Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-03-31


refused be did not care who knew his business
aud continued the conversation. Ii this msnner
the TACT that a roquisition had been made for
Oopp;c became known 10 THE place, and I am
%credibly informed it was we'll known 10 Iowa City
to many persons there that the agent Of Virginia
vas on his way to this place with said requisition
before be reached here.
Tho insinuati6h thai I had anything to do ii.
rectly or Indirectly with sending information to
Coppio 'hAt a rcduisition had been made for him,
is simply and unqualidedly untrue. Nor have l
any means Of knowing whether such information
was sent ~ others, or, IL so, by whom sent, other
than that common to all persons then at the CAPT.
tul, common rumor.
Wero ! disposed to follow the course pursued
by the Governor Of Virginia l might perhaps fad
in this matter sufficient to Justify the conclusion
that he has been throughout more anxious TO lay
a foundation against Iowa for the purpose Of in.
flaming sectional prejudice than to procure the
return Of COpp 0 to Virginia. The facts that the
papers transmitted are 90 grossly defective, that
The agent sent with them was so careless to keep
secret his mission, that when his demand fJt d
warrant was refused on the ground that the ga
~ ioAANA W uAhO . u u
law pointed out to him for tho provisional arrest
OF the alleged fugitive until new papers could be
procured. and that ths Governor OF Virginia, with
out answering my letters or asking any explaua-
tions. has seen fit to promulgate his extraordinary
special message, might justify tho conelu sion to
those who are astuie to discover aud deem it con.
sistent With fair dealing to imputo bad motives for
all acts done by others; and the sam process Of
reasoning might lead me to conclude that his dec.
l~arations Of attachment to the Union are but a
cover to conceal en- his part the design openly pro.
claimed by many with whom he ftatefni4es politi.
cally to destroy that Union if they cannot control
il.
The people of Iowa need no defence at my
hands. They love the Union and they are deter.
mined it shall be preserved. Their fealty to it
is not determined by the fact whether or not they
control its policy and enjoy it's honors and emolu.
merts, and although they may believe at times
that that policy is controlled for improper purl
poses, and thvsc honors and emoluments placed
in unworthy hands, they will still quietly wait
until a change shall be made in o legitimate and
constitutional way, and when that time shall have
come they will sec to it that the Union shall still
30 preserved.
Permit me to say in conclusion that in my juJg-
ment one OF the most important duties of the off
cial position | held 10 to see to it that no citizen
Of Iowa is carried beyond her borders and subjec.
ted to the iSnominy Of Imprisonment and the per
lis of trial for crime in another State otherwise
than by due process OF law. That duty l shall
perform. Whenever the Governor Of Virginia or
any other State shall transmit TO rHe papers prop
erly executed and containing proper proof, deman-
ding the sdtfeadet of one Of our people, l shall
promptly issue o variant for his rendition, and
not till then.
SAMUEL. j. HARDWOOD.