Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-04-21
DUE PROCESS OF LAW" PRACTICALLY
ILLUSTRATED.

The advocates Of an snti-slavery Interpretation
OF the U. S. Constitution strenuously insist that
the educ process of law" referred to in tina, ina.
trument, means trial by jury, and nothing else
1t matters not that you point to the fact thu, all
foreign criminals who are arrested and srrrsnds,.
ed to their own government, are deprived of hbsr.
~ 'o"hout J"ry trial; that all fugitives from JUS
tice delivered up on State requisitiOn, are deprfv.
ed Of h6erty Citbout jury trial.; that the majority
OF criminals in our large cities have a hearing be.
fore a single magistrate, and are deprived oflib.
erty pithout jury trial. All this is mere dust in
the balance when opposed to their notion thu,
"due processiof law" means jury trial, and II is
very singular that you never hear them protesting
against what-it their theory be correct-is nm
unquestionable and g~laringly demonstrations de-
privation of liberty.
The cases we have referred to, are those of nj.
legged criminals, but q recent number of the N.
7. Tribune gives the full details of the case of
two persons, who without being charged with
crime, and of course without jury trial, have been
shut up in prison in New York City for eight
months, and may be deprived of their liberty in a
like manner for a much greater length of time
Now why do not these expounders of an anti
slavery Constitution take hold OF this NATTER II
would be an admirable opportunity to practically
test the question whether the Constitution does. or
does not secure liberty, even to the free born, un-
til deprived OF 1t by the verdict of a iury.
Two girls resident of another city, cbaneed IN bs
in New York last summer at the time Of the
murder of Virginia Stewart and were witnesses of
tue deed' 10 secure their testimony against tho
perpetrator OF the act, they were imprisoned, there
to wait until that testimony was needed. Nc.
Donald, the murderer, is a man of wealth, and bav
weaith-bought friends, and his trial, upon one
pretext or another, has been deferred a long time.
The Tribune, referring to the condition of these
girls, says,
"Ihese girls have parents, friends, and q home.
in another city, and long to return there once
more. Their domestic arrangements, whatever
they were, have all been broken up, and their
visit to New York, which was intended as one of
pleasure, has proved an event which has .urpsd
the current of their whole lives. Never can thew
recover the effects Of their long imprisomnent
either mentally or physically"
While 1t Is very evident that these girls bavs
been deprived Of liberty without jury trial. II ia
Just as erideat their Imprisonment has been efac-
ted by due process of law" as defined by common
sense and illustrated by the light of legal practice.
Perhaps no one can be found who would not de.
nounce the operations of the law in this case az
UNJUST and oppressive, yet no one questions it's
consttutionality or certainly not, because it i'm
prisons without jury trial. The believers in the
Gerrit Smith theory can readily perceive that
should they join issue with the authorities upon
this ground, they would practically demonstrate
beyond a peradventure the falsity of their theory
that due process Of law" means jury trial and
this argument, which is now used to put to sleep
the conscienees of anti-slavery voters, would loose
its opiate power.