Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-12-05
VOL. mo. IS.
PERSONAL LIBERTY RIILs.

AS a good deal OF nonsense has been uttered
about the obnoxious aPersonal Liberty Billsu
OF New I ork, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylva-
mia, among other States, it may be well enough
10 say that neither of the three States first
named has ever passed such hill at all, and
the following paragraph from the Pittsburgh
Journal, of Nov. 2lst, shows what the law Of
Pennsylvania amounts to. The editor of that
paper, Mr.. Bigham, says
I'VE have seen, in some fifty papers, Penn
sylvania denounced one of the nine States
that have passed laws to obstruct the Fugitive
Slave Law. Now, the truth OF history requires
us TO say that the last Act passed in this State
was that OF March Sd, l841, nearly three years
6ef0re the enactment of what is called par ex-
celence the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. As
we reported that bill in the Legislature We
may be supposed TO know something about it.
The bill punished the crime of kidnapping free
negroes 10 sell them into slavery and forbade
our State officers to interfere in cases of fugi-
tives from labor. Both these things had be-
come necessary by the decision Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States in the Prigg case.
And the seventh section, which has probably
been the most useful of any, simply repealed
two provisions in the Emancipation Act OF
1850, by which slaves had been held in this
State for six months''
This law, which can be found in, the Pam
phlet Laws of lS47, pages 206-7-8, was signed
by that we'll known Democratic Governor,
to the use of Jails, was repealed in 1852, being
deemed Objectionable to the SOUTH. and in
conflict with the Compromise Law of 1850.
The balance of the law was repealed at She last
session of the Legislature, but was almost lit
orally re enacted in the new penal code, pass
ed at the same session, which was drawn up by
three Democratic Commissioners, Judge Knox
David Webster and Judge King, appointed for
that especial object by Gov. Packer, who sign
ed the bill when passed by the Legislature.
While on this subject, we will make the
following extract from the able anti-secession
speech of Hon. A. Ii. Stephens, Of Georgia,
delivered lately at the State capital. After
stating that the proper way for the South to
act would be to lay their grievances before the
Governors of the Northern States, he says:
"Now upon another point, and that the most
difficult and deserving your most serious con-
sideration, will speak. That is the course
which this State should pursue towards these
Northern States which by their legislative acts
have attempted to nullify the Fugitive Slave
Law. l know that in some of these States
their acts pretend to be based upon the prin-
ciples set forth in the decision OF the Supreme
Court of the United States, in the case of Prige
against Pennsylvania; that decision did pro-
claim the doctrine that the State officers are
not bound to carry out the provisions of a law
ofCoDgress-that the FederalGoyernmcntc can
not impose duties upon State offieials-that
they must execute their oton laUs By their orrn Of
fcers. And this may be true. But still it is
the duty of the States to deliver fugitive
slaves, as well as the duty of the General Gov
ernment to see that it is done.'
Those editors and politicians who talk SO
glibly about pacifying the South by repeating
laws passed in accordance with a decision or
the Supreme Court of the U nited States, and
the personal liberty laws'' of States which
have none of the kind, should try TO inform
themselves, as Mr.. Stephens has done.