The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-28
THE PERSONAL LIBERTY LAW OF YER



Vermont, many years since, passed bills cacu
lated to obstruct the rendition of fugitiyes. The
following is a section from an act of 1843:
Sec. 8. No sheriff, deputy sheriff, high bailiff,
constable, or other officer or citizen of this State
shall transport or remove, or aid assist in the
transportation or removal of any fugitive slave, or
any person claimed as such, from any place in this
State to any other place within or without the
same.
SEC. 4. Imposes penalty of five years in States
prison, and fine of 81 ,0O0) Act of lS43 Comp.
Stat. 537.
Two years since additional enactment was
made, containing the following section:
SEC. G. Every person who may have been held
as slave, who shall come, or be brought, or be in
this State, with or without the consent of his or
her master or mistress, who shall come or be
brought, or be involuntariv or in any way in this
State, shall be free.
A bill is now before the Vermont legislature re-
pealing all these former enactments As the sub
ject is now exciting general attention, we present
portion of the remarks of s. B. Colby, ESQ.,, before
the Judiciary committee of the senate of Vermont.
in favor of the repeal. We quote:
Remarks Of s. b. Colby before the Judiciary Com.
mitee of the Senate of Vermont, upon the bill to
repeal the Personal Liberty Bills
Mr.. CHAIRMAN-Ths Legislature has been an
structed by the recent overwhelming vote of Yer
mont for the Republican President in LANGUAGE
most emphatic, to repeal all those faithless enact
ments on statute books, the undisgused purpose
of which is to embarrass and thwart the operation
of the "fugitive slave" law. Mr.. Lincoln stood
solemnly pledged to the country to enforce the act
of 1850 for the rendition of fugitive slaves in faith
of that pledge he has been elected. The vote is an
overwhelming verdict of the people, in favor of the
of every section of the country;
and especially IN favor of an honest regard for that
clause of the Constitution, which was intended as
security to owners of property in slaves:
The fact that other States attempting to move
out of the Union, should not be the cause of our
action, but because it is right; and the continu-
ance of such faithless, wicked provisions is some
excuse for the threatening aspect of affairs at the
South. Extreme and violent men can point the
people of those dscOntented States to the acts of
| Vermont and Massachusetts, and demonstrate how
unsafe their rights are within the Union.
Repeal these measures and you furnish the Union
! loving men in the South with most potent argu-
| ments among their people, and you disarm the en-
tire influence OF the disunionsts at single blow.
! But as they are, how can you resist the claims of
the South to withdraw from your compact after you
| have been the first to violate it.
1t is possible, sir, that the 'evi days. are near
| at hand, in which our government is to be broken
| up; that the glorious title of ''American
| citizen" is soon to become by-word and laughing
| stock among the nations; but | cannot believe it
H. however, it must needs be that offences come
| then "woe be to that man by whom the offence
| cometh." 1t will go far to palsy the arm of every
! Vermonter when he shall be told alt was you and
yours that did it"'your State first broke the faith
and now behold the Union in runs!' With what
grace can we of Vermont, in that hour-that terri
Ole hour, if, in the providence of God, it should
come, when the ''people of the United States in
| general appeal to arms, against seeding State
with what grace we of Vermont join in
the fight to force back State into that Union and
| that compact in which we obstinately refused her
rights? 1t is possible that act of ours inlu
ence at all the progress of disastrous events to
come; but sir, for Gods and country's sake let
be right; right upon the record right in the pub
lie eye of the world; right in the forum of con-
science; lest, otherwise, the spirit of American lib
erty, when affrighted, shall fee forever from our
borders-shall say to loved and noble State, at
parting,in the language of the queen-mother to the
bloody monarch of England:
Take with thee my most heavy curse
Ny prayers on the adverse party fight"