New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-23
THE PERSONA LIBERTY Bill
NR. OWENS OBJECTIONS.
IL SEs.TK Aoril a ,sy


I'M JUDICIARY, OS TIE SENATE BILL 70 80
IEcr TERsostL RIGHrs AND LIBxRrII.
Mr.. Diyen, from majority of the Judsi,,,
Committee, 10 which wss referred the fouOvi,s
petition end bill, viz:
AZ ACT 10 protect psrsorL rEAt, saa lle.rsk,
IA. Pc. ~, sf tA< STATE Of SsNs York ,,p-..,..S .
ans .inssbly 4 .Rses a, Jol,s' sIorIoS l. No ps,ss
IN TIN, who nay hereafter Ito n OF ). $3.50
src Wsorvsr .esu ,rrs.t' iupr.on o. ear, ..,x,,.
sac, c. 'bsl .tsHs, 70 siisS lusri'on O. cary ~.
,eTyc. or .oor .laye 70 the party esans ia, .,.
pgpihed b PIis nup 10 tie STATE Poh Dor sIossls
Sc Whenever ,Iy p,r'ou shall ,, s.prv.4 Of BDer, a,
r,,ts. cr detained this State, he clam tAst A.
labor TO sI' oshef Pe.5I - slave NE per.sa a
f.ted Setsi 'ksl b entitled . rsbl Gsd f -
70 re sit # bsbeGJ corpus Such -rt b. app,,a ~,
i.uS ana r-aruee Is provided BY 10 sIe.s, az, ~
sme az BE- ,euued bstcre any justice u toori u reors
and # u h1 .pps,r by tie return Il 'ai wl or othsr..,s
OF be.i,s btfoe said iltee, that ssh psr.oa a. ID
Of hbety arrested dtan~e oecal'e se 81,
nj, state ans a. .urh service OF ,OoI "a Ia 80
cIainius him, - o. ~ fort vito De- dlsc1afEed.
ina D.p.l.b by tbs rroy Of ih. Set nav
seton ard recover dsnss 'herefo .sy court q rcerd b
L. Is. Sc, ate and 4seably eJns STAT, er y.> Ys-l,
TIE rnsesree, citizen, OF tas Stas Of Ne~YOl spee
.,ve shan ). delivered ep ~ officer Count State or F.t
ers rhin this State 20 az Sirs e % The geo1R4
that he serse or l,or to ,1ch esmSnb % he law,
ous Of he slave stI'ss Of tLis leitn.
Maeeson Csntr March p, lesa
o.
esleI'l
That thew have had the said bill 10 Ter considers.
tiop. That they cs1rOt forbesr the expression Of as.
torshment that bill so CLEARLY in vios.On Of the Ian
and Constitution of toe United States should asvs
been submitted TO this Legislature. Your COMMITTEES
would be glad if they coud believe that the pstes
askbs for tie passage OF the bill acting snOr
ance Of the National Lsws and Constitution. Bat the
laws Of Congress sDd provisions the Constitution ~.
g. defiance by its provisions are too well known sad
too generally discussed to lesve room for asy .ucs
cone uscn. Indeed, the lsugusge of the bill itself
shows that the frsmer Of it. had the lsss of Congress
and the Constitution in nd, ard intended with the
most explicit dlecteess to place them st jeharoe. Had
toe bill read that the third subdivision of section two,
article fourth Of the Constitution sud the laws Of Coo.
gr,ss, enscted in pursuance thereof, shoold not b
obeyed in this State under penalty OF Imprisonment M
the = ate Prison, sni in express terms enschug thas
the Courts of this State should not observe such lava
or such section of the Clpsttutou the intent defy
these provisions o. the Constitution could not DO mora
evident.
TIE question rssed BY this bill IL not IS 10 the pro,
prie.y Of this provision Of the Constitution. Any c.
ger has d righ. 10 discuss the vision and lostee Of
every provision of the organic or cner lag OF the lsnf
and - use all lawful means 10 Teps> Alter or smead
is VIDE difference between altering Objectionable
laws and setting tbem st defiance while they are u
force the first is the exercise of the highest hight OF
freemep; the latter, If wfully performsd, &C. Is but
too evident in this case onY bs characterised a.
rebellion And the passage Of the bill under consdsra'
ton by the State Legislature, would De ~ dstioct ~
act OF rebellion on the part Of the a,e, toward the
Ger eTsl Government a. II s possible 10 perform snoft
OF the extreme OF tea. oepse eliminating IN ressors
nceed It is say TO fOresee that the passage OF th4
act Ard An aft g
l. al 10 direct collision sth the General Government.
