The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-14

one .portion bore towards the people of
another, as early as the year 1880, placed
the following law upon her Statute book:

the following law upon her Statute book:
Sec. 10. No man or woman, of any nation or
color, except the negroes and mulattoes who
shall be registered as aforesaid, shall at any
time be deemed, adjudged or holden, within
the territories of this Commonwealth, as slaves
or servants for life, but as free men and free
women; except the domestic slaves attending
upon delegates in Congress rom inc other
American States, foreign minister's and consuls,
andpersons passing through or scjourn'ng IN thus
State, and not becoming residents therein, and
seamen employed in ships not belonging to any
inhabitant of this State, nor employed in any
ship owned by any such inhabitant; provided,
such domestic slaves shall not be aienated or
sold to any inhabitant, nor Except /. the case
OF members OF Congress, foreign ministers and
consuls,) retained in this State longer than six
months.
New York, led on by such as Alexander
Hamilton, William Floyd, Philip Livings-
ton, Francis Lewis, and Lewis Morris, fol-
lowing the example of Pennsylvania, passed
law allowing citizens of sister States to
come among them and bring their slaves for
the period of nine months.
New Jersey, led on by John Witherspoon,
Richard Stockton, John Hart, and William
Livingston, followed in the wake of New
York.
And so they went, State after State,
either by Statute or Judicial determination,
until it became the settled policy of the
Northern States to allow the citizens Of
their sister States South to come among
them and bring their slaves for limited
time.
For sixty years, in the earlier and better
days of the Republic, this was the policy of
our government-the policy of our fathers,
tie policy under which we have grown to be
a great, prosperous, and powerful ma
ton.
Under this good policy, star after star has
has been added to the American banner.
Under this good old policy, millions upon
millions have been added to our population,
until we can hurl defiance into the teeth of
any nation upon Gods footstool.
Now, my fellow citizens, l propose to
bring you to the point. If you condemn
me, for the same reason, and to the same
extent, you must condemn the heroes, the
sages, and the patriots who voted for the six
months law in Pennsylvania during the war
of the Revolution. Will you do that? If
you condemn me, for the same reason, and
to the same extent, you must condemn that
glorious band of men who voted for and sus-
tanned the nine months law in the State of
New York. Will you do that? l want
no higher honor than to be classed with
those men. Give me the company of Ben
jamin Rush, and Alexander Hamilton, and
John Witherspoon, to that of Tim Newson
and DR.. Foster, every time. What say you,
my fellow. citizens? tThats the talk!-
Cheers.)
Give me the company of those gallant
old chieftains who have handed US down the
rich legacy of thirty-three free and indepen-
dent States, to that of Peter Mantor, Ban~
croft, ard Hunt, every time. What say
you, my fellow citizens? ('That is what
we say 'Goodv Hit 'em Coggswell!)
Here 1 might rest my indications as
being complete, and turn upon my accusers
and say, are you not continually proclaim
ing that you adhere to the doctrines and
policy of the fathers? Surely you are yet
this very act Of yours brands you as cheats
and deceivers. Your hypocrisy and hollow
heartedness is, by this act, exposed to the
public gaze. You Can cheat and deceive no
longer.
But do not propose to leave the subject
here. There is one more witness 1 will
bring upon the stand, in whose judgment,
opinions and actions you have the most I'M.
limited confidence. That is William III.
Seward-him by whom you all swear.
In 1888, be was candidate for Cover
nor in the State of New York. At that
time, this nine months law of which 1 have
spoken was upon her Statute book, and con-
tinued upon her Statute book until 1916.
So we are told by Mr.. Kent in his second
volume of Commentaries upon American
Law. That you may all know what that
nine months law was, | will read it to
you.
State who shall be travelling to or from, or
passing through this State, may bring with him
any person, lawfully held by him in slavery,
and may take such person with him from this
State but the person so held in slavery shall
not reside or continue in this State more than
nine months; and if such residence be continued
beyond that time. such person shall be free.
The Abolitionists of that State at that
. time, were opposed to that law, just as the
Republicans of this State are opposed to
any such law here-a fact that. makes them
one and the same thing. ('Thats SOY
They met in Convention at Utica, and de-
puted Gerritt Smith and William Jay to
write to Seward and obtain his opinion upon
that law. With promptness characteristic
of the man, he answered their letter, gave
his opinion, and here it is:
AUBURN, October %. 1888.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter proposing to me
certain questions in behalf of a numerous meet.
ing of my fellow citizens at Utica, mas been re-
ceived. If have correctly appre.
hended the subject, this la,O IS not one confer.
ring the right upon any person to import SLAVES
into this State and hold them here as SUCH ooh,
no, my fellow citizens, VIM. Il. Seward had not
made the great discovery then, that law al
lowing the citizens of Virginia to come into
New York and bring their slaves with them,
and hold them there for the period of nine
months, established slavery! Oh, no, not he |!
What pity it was, that at that time there were
no Tim Newsons, no A. B. C0rnells, no Ban
crofts, to have told him of that fact. Zap
plause- A voice, "Now you hit them where
they live."] All, surely we live in day when
there are ,U,se men. But let US r.esd on.) But
is an attempt at restriction upon y Constitu.
tional right of masters, q quali ion, or at
least definition of it, and in faS fthe slave.
While the construction of the Constitution
adopted here is maintained, the law, it would
seem, ought to remain on our statute books
not as an enroachment upon the rights of man,
bat protection for them. But gentlemen, being
DESTROYS to be entirely candid in this commu
nication, it is proper that should add that
am not convinced that it would be either ,cise,