The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-07-31
FROM the Chicago 'ress ard Tribune.l
\ New Light.


FROM the Chicago 'ress ard Tribune.l
\ New Light.
Sura the incarceration Of M. Thaddeus
Hva,t In Wa,hingt n jail, 'hat gentleman has
been Giving his attention somewhat 10 the
ht0 of SLAYER, az the District of Columbia
aud Will rather singular results. The sub
stance II lis researches is that there is no iaw
for slavery in Washington ciiy-the old Ma
r, land law, under which slaves are held, hav-
ing expired by imitation long years ago. -
The poIn, is this, 1--WE quote from letter Of
NJ Hvatt's published in the independent Of
the SSH ult)
"Th" Common law Of England killed
slavery in the death OF the person ens'avcd,
Mary by statute of her own, intertered
with this principle 50 far as to make the child
OF the enslavcd a slave also, thus extending
the institution 3 The second generation, bat
40 father. She also in 1896 prohibited the
importation OF slaves. Limited bv the prin
ciples o. the Common Law of England in
force in the Colonies, Maryland, on the death
Of the imported slavee, would have been free
state Of necessity, but she chose by specific
statute to enslave the succeeding generation
Even tina, generation would have been free if
Parliament had done its duty at home and
by proper action nufiea the Act of the Col
onv, which was in violation of natural right,
ana Of the very genius Of the institution as 1t
existed in England; and also without the
seeming Justification BY which the original
barbarian was enslaved for the good OF his
soul. This slavery Of the colonies had its base
ual ownership Of him through progeny, but
is an assumed benefit to be done him. His
children, being born in Christian land, were
no longer heather. Natural birth made them
Christians. as baptism or protested spiritual
bi,th, made tho heather parent Christian !;
and being ChrStianized, they could no longer
be slaves. The Roman Law, 'partus sequi-
mr veatrem was not tho law Of English
slavery; from the nature Of the institution
from its theory, it could not be. If such
were the case, how did it happen that Mary
land found it necessary to make the laws she
did The fact that Maryland did iegislats
tie children of enslaved persons into sla cry,
overt rows the assumption Of 'partns Sequtur
ventrem,' and the fact that the law went no
further than the children, and did not extend
to grandchildren, leaves the latter of necessi-
ty free born; and being born free, they can
not be ensaved, for this would be to cnslave
Christians. which by the theory of English
slavery, is an absurdity"
The writer proceeds to argle, very justly,
that American slavery, so far from being he
legitimate offspring Of Engish slavery, is per-
potustcd by violation of the very principle
upon which the latter was tolerated Yet, it
must be admitted that it is just as right, and
just a- legal, 10 holi haf civilized man iu
slavery ~ barbarian, or civilized man as a
uslf ciylz , one Born of violence and fraud
a. i,s gr,w hs and consequences are alike
vc>.t ani iutolarabn The law Of slavery
e,un from Africa, aud whatever npra char
sc,er 1t has Is .erIyed from the rng-nos ID
riIiet, ~ao sold hls captives to the urud-r on
the coast of Congo. Recognizing this fact
fully and clearly, We confess some surprise at
the stat 'ments made above, as to the legal
tenure IF slavery in the District Of Columbia,
aud We are most surprised at n reference which
Mr.. Hyatt makes to recorded case, before
Sudge Cranch, in which it WIS held that
Maryland law prevailed in the District, rath-
or than Virginia law, because the former look
ti tO'lcN'HLlN W IccilDlD. MS NbuIu HtSUl
to be pretty good argument to one who had
before him the 7 nblc to the Constitution
of the United States, declaring it to be one Of
the purposes Of that instrument "to secure
the blessings Of liberty" But better argu-
ment still, at the present time, would be the
fact that that portion of the District which
came from Virginia in the first instance, has
been ceded back to her, thus giving the laws
ot Maryland exclusive supremacy in the Dis
trict, us to the tenure of slave property.
1t is indeed a pleasure to revert to the
slave statates Of the revolutionary period to
contrast their spirit with the savagery of the
codes Of the present day. Mr.. Madison
thought it wrong TO admit in The Constitu.
ton the idea of property in men," says tho
journal Of debates in the Federal Convention.
The State Of Maryland thought it wrong to
extend the status Of slavery beyond the sec
onl generation of the imported African. The
State of Maryland so declared bv her statutes !;
aud having ceded the District of Columbia to
the general government before any change
had been made in her laws, slavery has now
no legal tenure at the Federal capital. Let
us hear something from the other size, on
tEiS tonic