Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-07
lQloreester Daily Spg.
From the New York Evening Post. Doc.
PERSONAL LIBERTY BILLS.


such bids have been passed, and describe the
nature OF their provisions.
E5Ihere are seventeen tree states in the Union.
OF which only five border on the slave states.
namely Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania. Or these bordering states.
into which alone slaves are likely to escape,
none have passed acts OF the kind in question
white two OF them, Illinois and Indiana, ex-
pressly exclude negroes of all kinds, whether
bond OF Tree. y fugitive slave before he could
reach state IN which personal liberty law
exists, would have to travel the distance of
one hundred miles from the north line OF any
slave state In order to reach it from any
cotnn state he would be compelled to travel,
at least 500 miles
The only free states in which acts that can
be properly construed into personal liberty
bills have been passed are eight in number
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connect
cut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan,
aid Wisconsin,, every one lying in the ex.
IRENE north, on the borders of Canada, and
many hundred miles away from the states i'll
which slaves exist.
In none of these bills do we find single
clause which nufies or proposes to nullty
any provision OF the constitution of the United
States. Their objects are threefo'd list, to
prevent state officers from holding office under
the fugitive slave act, Just as state officers are
prevented from being members of congress
"a, to prevent the use of state prisons by fed
eral authorities and Sd, to secure fair and
candid trial to all persons claimed as tugitives
from labor. That our readers may see this,
we subjoin an abstract of these laws, which
we find in late number Of the Courier and
Enquirer -
MA1NE,-R S. Title 8, chap 50, page 491,
SO, provides that no sheriff or other officer
of the state shall arrest or detain any person on
claim that he is fugitive slave. The penalty
for violating the law is a fine not exceeding one
thousand dollars, or Imprisonment not less
than one year in the county jail.
New HAMPsH RE.-Laws OF 1857, chap.
1866, page 1876. : l. Admits all persons Of
every color to the rights and privileges of a
citizen.
2, Declares slaves, coming or brought into
the state, by or with the consent of the master,
free.
80, Declares the attempt to hold any person
as slave within the state, felony, with n
penalty of Imprisonment not less than one nor
more than five years. Prooided, that tie pro-
viSionS Of this section shall not apply to any act
tawtady done by any officer of the United States,
or other person, in the execution Of any legal
process.
VERMoNT.-R S., Title 81, chap. 101, PIP.
$751;, l, Provides that no court, justice of
the peace, or magistrate, shall take cognzance
of any certificate, warrant, or process under
the fugitive slave law.
3 Provides that 10 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 a fugitive slave.
70, Provides that no officer or citizen shall
aid or assist i'll the removal from the state of
any person claimed as a fugitive slave.
Sc 4 and s. Provide a npnaIfV of $1,000 or
Imprisonment five years in state prison, for
violating this act
6. This act ~ to 81 shall not be con
strued to extend to any citizen of this state
acting as judge Of the circuit or district court of
the United States, or as marshal or deputy marshal
cfthe district Of Vermont, to any person acting
nder The command or authority Of said courts or
marshal.
7, Requires the states attorneys to act as
counsel for alleged fugitives,
y 8, 8, and 10, Provide for issuing habeas
corpus, and the trial by jury of all questions Of
fact i'll issue between the parties.
CoNNECTGcUT.-R. S., Title 81, page 1893,
Livery person who shall falsely and ma
dciouSly declare, represent or pretend that any
FREE PERSON, entitled to freedom, is a slave, or
owes service Or labor to any person or per-
sons, with intent to procure or 10 aid or assist
in procuring the torcible removal OF such free
person from this state, as slave, sshall pay Il
fine of $4,000 and be imprisoned five years in
the Connecticut state prison"
2, Requires two witnesses to prove that
any person is a slave or owes labor
3. Provides a penalty OF $1,000 against
any person selzlng, or causing 10 be seized,
any free person with intent to reduce him to
slavery.
4. Deposition not to be admitted as evil
dence.
5. Witnesses testifyng falsly liable to
$4,000 fine and five years Imprisonment
RHODE IsLAND.-R. s. title 30, chap. 213
p. 532, H. torbids the carrying away of any
person by force out of the state.
Is, Forbids any Judge justice, magistrate,
or court, from officially aiding in the arrest OF
a fugitive slave under the fugitive law of 1898
or 1850.
10, Forbds any sheriff or other officer
from arresting or OBTAINING any person claim
ed as fugitive slave.
20, Provides penalty of $500, or impris-
onment not exceeding six months, for vioat-
ing the act
MICHlGAN.-Title 81, /, requires the states
Attorney to act as counsel for ingitives.
y 2, 3, and 4, grant habeaS corpus, and pro.
vide for trial by jury.
5, ForbidS use OF jaiIs, or other prisons, to
detain fugitiNes.
6. Provides punishment of not less than
three nor more than five years, for falsely de-
claring, representing, or pretending any person
to be slave
81. Provides a fine of not less than $500 or
more than $1,000, and imprisonment in state
prison for five years. for torcibly seizmg, or
causing to be seized, any tree person, with in.
tent to have such person held in slavery
8. Requires two witnesses to prove any
person to be a slave.
WIscoNsIN.-R. s., chap. 1853, sec. 81, &C.,
p. 312, &c. y 81, 81, SO, and 54 Provide for
the issuing OF the habeGS corpus in favor of per-
sons claimed as fugitive slaves.
y 80 and 81. Direct how proceedings shall
be conducted and grant trial by jury
! 81 Provides a penalty OF $1,000, and i'm.
prisonment not more than five nor less than
one year, against any person who shall falsely
and maliciousy declare, represent, or pretend
that any free person within the state is a
slave, or owes service or labor, with the in.
tent torcibly to remove such person from the
state.
IS, Requires two witnesses to prove a per
son to be slave.
50. Dispositions not to be received in evil
dence.
81. Judgment under fugitive slave act not
to be liens upon real estate. This, however,
can only apply to decree OF state courts.
The Massachusetts law, too long for quota
ton here, is fuller than others, but substan.
tally the same in purport Similar laws ex~
lst in New Jersey and in New York, which,
however, were passed before the fugitive
slave law, and cannot be regarded as material
TO the present question.
Now it will be seen that the burden of these
laws is to throw the whole duty of catching
and returning fugitive slaves upon the officers
of the federal government. They interpose
no obstacles in the way of those officers on
the contrary, most of them provide against it !;
hut tlpV eimnlV deny thn ripht nf IN. e,,l... 4