The third subdivision OF section two, article four,
the Constitution provides that no person hsld "
s3ryce or labor in one State under the laws thereof
esespipp into another email, in conseq1t nee OF anJ
law or regulation thereto, be- discharged from saen
seTyce or labor; but shall be delivered up on claim
of the party TO whom such service or labor msy ~
due" '.+ $3.50. ....- =.
TIE Il ind section of the bill under ooosid.rah proc
yides tnst when any person lie brought before any
court Of record on wiit of habess corpus, p" ana
shall appear by the return OF said WRIT or otherwss,
CT hesrng before said Justice, that such person
deprived OF liberty arrested detained, because 10
was or because it is alleged that he VAS slave oe'
fore ccm < OF being brought into this State and a
such is held 10 service or labor to the person claiming
him, he shall forthwith be discharged
Tie Committee believe IL would Do dlthcult 70 enacs
Law that would mora psioly cor Met with tbs proys
ion Of the Constitution above quoted, and they feet
fully justified oharacterzlng the attempt to procure
is passage az rebsllous. m
Objectionable thsn THE IL provides for Furnishing
Jus Ire o,rs " the General Goyeinm.nt f3I oe Perofn
CT duties prescribed b. The Laws OF the United sAss
Chaver sixty o. Thifty fret Conges asf proSidis ~
TIE appointment Of certain Commissioner 10 addition as
Judge. Of the Court g giant o,ae., 20 o.@ mai. o.
prosce five that ,bai e. the euty OF Al sAr'b
ard arkas obey and execute ell warrants sad pre-
eeps issued under the provisions OF tb' go. -hoa 70 ns
aieoed and shah Marshal refuse T. receive snca Whsa
or ether when eu,.rsd ~ use all proper means d
Gently 10 scae the .aS be .hs ooByston thereof
fnso In the Of hol'snd dollars 10 the use o. n
can Sc % g os Dist'ct Of sch Ms.ts and .f
ares. Of soch fugitive BY such MAMMAL or ns depy OF ~ms
tine ~ sis Se.oe. Sso. -b.s. vs "T Without ~
assent Of su,h hn,b.l or his deputy sucn NAsn1 ms
.be bis fcid bond - be prosecuted Tor @e 'sosa
The sih .so,icn 9th. Law provides. ~s,n '1eh Fugitive -
or persons whom ,ucn service or lAo)r may % aus
his sg,p may pursue sod reclsim suob fugitive per'on s
By procuring from one OF tho Courts Jua!es
Cor miI,o6trs Aforesaid Of he proper Circuit District
County for the spprshenson n such fugitive hom service
labor .sIus aIgesss such fugitive, when tae ~
cor be done without process ana BY tssios OF eanhnl M
p.sn be taken forh-h before ,uoh Cout judge Or ~
m.or hoss duty .h. b. n her dstsrni0e me csS
OF such clsimsnt 10 'ommsrJ nsnpeT ena 9soa Nnso
rIoSt 20 o. I'D Sy.r % .oeh 9.,%.n as s
c.h, ate s.ttLg 'orto the substantial fes
suc Oh her escape no tho s.te T.rht,y IN va
or labor due, 20 the State er Territory 10
he ., Die va. arrested viii sut6orty sdch claimant or
her sg.rto agrney 10 use such Teason,oe ieHan
may be necessary under the circun,suces OF me case
AuS ,uoys sur iusti,e PEI sou be- TO S1ts or Teu
here he or .Ee ma, have escaped a. ,foresd Apdnh
fur.b.r declared BY said ton that such certificate sac.
pSlusve Of the sst .fthe esr.oH p-nns IN whose
ssat.d remove such gi.ys 10 toe htst1 or leDy
which be sssped, ard shall prevent al nossAnoo OF 'o
persons BY any process, issued oJ snf >"e'" 'D
Nsgstfstc, p<Tsog vhonSey>I' -
And With this az Of Congress still 10 force MS p,o'aa
Il second lion ~ the bil under oonsd falon MS
ever shall arrest, In prison. csuy cut ofhis Sse -.
ten Bt 10 arrest, imp Icon c;Dy Gu. u thh sss, e
t0u Tor the aszed tnst such reron oss ,Yys
lstor a. a slave the party claiming hin, saAn 10 -
by jmprEoL In the 8tsts Prison, rot eHc<eas ~,
ysGs" - ,,-,. l. a.. ..,,,. r.tse
Nov we have ,~ Of Congress eIpcit 10 hs terms mas
T. III. duty ofihs Nsb,s 20 tsse these isftYss ION
and t.turu Leaa ~ State from whence u. e'espe7 80
obeyDs this aw T. "a pr ssd 70 cuni'ht toe ss,,hs s.s