac-
ton Of the people in favor of Slavery. And we
hays,seen our courts corrupted by the central
pow till, instead OF being the shield of State
Rights and human freedom, they have become the
supple instruments of Slavery.
The decision of Judge Leavitt in the Connolly
case, tightens still further the coils of the serpent
around the doomed carcass Of State rights. That
decision and the decision in the bred Scott case
put an end to the old idea of the Independence
of the States. We do not see but that the people
of Ohio can hire slaves in Kentucky, and work
them at their pleasure, or a Kentucky Master car
send a gang Of his slaves across the river to his
farm on this side, and be fully protected by the
machinery of the National Government. If they
run away they can be captured under the Fugi
titiye act Just as efectually, as if they had started
from the soil of a Slave State. All that the mas
ter has to do is to show that they are here for &
temporary purpose, and that they have their dOmi
Gil in a Slave State. In that case, they are held
according to Judge Leavitt, by the laws of tht
State where they have their residence and oul
laws, to the contrary, are null and void. We
quote from the charge in the Gazette as follows
"The question was, whether q mere temporary
or.transient sojourn in q free State should have
the effect of a manumission =? If that doctrine
was held, it would be apparent that the circum
stances under which a slave came to the free
State would have no effect upon the question o
hIs frp-hnn1 r ln trnu Eanf n m .nt n 1NaNn,
in a case of sickness, or Glanced to be in a skif
which went down on this shore he would be free
1t wns for the jury to determine whether Irvine
and Angelina Broadhus, never having had any
domioile here. were free. If they were held as
slaves under the law of Kentucky ct the time Of
their escape. they came under the provisions Of
the law Of 1850"
Here then the temporary sojourn Of slaves in q
free State is defended and maintained and the
case is reasoned out by showing how unreasonable
it would be 10 make n slave free if he had been
driven in, accidentally, by stress of weather las
in the Lennon easel or had been sent for a doctor.
The broad ground is then asserted that no tempo
sary sojourn in q free State would make them Free
but that if they were slaves by the laws of Ken
lucky they must be held to be slaves by the jury.
OF course, if that is United States law, Ohio is
etill a slave State, in spite Of her loeal laws, and
the planters Of Kentucky can send over gangs Oh
slaves TO this side of the river, hire them out to
ear farmers, keep them as servants in our public
houses. or work them on the lands which they
may chance to own here and be fully protected
by the courts and officers Of the United States gov
crnment.
This is not what Cowper understood 5ya free
State when he said
"Sloves cannot breathe in England.
The moment that they touch our soil
That moment they are free"
Even If they went for a doctor even If they
were east there by stress of weather, they had
only to touch the sell and they were free. The
charge of Judge Leavitt points as accurately to
what the decision will be in the Lennon case as
the needle points to the pole. With a constitution
which throw every possible guard around liberty
our courts have made slavery the law Of the ma
tion +; with a Constitution which says not a word
about slavery and in which the word slave does
not exist. aud the thing slave is net defined, our
courts have crushed out the rights Of the States to
make the law of slavery supreme over all local
law. We begin TO believe that our only remed '
:gainst central despotism is the remedy adopted
by oar fathers.