Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-03-12
political.
For the Watdhmao.
THE PERSONAL LIBERTY BILL.

dNt0 VI congress OF 40 anu loJVs even IN
the reclamation Of fugtives from justice, or
Of fugitves from service who are not slaves.
A writer in the Green Mountain Freeman,
"Candor, expresses a very compacent sur
prise at my ignorance, and asserts that these
acts of Congress were designed, "simply and
only, to apply to fugitive SLAVES, and that any
application Of their provisions TO ugitvos
from justice was wholly unnecessary. because
the 4th article of the Constitution of the u.
S. has made ample provision as to these latter
fugtivcs
Now, if VIC admit that the design was thus
limited, it is both unjust and foolish to pun
ish proper act that may be done in conform
ity with the provisions Of these laws. But
the design was not thus limited.
BY tho LIST section of the ace Of 1903. it is
provided that whenever tho sl4oeutiye Of any
State or Territory shall demand any person.
as a fugitive from Justice. Of the Executive Of
any other State and shall produce copy
of the indictment found or an affidavit made
before a magistrate, charging the person SO
demanded with having committed treason.
felony or other crime, certified as authentic
by the Governor or Chief Magistrate of the
state or Territory from which he fed, it shall
be the duty Of the Executive 20 cause him To-
be arrested and to give notice of the arrest
20 the Executive making the demand. or to
the agent appointed to receive the fugitive,
and TO cause the fugitive 90 be delivered 20
SUM "SVh' Wheh nc Hhai appear Out ll no
such agent shall appear within six months
from, tt,, ,,,,.t tL ,.....,, ,. L. i.. .. d
i'',' '"o "'0''' 't' p1''o" ul") 9o "'5e"
-all expenses and costs to be paid by the
State making the demand
The 2d section empowers the agent to
frIt .. al.
n "a " '0''' '''''
ne ued, ana imposes penalty tor rcsCulur
him.
Tho renairi,., t,,, so.tio,. rotate a., c,.,;
A" 'I..'i"'i5 wv scc'oha Iti~t1 I'D iA5i-
ures ''heId to labor.
nus act was passed in order TO prescribe
the mode in which the provision of the Con-
stitnuon was to be eXeeated, and because
diihcn'iles mad arisen 10 regard 60 II between
tne states. lhis ls shown. beyond all ques-
tioh' by the remarks OF Judge STORY in de-
H5elns tne oplnon Of The supreme Court
ol tne l.. 81 in The case OF P7W IAe Com-
W9"'enH' oi ffHHWtan'1; l6 Peters Sup.
Ct. NeP-' ooS whch arc as follows;
,Ibln.b ,'oa' t'..e ile l.''..iiit .'r
be mad, by he Executive au-aarI,y of inc Stats fr.m
which iie fugitive na, he' i- Il .i as to ae party gpa
wIi.l f. ,h,u be- laado rr. ,e-9 ai.. o.,,!..,.li
embarrassment. in enf,rena Che RIGHT .ud duty at aa
e1l is'a1 aii ile a1o io o ne t'nt,'atn. and
tborty Of vir-nia 10 d",cr ~ rist,e fr,m qs,ie'
upon the demand Of thc ESeo1d,e II pcunsyvano, in
49,, ~ p-,iirrt Sv .. M S,'m 'io't ..o
ments Of th't period wins tbc imnedite cause of the
pi.sins Of the a.! Of ll'S v' dessuated the peon
made. and the mode ana p-,af unas and ~ ,,ii-h /.
should be male From That tim down p tac present
ats of t. psT ~ ,he e,, enS .yeI, ,e m ,e
Union hos constantly acted upon and admitted ts yali
mode of evec,,ti,o 1a saiav ,pH ny l., l,,. a5 ~
bu for ihli they would rolnaiu nominal rga, ana pls
s'e aul} me e1reaton Of gli, being entrusted 70 and
liberty to disregard Il
Thus it appears that 'evcry Executive in
the Union has constantly acted under this
act, and is compelled to act under it; and
without the act, the provision of the Consti-
tuition in regard to fugitiyes from Justice would
be practically nugatory And yet the Per-
sonal Liberty Bill under discussion disian-
chises our Governor and officers who may aid
in delivering up a criminal upon a requisition
from another State
But would submit further consideration
to our anti-slayery friends. who are inclined
to take strong views upon the subject. Will
liam Goodell. who is one of the ablcst of our
abolition writer's argues iugenousy and with
force, that the expression "be'd 20 s.roi-e or
tabor does not opp'y al an % slor.s and adj
duccs in proof the fact chat in the Convon-
tion that framed the Consultation, PROPOSE
ton TO insert provision for reclaimifir firi-
tive slaves was secuted aud Abandoned SEN
ator Hale has alluded to the. same fact in a
recent speech. Tho act Of i793 uses only
the words "held to labor without mention
ing slaves and of course must have the same
construction as the clause in the Constitutions
o. a. g..