The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-12-27
NEW HAMPSHIRE.

with the consen: of the master, shall be
free; declares the attempt to hold any per-
son as slave within the state felony,
with penalty of Imprisonment not less
than one. nor more than FIVE years, provi-
ded. that the provisions Of this section
shall not apply to any act lawfully done
by any officer of the United States. OF 9th
er person, in the execution of any legal pro-
cess.
VERMONT.
This state, by her several acts Of I843.
1850. and 1858. provides that no court.
justice of the peace, or magistrate shall
take cognizance of any certificate. warrant.
or process :nder the fugitive slave law;
provides that no officer. or citizen Of the
state. shall arrest, or aid. or assist in ar
resting, any person for the reason that he
Is claimed AS 4 give Save; rrovijes tha;
no officer or citizen shall aid or assist in
the removal from the state OF anv person
claimed as a fugitive slave; provides pc
nal fine Of one thousand dollars. or i'm
prlsonnsnt FIVE wears in the sts'e Prison.
for violating this act. This act. however.
shall not be construedto extend to any
citizen of the state acfing a Judge Of
the Circuit or DISTRICT Court Of the United
S.sies. or a. Marshal orDepu;y MarshsA
Of the District of Vermont. or any parson
acting under the command or authority al
said Courts or Marshal. Requires the
states attorneys TO nct as counsel for alleg-
ed fugitiyes: provides for issuing habeas
corpus, and he trial by jury of all ques-
.jipns of fact in issue between the parties.
and ordains that every person who may
have been held as a slave, who shall come.
or be brought. or be in this state, with OF
vitaout the consent Of his or her master.
or Mistress, or who skall rome o. b
brought. or be irvoluniarilv, or in any way.
IN this state, shall be free. 1t also pro-
vides that every person who shall hold. or
attempt TO hold. in this state,- in slavery,
or as slave any person mentioned as a
save in the section of this act. relating TO
fugitive slaves. or any free person. in any
form, or for any time, however short IN
der the pretenee tha. such person is or has
been slave, shall on conviction thereof.
be imprisoned in the state prison for a
term rot less ,hrn one year nor more than
fifteen years, aud be fined not exceeding
TWO thousand dollars.
MASSACHUSETTS.
The first of the laws known 40 personal
liberty acts" in Massachusetts, was psssed
in lS43. no less than seventeen years ago
1t was based upon the famous decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States,
Of the case Of Prigg versns the Common
wealth Of Pennsylvania. pronounced in
1919 by Judge Story. By this decision
it was declared that he rendition ef fugi
tives falls exclusively within the functions
Of the Federal Government, and that no
state law can interfere with or prohibit the
execution of the Federal law for the pur-
pose. Statutes in conformity with this
ruling were passed BY the Legislature of
Massachusetts, in l843. In the year 1856
the provisions of this earlier legislation
wore applied to the United States fugitive
slave acl Of 1850; the wri, Of hsbeas cor
gus vas extended TO the eases of persons
detained az fugitive slaves. a trial by jury
was placed at thsir command. the. omus
pro5ondi is laid on the claimant, who
must bring two credible Witnesses 70 sub
s,antiate his claim: persons holding any
place OK homer or emolument under the
Commonwealth are forbidden 10 issue any
warrant or other process under the United
States fugitive slave act; jaiis of the state
not TO be used for the detention OF fngitiv-
slaves; commissioners TO be appointed in
every county to defend the cause ofaleged
! fugitive slaves. &c. In the year 1853 iud-
ges Of the state wers forbidden to ISSUE
any writ under the United Sta,os fugitive
slave law Of 1880.
The Boston Daily Advertiser Of the TT
instant remarks as follows on the suose-
quen: disposition that was made of these
several acts:
Finally, in 1859. when the whole body
OF our statutes was revised and codiied, al
three acts, those of l843, 855. and 1855
,cere expressly repealed, their substance be-
ing Incorporated m The new terf The duty
of making this codifcation WAS entrusted
in the first place to Commissioners appoint
ed by Governor Gardner. (the same who
voted the personal liberty act oflS55. and
their work was afterwards examined by a
/ laroe Joint COMMITTEES, composed Of leading