Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-01-09
The Fugitive slave Law.

The portion Cf Governor Packers Message
which refers to the sections OF the penal code
adopted by the Legislature last winter, which
practically nullify the fugitive slave law and
al important section of the Constitution al the
United States, is worthy of more than pas
s;op notice. The Governor contends that
these sections OF the penal code, are not vio-
Ia,ons of the Constitution of the United
States. We think that they are, and We will
proceed 20 state the reasons why we think So
The Sd section Of the Alb article of the Con-
situation provides, "that no person hcic to
service or labor in one State, under the laws
thereof, escaping into another, shall not 10
consequence of aDy Law or regulation therein,
be discharged from such service Or labor; but
shall be delivered up on claim of the party to
whom such service CT labor is due" OF
coarse this section vas intended to secure to
shareholders the ri ight to recover their slaves
in sny portion of the United States, in which
they might take refuge. and without it the
Constitution of 1877 would never have been
adopted. The slaveholdiug States united
their des.inies with the non slayeho'ding, On
the positive understanding that fugitive
sisyes should be promptly returned 10 their
masters strictly in accordance with the
provisions Of the section OF the Constltu-
ton wo have cited. An American Jurist has
truly said, that the foundations of the gov
ernm ent are laid in the rights of property IN
IL. Ill or
fail by disturbing the corner stone. We may
talk as much as we please about the crime of
slavery, but have We not as Nation enjoyed
uDexamplel prosperity under the Constitution
adopted By our revolutionary sires, by the men
who offered their bosoms to the shafts of bat
tie at Bunkerhill, Saratoga, Monmouth and
Yorktown? They had passed through al
ordeal which made them true patriots, and
uot serseess fanatics. They intended that all
the provisions of the Constitution should be
carried out in good faith, and literally con-
strued; especially those known as its comp:o-
misses. The clause with regard to the rendi-
ton Of slaves was one of those compromises.
Of couese toe States in ratifyirg the Cen
s.itutiou pledged themselves to observe all its
provisions In good faith, aud uos merely tO
keep within the letter of the sacred instrument,
while they violated its spirit, and insiduousiy
thwalted the ends fUr which it was framed and
sdopted' Has not Pennsylvania then violated
her pledge TO The other States of the Confed-
erScy in enaeiiug the law referred 20 in Gov
Packers Message. Il prohibits under heavy
penalties, our Judges and Magistrates from
setting under any act Of Congress, or other
wise taking jurisdiction Of the case of a fugi.
tive slave, and punishes with fne and impris.
onment, the tumuituous arrest of fugitive
slave by any person CT persons. under any
pre,ence o. authority whatever, so as to cre-
a.o breach Of the public peace. Now ftbi:
does not violate the letter, does it not clearly
violate the spiri; of the Constitution? Is il
not evidently intended to impede and embar.
ass the owners of fugitves and the federal Of
6cers, in the executing the provision of the
fugitive slave law, and capturing runa.
ways From the sympathy that exists fol
runaway negroes in many portions of Penn
sylvania, it would be almost Impossible to
arrest fugitive slave, without eneourtering
the resistance of fanatical mob; and by tbi:
iaw, the master and federal officers, are
liable to criminal prosecution, 6ne and i'm
prisonment, for a..riot and tumul." which
shey did not create, and for merely endeav-
orig to execute q Ian universally acknowl
edged to be Constitutional. If States are tc
be allowed to thus strictly construe the Con-
siitution, and covertly Dulllfy its most solemn
provisions then it is nothing but farce, and
the confederacy is held together by rope OF
sand. The entire law naturally leads the
Southern people to believe that their fellow
eitizeps in Pennsylvania are their enemies,
and are determined to do all they can to pre-
vent them from recovering their runaway
slaves.
It tends to Ges.soy that league ofiove which
binds
'rrhis fair Bread empire State to ess'o