Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-30
as it is presented by the Governor of Maryland
;p b;s rnoecogc of January 1860


certain runaway negroes. who hGii fled into
Cumberland county, in Pennsylvania, aHd was
residing there not far from Carlisle prncecdr!
to that place, and finding there that the Enit'I
States Commissioner had shortly before IL
signed his place, and that there WIS no oi'a
there to issue the proper warrant, under the
fugitive slave act of 1850, took the negroes
peaccably, as he had u right to 60, brought
them into this State, and delivered ;hcm 10
their owners in Frederick county Thcrcup0n
the Sheriff of Cumberland county, in pcnnSyl-
vunia, with warrant issued by Justice Of
the peace in Pennsylvania, upon the oath OF
free negro, charging Myers with kidnapping,
came into this State, and, at Westminster. con
ccrted plan with the driver Of the mail stage
from that place to Littestown, Pa, By which
Myers, who resides Immediately on the State
boundary linc was decoyed by the !a.$c pre-
tcnce of 4 letter held up for him, ovr: int"
pcnrsylvan;a; and there, but a few rods from
his house, whence his family Witnessed IL
outrage, and was suddenly seized ~ lhr
Sheriff Of Cumberland county. VINO roughly
treated. bound him and hurried him To !! a:
Carlisle An indictment: was found against Ms
ers and others, for kidnapping. mwdrr :! Ger
tam Act Of Assembly of PcnnSy lvaHa, pasS,!
in 1911, and the trial continued to thc Novcn:-
Der term Of their Court. made application.
detailing all the circumstances of the ease, ~
IT,. Governor of Pennsylvania. .nr y a0!;t
pyostqui. which thought would be the proper
answer to proceeding begun Tor such cNr.",
and continued through such nc:! MS
was not granted and. considering: ;t Hnor-
tance of the rights involved 10 our citizens
holding slaves which are frequently induced
to run off to Pennsylvania, where t!rv a:e con
stantly aided, harbored and protected a:a;''St
the lawful claims of their owners. thought
il due to these interests TO appoint Sornc els.
ncrt counsel TO represent the State Al THIS tn
al ], therefore, requested Jonathan Meredith,
Esq, of Baltimore, TO proceed to Carlisle, a.
counsel for this State, To defend there he: m!c-
rests. and to afford also. the aid o: his a:cc
and counsel in the defence Of Myers. The re-
suit of this trial was the conviction oI Myers
alone, under the act referred TO. which, :.ln
informed, appears TO have been framed special.
IL with the intent IL cvadc the decision q! i:.c
Supreme Court of the United States. in Pr@g,
case carried up, bv consent OF the two Sta;@S,
upon case agreed, in order to settle tic rights
vi those whose slaves lied iEiG Ps:!-
sylvania, to recapture them without III" hn.
drance Of the State authorities or rcEal laws
An arrangement has also been made. ] uacc!
stand, since the conviction, by the co;;;lSc! 81
! MYERS, under which hc has been discharged
upon his own rcCognlAance, 10 appear ior sc!.-
tcnce; which will not be moved for, s!ncc iIc
has purchased, and restored 10 their rcSlGc'Cc
in PENNSYLVANIA, the slaves whom he had taken
under the guarantees Of the Constitution "t
the United States. The counsel for this stata
has sued out, by my direction, IL writ 81 ei!or
from the Supreme Court 50 that the validity
Of the Pennsylvania act, which prrsllmcs Ia
punish as 4 crime the lawful rccapturc i'll th":
State, under the Constitution Of the United
States, Of iugitivcs from service, may lee t"stct.
in that court; and SO that rights, which are al
the highest Importance to our citizens may ''r
vindicated by the highest tribunal in tic !aa,.
respectfully ask that You will make an NJ.
propriation, cons0nant with tue iinp"rtancc Il
! the case to compensate the counse! Tor the
State and discharge the expenses incident 10
! this proceeding"
! These two cases will suffice TO show, that 4
/ Yirginian, and Maryander, have been III
I iure,l-scrouslv injured, by this ''05H"ri"Hs
/ Pcnnsvlrai,ia Mn." furnish conclusive cyI-
dcnce therefore, according to your own test, 10
demonstrate the obnoxious character. ton
dency and effect, OF your law OF lSi,. must
also impress upon your mind tie fact, tlI;;
both Of these cases have occurred since ,Ec
passage Of the fugitive slave law Of 1850.
| infer from your letter, that YOU have ta!lcn
into another error, that must be corrected. lon
argue, as if you considered tlie Fugitive slave
law Of 1893 repealed by the Act OF 1850 The
law of 1898, has not been repealed and is now
in full force and effect The act Of 1880, i
merely cumulatiyc-fu furnishing ad!itonalrcmc
dies for the recovery Of slave property that
has escaped into non.SaychOlding States. The
title is "An Act to amend and supplementary
to the act entitled "An Act respecting iugitivcs
from Justice, and persons escaping from the
service Of their masters" &c. In the sixth
section il is declared that the 'tiamant
or his or her agent or attorney shall use snrh
reasonable force and restraint as may be ncccS.
sarv, under the circumstances Of the case, :"
take and remove such fugitive person back 10
the State or territory whence he or she NAY
have escaped as aforesaid The exercise 1l
such reasonable force, is Il violation OF your
law of lS47, which subjects claimants, their
agents or attorneys, 10 indctncn; IN your
courts, as the Gases Of Parsons and MycrS
clearly prove.
And finally, the Constitution Of the United
States, in the fourth article, and second section
declares
{ NO person held to service or labor ii one
States under the laws thereof escaping into
another, SHALL in consequence OF ony lac orrt-
qulation Merein, be discharged from such >c:
vice or labor, LHt shait be de('cercd up, or
ciaim cf tie party, 10 whom svch s@rttce or IT,.
TOR may be due."
Under this provision Of the Constitution,
: what is the duty Of Pennsylvania and the other
non-slavcholdng States: Is it not plainly and
papably their duty, to aid in giving full effect
to this requirement When u person lLld 10
service or labor in Virginia escapes into yonr
State and is there found, is it not incumbent
} on your citizens to see that he or she shall be
delivered up, on claim Of the party. to whon
) such service or labor may bc due: Ought
not Your Legislature 10 require your I:dtrS,
justices Of the peace, aldermen and other olli
GERS, to aid, by all Legitimate means the ciai'''.
ant m recovering the possession ot hs slave
property, that may be found in your Statc:---
IL cannot be said that your law of 1877, rs II
now stands upon your Statute book, was i:-
tended to elect this object. LII re-cnactng
this law, at your last session, it will not BE-
claimed, am sure, that the object was to Sc
cure more efficient execution Of the fueitiv"
slave laws Of 1873 and 1850, and a more faith
ful performance OF the duty imposed upon
+ your citizens by this article and section oi ia"
Federal Constitution.
If the Union is to be preserved, it is rec":'
sary that all causes! Of complaint, Irritation
and dissatisfaction, Shall be speedily removed.
In the present condition Of affairs, delay cnc'
in destruction. If the non n.siaveho!ding Statcs
desire to save the Constitution from overthrow,
and the coniederacy from dissolution, let them
SHOW their faith by their works Let thel"
reDeal a. once all statutes, Which agc
INJURIOUS 10 the rights and interests o..
their Southern fellow citizens, and which
are in any degree calculated, to eEbarra>S
them, in the recovery Of fugitive slaves
This cannot be done 4 moment too s0on aud
urge you and all other conservative men IN your
section, TO act without delay and show TO the
South, that you really desire the preservation