The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-11-21
airhmunh 9!spatrh.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. :, NOV al, 1866
xu,,ificassen I'm ,h. North.

The old law OF Congress, passed soon after
the adoption of the Constitution, ssys, that
when a fugitive slave escapes and Is found tn
another State, lazy magistrate OF county,
CITY or town corporate,"'in such States, be-
sides Judges of the U. s. Courts, may, upon
proper proofs, 'either by oral testimony, or
anidavit," issnea warrant for "removing the
said fugitive from labor TO the State or Terri
tory from which he fed" 1t was simple aud
easy way OF complying with the Constitution,
which declares that mo person held TO SER
vice or labor 10 one State uader the laws there
OF. escaring In 10 another, shall In consequence
any law or regulation therein, be discharged
from such service or labor; but shall be de-
livered mp. ON claim OF tn" party TO whom such
labor or service may be due"
But In isii, when the Abolition element be-
gan to take the control of the opponents of the
Democratic party, the Legislature of Connee.
lieut. nuliiied this enactment OF Congress- ana
declared that
NO Judge, iustice of the peace or other Of
feer appointed under the authority OF TINS
State shall be au thorixed. as sach, 10 issue, OF
serve, any warraa; or process TOT the sIrestor
detention of any person escaping into this
State claimed 20 be fugitive from labor OF
service as a slave, under the laws oiany other
State"
This was lat qualification moi thing short Of
itso far as the SAFE magistrates were con-
cerned Congress had said, as we have seen,
that ANY magistrate OF county, city or
town" might comply with the Constitution in
this res pee; but the Legislature OF Conuecn-
cut declared, In the face of il, that "no judge,
justice OF the peaee, or other oi1cer appointed
under authority OF this STATE" shall do any
Thing VI The Rlnd. Thus matters stood Till
1850, when Congress passed an additional act
TO obyiats the nuiiif,ing enactmeuts which
C1paecticut and other States acting under
abolition Influence had passed. The law OF
Congress of 1850 therefore provided-since the
multiplying States had refused 10 let their ma
sistrates act that L. ). commissioners might
perform The same duties as nad by the old law
been conferred on State magistrates. Aud il
was 10 meet this last law of Congress, and
render 1t as nugatory as the firs', that our Le-
Eisiature passed their law of 1854. The Cou.
rier says, soar law CSjN has nothing To do
VITA case of reclamation" But 1t has a
great deal 20 do with II. II what was said in
debate by tae friends Of the billiard which
we have alresoy published-is TO be taken as
showing their Intentions. They said II was
intended 10 prevent the execution OF The Fugi-
tive Slave Law in this State. The law does
not say 20 on It's face. II is adroitly wordeJ,
aud has the popular title of An act for ti,e
defence of liberty in this State" It saws that
''svery person who snail falsely and mali
ciousiy pretend that any tree person entitled
10 freedom is slave, or owes service or labor
Ia any person or persons, Win intent 10 pro-
cure or aid, or assist in procuring the forci-
bic removal Of such free persons from this
State, shall pay a fine of S5,0O0, and be i'm
prisoned five years in the Connecticut state
Prison"
II aiso declares that on the trial of one pro-
scout ted for this offsnce-he must prove his u-
nocsnce by st least two credible witnesses
evidence The way IL will work is as this: A
man comes here, say from Alaba ma, TO reclaim
his fugitive slave and brings with him the ne
cessary affiiavlts or depCsitions, which the
act of Congress says is proper evidence TO
make out his claim. He goes before United
SAFES Judge or Commissioner, aud makes ont
his claim by the proofs required by law, and
the Judge or Commissioner on that proof
makes out warrant for the fugitiye's return.
As soon as this is done, the negro. or some
abolitionist from him, can turn round and
make complaint to a Graud ] uror of the TO wn
for the arrest of his master, and stop his Jour-
ney homewarj. Ga this complaint, the negro
would be a witness to testify that he was Not
n slavs-though the United States Judge or
Commissioner had just before decided that he
was one.
On the trial of this complaint, the white
man would not be allowed TO use such proof
as had established his rights before the United
States Judge or Commissioner-for the State
law saws that "no deposition should be ad-
to find here a substantial and good witness,
who knows and ties ides that the fugitive is Il
runaway slave-eyen thai, the law OF Connec
ticut says, shall not be sufficient. He must
send home and have another good witness
brought here, or there is no escape for him
for this law requires "the testimony of at
least two credible Witnesses 10 overcome the
Negroes story. What would become of the
runaway in the meantime His master being
among strangers, may be locked up in jail
for want of bonds-aad the story of the Jerry
rescues tells the rest.
Who would encounter such risks-wit tn such
law with its five thousand dollars fine, and
is five yeas State prison punishment hang
lng over him
No more effectual way OF multiplying the
Constitution, and the laws of Congress, could
Dave been devised.-Hsue Haren ResiStfr.