Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-02-22
Words and Deeds.

can paper, but having taken warning from the signs
of the 4mes it is now moderate and conservative in
its tone compared with other opposition journals
in the free States. The Times, under the above
heading of Words and Deeds" says:
"There are two measures at present before the
Legislature at Albany-both introduced by the par
ty having the majority there-which, when brought
face to face do not exhibit the family resemblance
generally supposed to exist between children of the
same parents. One is Personal Liberty bill, and
the other series Of resolutions avowing entire de-
votion to the Union, and determination 20 pre-
serve it. The Personal Liberty bilkis the same in
substance with that passed by tho Assembly last
winter, which was lost in the Senate Among va
rous other provisions, section declares that No
person, while holding Office Of honor or trust and
emolumcnt under the laws Of this State, shall, in
any capacity, issue any warrant other process
grant any certificate under or by virtue of an act of
Congress passed the 18th day OF February, 1898,
entitled An act respecting fugtives from justice
and persons escaping from the service of their mas
ters," &C. Section 10 provides that every officer
who does issue such warrants shall be deprived of
his Office, and shall "thereaftcr be Ineligible to
any office of trust, honor or emolument under the
laws of the State"
The bill would be much shorter and more inelli-
gible if it would declare that all officers shall
lose their commissions and be thereafter inellig
BILE to any office trust, honor emolument under
the laws of the State" who shall endcavor to carry
out the provisions of Section Article of the Con-
stitution of the United States We have always
condemned these personal liberty bills as frivolous
and useess-neither calculated nor intended to Sc
cure personal liberty to any one, and as introduced
solely for partisan purposes
The one now before the Legislature in Albany is
referred to solely to show what extraordinary
pair of legislative acts makes with the resolutions
in favor of the Union and the Constitution. The
one proposition expresses patriotic devotion to the
Constitution and the Union the other strikes at the
compact ITSELF One extends to the slaveholding
South the hand Of fellowship pledge to the faith
full fufment of the contract entered into; the other
at the same time, annus an important part Of that
contract 1t is not at all surprising that Southern
men should in all declarations of attachment to
the Union, when accompanied by such legislative
acts as this personal Liberty bill" nothing but
the bitterest nockery; is it to be wondered at
that your Southern brethren should say: "Gentle-
men, we want a fulillment of your fraternal con-
tract and nothing else be expected to satisfy
that our language is sincere" But if the rights and
feelings Of the South are o! no Importance at Albany
trust at least that the Legislature will rot stul
tfy itself and New York by passing both the resolu
tons and the bill. Massachusetts, has earned an ex-
elusive right to this kind of legislation, and New
York should not attempt to deprive her of the envi
able position she has secured"
We give below the personal liberty bill" which
passed the House of Delegates Of New York at the
last session, and failed in the Senate The present
bill, says the Times is in substance the bill Of the
last session. Wepublish it in full, so that our read
ers may see for themselves the kind Of legislation
proposed in New York, whose chief City has been
built up on the profits of slave labor. We would
respectfully suggest to those Opposition meetings
in North Carolina which have passed resolutions
looking to unconditional submission to the aggres-
sions of the black Republicans, that would be WE'LL
in their future proceedings, to incorporate and set
forth the "two measures mentioned by the Times by
which New York proposes to perpetuate our ''glo-
rious Union" And the Editor Of the Register is
about to strike the flag Of resistance to black Rcpub
lican rule it would be well for him also to set forth
these "two measures" as the ground on which he
proposes to do battle of the champions Of the
Opposition meetings referred to-
an Act to Protect tile Rights and Liberties Of the
Citizens Of the State of Ne,o York.
The people of the State Of New York, represented
in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows
Sec. !. No person within this State shall be con-
sidered as property subject to sale, purchase or
delivery; shall any person within the limits of
this State at any time be deprived Of liberty pro-
perty, without due process Of law.
Sec 2. Due process of law mentioned in the pre-
ceding section Of this act shall in all cases be defined
to mean the usual process ard forms in force by the
laws of this State and issued by the courts thereof
and under such process such person shall be entitled
to trial by jury.
Sec 8. Whenever any person of this State shall
be deprived of liberty, arrested or detained on the
ground that such person owes service or labor to
another person, not inhabitant of this State.
either party may claim trial by jury, and shall
have twenty peremptory challenges. and in addition
thereto, the other challenges to which person in
dicted in this State is entitled.
Sec f. Every person who shall deprive or attempt
to deprive any other person of his or her liberty,
contrary to the provision of the preceding sections
of this act, shall be guilty of felony and shall on
conviction thereof be subjected to fine not exceed
ing five thousand dollars nor less than one thousand
dollars, and by Imprisonment in the State prison for
term not exceeding twenty years nor less than five
years; provided nothing in said preceding sections
shall apply to effect the right to arrest or mpri
son for any contempt of court.
| Sec. s. Neither descent, near or remote, from an
African whether such African is may have been
slave or not, nor color of skin or complexion,
shall disqualify any person from being or becoming
citizen Of this State, nor deprive such person Of
the rights and privilege thereof.
Sec. 6. Every person who may have been held as
slave who shall come or be brought or be in this
State with the consent Of his her alleged master
or mistress, or who shall come or be brought into
this State, shall be free.
| Sec. 7. Every person who shall hold or attempt
to hola in this State in slavery slave, any per-
son. or any free person in any FORM or for any time
however short, under the pretence that such per-
son is or has been slave SHALL conviction there
Of be imprisoned in the State prison for term not
less than five years nor more than twenty years,
and be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor
| more than ten thousand dollars.
| Sec. 8. Any person sustaining wrong or injury
by any proceeding punishable by the preceding sec
tions Of this act may maintain action and recover
| damages therefor in any court of record in this
| State.
Sec. 9. No person while holding an Office of hon
| euoo1umant undar law of III State