Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-30
ln1erc.tin. Correspondence.
ANOTHER LETTER From GOVERNOR LETcHER
PM AurIpuIA Nnv - lSEi

5H1ercstlnE COfftsponCcN'S'
ANOTHER LETTER FROM GOVERNOR LETciER.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov, -. lSEp.
Hon. JoHS LLTcHEll Governor of NrgiE:a
Dear Sr:-l read with much interest, in
this mornings paper, your answer cf the 18Th
inst, t" letter purportns to have been writ
lcI, by Il citizen Of this State. am Il Demo-
crat-voted against Mr. Lincoln, and used all
my humble efforts to endcavor to prevent his
success. But ! am also a Pcnnsylranian, by
birth, education and lccling-am proud that |
aln 4 citizen of this good old State, the Key
stone of the Arch, and cannot bear to hear her
miSrcIrcScntcd in any way. therefore was
srcycd 81, reading the following paragraph in
Your letter:
If AIN not greatly mistaken, Pennsylvania
l.; one Of the eleven non. .savchol'lInS States
which have passed statutes, now in iH! force
and effect, designed to 0b>truct thu execution
Of the fugitive slave law
Now, sir, doubt not but that Il Eis!rinindcd
Virginia gentleman, as you are, VIII he pleased
TO have this mistake corrected And Sc can
not blame Won and other Southern Governors
for beng thus mistaken, when Mrytr OF this
very city, whose rluiy it was to have examined
the subject is reported TO have made the same
charge in L speech delivered Il few nights >iEcc.
But the facts are these:
In 1877, three years jefore the passage oi
the fugitive slave law, the Legislature Of this
State, in consequence Of numerous outragcs
committed within her borders, passed an act
entitled AN Act 10 prevent kidnapping. pre-
serve the public peace" st. The only section
in thi; Act which could in any way be con>id,
cred obnoxious to the South, viz: section &,
-. 6 ,.,.Ir, If L.
Commonwealth for the detention Gi any pc!Son
/ claimed as 4 fugitive from labor, was repealed
in 1852, while Senator Bglcr was No"crn"r.
In the cUnuicEcemcnt Of this year, three
commissioners appointed by the Governor Ia
consolidate, revise and amend t!c penal laws
Of this Commonwealth, made report I" Tia
Legislature, Ia copy Of which take the liberty
Of sending you by this maII.) pnpagcS 81
and 50 you will limd two SECTIONS, and on i'':'
81 the reluark, uI the commissioners, ah"ui
them. These sections were adopted by tht
Legislature, as you may see by referring lC
our pamphlet laws for 1860 pages iUG ant
4o1. and these arc all the laws we have on Tho
subject No clause in either Of these sections
derives any prrson Of the right to enforce tt!'
fugitive slave law in this State, nr throws any
impeachment in his way. ItpuniShcS ANY per
son who lidiinEs or endcay"rs to !iG"np any
Jree negro OF ynulatto from this State. 1t pr"
hibts any Judge ot any Court o; this Common
wealth, Ur any Alderman or Justice "i tin
Peace from having Jurisdiction d: taking COZ
ni2ance of the cast ot any fugitive from labor
trhe fugitive slave law particularly : provide
that the Judges Of the Cnltr'i States Courts
and commissioners appointed tv the Uhitc'
States, shall have Jurlsdction.) 1t also I'ln
iShcs any person claiming fugitive IRON labor
who shall violently and unanimously SciZ
unon and carry to any place, or attempt t.
seize and carry away in riotous, violent, tn
mutuous and unreasonable manner, and 50 Il
to disturb and cndangcr the public peace, an.
negro or mulalto within this Commonwealth
by fine not exceeding one thousand dollar
and iurrisonncnt for not exceeding lhrr
months, at the discretion OF tho Court. lNcuI'
not Virginia punish them for 4 Ike offence
II also lorbids the sale Ct lilgityes running,
a practice which am sure that every Nlrgini
gentleman wishes to have broken up
These, as | have before said, call the la"
we have on the subject. And, sir, is there an.
thing in them you deem Objectionable: II 81
will you please address communications TO on
Governor, who will, am sure, lay II before lh
Legislature, which soon meets, and they dol!Hi
less will consider it in spirit Of conciiiatin;r
and 4 resolution to do full justice to c"cry par
OF this great Union.
Is it unfair to request YOU point oui SI
rlc Southcrncr who has been injured by ii
"obnoxous" Pennsylvania law: II Il Singi
person cannot be found, is it not clear proc
against our laws being considered "obnoNIous:
Within the last two or three years can re
member three fugitive slave cas- IN this city
and think all the riaiiIai't' ere rom ' Il
gina. In each case there wa I lar hearing
in one the claimant failed in Ia proof anu III
negro was discharged-the her t"o wcr
sent pack. An attempt was !, sdc by a few ig
II c,;lcL-ihcy were Dron, tiv arrested tricG