The Kanzas news., 1858-06-19
ron corwin on the Fugitive slave Law.

Tom Corwin on the Fugitive Slave Law.
Tom Corwin made a speech on the trial
of VIM. Connolly, in Cincinnati, on charge
of harboring and concealing fugitive slaves
belonging to C. A. Withers. of Kentucky.
in which he spoke as follows in regard to
the Fugitive Slave Law:
Consider the language of the Indictment
AGAINST nv client. .sThe Grand Jury do
f6rtber present that said Connolly had no
tiee of the fact thai said Broadbuses were
fueitiyes from labor, and, knowing the same.
he unlawfully harbored and concealed them,
SO as then and there to prevent their discoV-
ery and arrest" The Court will see at once
the bearing of the Fugitive Slave Law. un-
der which this indictment was drawn
"Any person who shall knowingly or will
GuoIv prevent or ohstruct or shall rescue
or attempt to rescue such fugitive from Ia
Dor, or shall aid or assist such person to es-
cape, or shall harbor or conceal such fugi-
tive SO as to prevent their discovery or ar
rest. after notice or knowledge of the fact
that such person was a fugitive, shall be
imprisoned six months, and shall be fined
in the sum of 81 900 for each fugitive so
lost" It is only necessary for me to call
the attention of the Court to it, that they
NAV understand what Congress meant when
they enacted that statute. II is evident that
the design was to prevent the escape of
single slave Under il a number of new off.
fcers unknown to our jurisprudence before
are created: it gives to the Judge before
whom fugitiyacases are tried the appoint
ment of the zen who are to determine be-
81 *1of
compels the Commissioner to issue O. writ.
and, under penalty of $1,000, to execute it
Immediately. It is provided, also, that.
should the slave escape from the Marshal,
he shall pay his value to the owner. and so
on to the end of the chapter of its enor-
mites.
1t is well known to your Honor that
have no particular sympathy for the people
called "Abolitionists, although there may
be peculiar reasons assigned why should
have. But if such law had been passed
in relation to white men,, there is not a
Judge or Marshal in the United States that
would take any part in its execution. II
the kidnapper shall swear as well he might
swear, that he is afraid the black man will
be taken out of his hands, what does the
United States do? 1t says the Marshal shall
summon, if he chooses, thousand men at
the expense of the United States to carry
him to Kentucky, or il may be, to Georgia.
If Kentucky thief comes to this side of
the river and steals horse, does it happen
that the United States pays the expense of
taking the horse back again? Not at all;
but the whole army of the United States is
at the command of the Shareholders, and
the doors of its treasury are ever ready TO
open at their behests. I ask whether that
law is not on its face monstrosity? / will
not say but that it may be necessary to keep
the slaves secure; but if it be, it must be
one of those cases where men seek to OBJ
tain power over their fellows which God
Almighty never intended. And / admit it
is our duty to enforce that law, but how?
Every law should be literally construed. in
order to attain the objects aimed at. The
literal construction of this law, and the en-
fOrcement of its penalties, would defeat it
SELF 1t forbids the giving of food to the
hungry and clothes to the naked; and I
would ask the prosecutor if he himself
would obey the law in this respect? He de-
clines to answer; but don't care what
would be his answer, there is no man under
heaven who would refuse to give food and
shelter to even starving and suffering
black man. Quite number of persons
here clapped their hands in applause, which
was promptly checked by the Court. Ne
grOes are generally. nowadays, regarded as
men and women. Judge Mclean has said
they have souls. That is not clear prop
ssition under the laws of Kentucky. IF the
meanest man on earth shall crawl to the
door of the richest nabob in Ohio and say,
am dying of hunger-I am running from
my master-and this Dives shall throw a
crust of bread into the mouth of that dying
man, who will say there is law to punish
such an act? Why, if the vilest criminal
fleeing from justice should come to me starv-
ing, | could feed him till he. becomes fat,
and L would not be subject to any penalty
and shall black man, guilty of no crime,
be permitted to die In want on my threshold?
Here are twelve men imbued with the Cos
pei of Christianity, and because / have
ooeyed the precepts of that Gospel will they
hue and imprison me? There can be nc
such law. It is mockery, There is not
STAKEHOLDER in all the countries of the earth
That would enact such law. In the Cos
pei 1t Is said the good shall come up, and
1he Judge of The world shall say to. them
l was an hungered and ye gave ms meat;
was thirsty and ye gave me drink. de-, &c
eto the right hand. Those that were turn.
se 10 the left were sent there because they
uld not do these things. But it is pretend,
"a That there is law which forbids these
gospel preeepts. If so, and those who
OeheVe it belong to church, their par
son should say to his people: "Inasmucl
- me Hack man tcds an hangered, and y,
ya'e h,na not meat, dc, go gle. dc. By TIA.
I. M sAau k0o'o ye haze passed from death t.
iys' 0eeoEse ye hare killed ni2ger." Ha:
come TO this? Is it true? Can it be
;'a'enaed in Court of justice that there
law OF the United States that commando
e. 20 violate not only the precepts of tn.
'osPel, but the lust nrincinles of humanity,