Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-01-15
From the New Orleans Picayuhs.
UNFhIENDLY LEGISLATION.

UNPbIENDLY LEGISLATION.
The Legislature OF Vermont is engaged in show.
ing what may be done by unfriendly legislation to
make void in that State constitutional rights Of
citizens OF other States. There is a clause in the
Constitution Of the United States which directs the
surrender Of fugitive slaves, and there is a law up.
on the statute book which prescribes the manner
in which such Surrender shall be effected. But in
vermont they do not want slavery themselves. and
they have no respect for the rights of those who
have it elsewhere. They have persuaded Them.
serves that slaveholding is a sin, and that the Con.
%sitution and the law, in directing the surrender Of
%slaves, command them to do what is immoral
They have the forther higher law notion, thai they
have n right to legislate, or refrain to legislate,
within their own territory, for the enforcing Of the
claims Of citizens of other States, according to their
own view of tho morality of the obligation which
the law crentes. Hence they think it right to EN-
ploy tho whole legislative power OF the State to de-
feat the operation of the Fugitive Slave Law, and
to put every obstacle in the way Of tie slave.owner
reciniming his property, to expose him to danger
and loss for making the attempt, and to ignomini.
GUS punishment If, by their own hostile contrivan-
ces, they shall succeed in battling his efforts to es.
tlhlish his right.
Two bills are now before the Legislature of that
State, providing a code by which this hostility to
Southern property md Southern persons may be
efectually carried out.
The first consists of two sections but they con.
tain the concentrated essence of unfriendly legis-
iation.
BY one section it is made a felony, punishable
with fine and imprisonment in tho State prison, to
take slaves into Vermont, or sci up within that
State q right to assert a claim Of property in such
persons, or to restrain their liberty.
a Southern family cannot therefore enter into
Vermont, or cross the State, with a confidential ser
want, without being subject to be sen. - the State
prison. 1t does not make the consent or applica
ton of the slave a part of the question. The fact
of being with the master is the masters crime, un
less he volunteers to divest himself Of OWNERSHIP
and discharges his slave to the hospitable care q
the vermonters and the comforts OF q Green Noun
tain winter.
The next section makes it, in moro genera
terms, q felony, punishable with fine and impris
onment in the State prison, for any person to re
strain the liberty of any other person, under pre-
tence that the latter is a slave. This is designed
to deter Shareholders from the attempt to claim
runaway and if i, does not succeed, there is an
other even more practical in its effect, which is al
SO before the Legislature, and has already passed
one house, for defeating the Fugitive Slave Law o
the United States. If the first should hsppen no
to pass, the second is, in all conscience, suHicien
to demonstrate the devotion of Vernon. to tn,
'higher law" theories and political programme 0
. Senator Seward.
By that, n State mode is provided for the deliv
cry Of runaways, so contrived that it is a nullity
for that purpose, and only a bill of pains and pen
alties against the Southern claimant.
t No runaway can be even stopped or arrested
until the claimant has fled an affidavit, settin
forth his case, and given security to the amount G
= $4,000, Tor all expenses. costs and damages.
S arrested, Notwithstanding this notice and opportu
nifty to escape. the slave case is to be tried befor
$ a county court, by jury trial, and the verdict,
for the slave, is final if against him, he may AZ
| peal and finally, any person who pts to r,
s cover a slave in any other way than is directed i
b the act is liable to fine and Imprisonment in Ii
e State prison.
1t Is not for US to Judge how far these two Law
{ are consistent with each other, or whether it is d
signed that both shall 60 into effect as parts of OF
plan. The second seems to be most favorable. il
u asmuch as it has already passed one House, and
i said to be sure Of passing the other. 1t is enoug'
Of itself, to stamp the character of the Legislatur
which passes, and the fanaticism which propos,
it, and we describe it here as an example of II
sort Of higher law" morality which sets itself 1
n in a conflict of le gislation with the constitution
+ laws of the United States. 1t is a notable exar
pie of what may be done in the way Of "unsriend
legislation" to defeat laws and constitutions.