, 1860-12-17

great deal Of misunderstanding exists
raItIt'1laF]ya at the South, III regard to tEos
statutes wh:cl. are popn!arly dcnou,;nate q
"pefsonai liberty bills" We propose, In th
present article. 10 indicate the ktntes by whicl
ruch bills have been PASSED, and describe t1,'
natnrc OF their provisions
Ihcre arc seventeen free states in the Union
o. which onlT I've border on The slave sfafcs
nalhely; Iowa, Illinois. Indiana, Ohi, anI
rennsslvan:a OF these bordering states. into
which alone slares are likely to escape. nom
nave Passed acts Of the kind in question, while
t"o OF them, Illinois and Indiana. cxI,r,ssiy
exclude negroes Of all kinds, whether bon,l q;
lfcc. y fugitive slave, before he could reach
! state IN which personal liberty law exists
| would have to tEaye1 the distance: of ouc Inn
! ared miles from tho north line Of any slsyc
state IN order to reach It from apy cotton
state, hc would be compellctl tn tfarai =,
least, five hundred miles, -
Ihe only free status in which acts that ran
1s properly construed into personal libcny
Nllss lave hccn passed, are eiIht in nunher.*
Maine. New Hampshire, Vermont, Connect.
cut, massachusetts,. Rhode Island, Michi",n
anu WISCONSIN, every one Of them living in
tue extreme North. or on the borders ~ f7,n'
ada, and many hundred miles away fr,,n % tt,e
states In which slaycs exist. >''~
LII none OF these bills do We find a single
clause which nufliics or proposes tc nnIi7fr
any provision OF tie Constitution of The I1n;.
ted States. Their objects are threefoid 1si
10 prevent state officers from holding office
nnuet me -fQs!tase s!aSc net, just as state
Officers arc prevented frnEl being members ri
:1onErcss "a, to prevent the use Of state pris-
ons ov federal authorities and Sd, to secure A
1a't and full trial 10 all peraous claimed as IN,
Sitives from labor: That our readers NAV see
this. NC sut5oin Al abstract Of these iaws
WHICH, VIC tind III . la.c number OF the Cvuri<r
dnd Enquirer:
N.,<1-1, .r..s.
provides that sheriff Or other ooacrr a. ths ~
shall aErest or drtsin any person on claim thst bn e
az ,afa'.Te A slass Thc penalty for violating 1he
Or mprisonmen. not lsss I.n one yesr in The coun.
NEW ~iiA4rsHtEE.-Lave Of 1s5;, chap. 1875, n.-e
rights and privileges IT citizen, S' - '1c
ST.; tsesases ,tares, coming or brought into tho
III pe3srs. = e st1 II tas
Slave within the STATE felony with ncns1tr of;,l
rslsonmsnt foI not less than one nor more tan Tc
ssa;;; SaU ursed Ma. ne pFerItons Of tAis srefoa
q the Cnised States or olAfr peTson. lG he e1"e.,1
fsoa ef any itga' pTpeets- '''~ 'A<$3'
81, Fte;iac: e., ~ Tifs Ss,;; = shs2 ,e
OF Magistrate. shall lake cosni-3nce Of anv certI
"ar'srt' or process under the Pusitsfc Siaye
-, Provides that no officer or cit;,oa .. a..
ssate shall arrest, or aid, or aseist In arre.t,nU
w psrsen Tor the reason that be Is claimed a.
-
s3 iFostdes that no officer, or citizsa. tb,,, ,3a
or as;i;t tn the r:nosal from The state Of anxnsr
soa Claimed a. d fagltive tlave. - "A' 1e'"
- and ). Provide \ pcnAity Of 81 0s3 o-tn,.s.
act. '@0"* Aos fAos311aS sa4s
81 This act 81 tns, shall not be construed T., n
yras d9 .p any sIt;5en cf ,his State acting ss
"a =, S.oftt o. a. Iazshal, or Dt2ufv Marssoi ~
re HtstTItf9F Ifrmoaf. q 10 any person acfiao ~
IT, IT, nf s"'o"<. or raafdo7ity, efsatd Ipa2,t or
s.. Rcquires the st.to's Attorney. to ,ct =.
counsel for alleged tu=tt!res ~ oe1 Is
81 and ~. 'frovile for iteufue- A7b<e, ~,~,,...
and The sfal By jury Of all Questions of fact
coSsKcr1ccr-A. s., Title 81, p,ce IA s1 ~,
II person who shall fakstly aud 1aario.,&1v a..
- r.. orprctend that any FErx pxnsoy.
n1st!<u TO- freedom. Is sIaEe OF owes serricc ~
!a1or to any person OF PERSONS with Intent 10 mn
nfe Or 70 aid Or assist IN procuring the forr;h1f ~
9oval OF such free pc1xonfrum this STATE \. eiss
ahaH pay ane of $5.000 and be fnnnsnn.,d az.
'eaIs II the Connecticut State PrisoE, 1e
..5.en t;c?ulies s"o Witnesses to prove that aur
~, PROVIDES penalty OF Is. 90 nr,fnst 11,,r,
oa sel11nF. or causing to be seized anv fr+c n..
on with intent TO reduce him to e1aycT R''
geposttons not to be admitted as cyfdcnr.
.. witnesses tcsttf5fng falsely liable 10 ks I'm
RRopE 1eLaNp.-R s.. TitIe =; cb., ON
= force ont OF the State - 0D' Pe3eon
~ Fotblds aay Judge. Justice, magistrate ~
our; from officially aiding In the a.reFt Of fnei
y w save ah1ss the Fugitive Slave hw Of 1;93 Or
~, Forbids any sheriff or other officer frou
n sn1g or OBTAINING any person claimed a. i fnei.
! %, Provides penalty Of ssoa or tnpr5.on.