New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-28
FROM ALBANY.
A Personal LIBERTY BILL.
a Our OWa Correspoudeut,

From Our Owa Correspondent.
ALBANY, Feb. 20, 1859.
Mr. POWELL, from the select committee to
whom was referred the petitions for an act for the
better protection of personal liberty, reported this
morning by bill entitled "An Act to protect the
rights and liberties of the citizens Of the State
"of New-YOrk," which provides as follows.
SEcTIoy ]. No person within this State shall be
considered as property or treated as such nor shau
any person within this State be deprived Of liberty
or property without due process Of law.
SIC. > Defines due process Of law to De the uirai
process ard forms in force by the laws Of this State
and provides for a Jury trial.
SIC. 3. Whenever any person shall be arrested on
the ground Of owing service or labor to any person not
on inbabitant Of this State either party may clsm
jury trial. and shall have ~ peremptoTy challenges in
ADDITION to the challenges to which person indicted
lie now entitled.
Sc. 4. Every person who shall deprive or attempt
10 deprive any other person OF bs or her liberty CON
tray to tie provisions Of the preceding sections OF ths
act shall be guilty Of felony ard subject to fine Of
a. 600 10 g. CO. and Imprisonment from TO ~ years.
SIC j. Neither descent near or remote, from an
African whether such African IL or may have been
slave or not Tor color Of skin or complexion, shah
d.quGliy any person from being or becoming clti
zen Of this STATE nor deprive such peraon OF tho rights
sc. Every persoa WHO may have been held as q
slave who shall be brought OF co re TO hS state 'hsu
be free.
hold in iLis state, ia slavery a. slave any person
en- fec persoD IN any form OF tor any 'fe, now
ever = o. u5dr q pIetense tlst suel person y or
has been a slave, shall be Imprisoned IN the penten-
tihry FOR .e!n 81 t. % yeaTs sBi fined tEom i@
20 sl0co0.
srcS Any porson sustaining wrong or Injury by any
Irtceetirg punishable by the preceding sections OF
Tie act, usy maintain en action and recover damages
therefor in any Court Of record Of ibis State.
SIC. Q. No person, while h0.iing any Office Of
honor, truft or emolument under the lava Of this
State shs in any capacity gene aty warrant OF other
process OF grant aly certificate un1er or BY vtae 81
The Fugitive Slave bJl, or shA 10 any capacity serve
any such warrant or other procesl
SEC. IL Provides that any psIson who shAIl violate
any provisions Of Sc q tits Act shall be deemed
90 have resigned any flee be may hold under the
Laws Of this STATE aud sha be thereafter for ever in
eligible 70 any Office Of trust, honor, or emolamens
UNDER the Laws If this state.
SIC. a.. A,y person acting az attorney or counsel
fr slayeLuEter shal foifeit any office be nay holi
under the Laws Of this Safe, AMI slaI be deosHei
from pracfi Ing lie the Courts 81 the ate
SIC. u Subieots sty sheriff Deputy Sheriff Con
esbe Policeman, or other State, Couoty, City, or
IOFn fc-T Ci TIE STATE "AD shaA sfIeN, hhPn-Oa,
tetain, al IN aTtting or retaIng any person al
indged % ~ o fugitive slave, 20 impn5on1ent from
two to tea years, asa hle from o-e u zen thousand
dollars
sdy &c u tie Senae q appoint 10 each county Of the
state az Attorney whose duty D sfal BE % defend ~
peIsors claimed fus ave siayss % go i've 80 70
each person defene 81 - be pad by TIC tue
warrant VI ihe GOYer-er.
This bin, which il VIII be seen, contains some
fhe more important features Of the personal liberty
laws of Vermont and Massac lusetts, was drawn
by Mr.. c. :. Spencer. and the Assembly by vote
0i 30 to 20, made il the special order for "ednes-
dsy next 81 IL O'clock. That yote looks very We'll,
and it is to b. hoped that the curvature OF the
-pBe does 10! prevail to sgch an extent as ~ en-
Ii. ,Ffa
lsture.
Mr. CHgEsER delivered grad address in the
Assembly, Chamber last evening, IN behalf OF the
Issssgc of such law a. i proposed. The Chamber
sss vel lrj " tn attentive listener, but iI u
10 b. ,.tctt,d -. r.. ieN l..lIt,s v, .Ae i.e-