The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-01-17

has been intemperate interference Of
the people of the North with the ques-
ton of slavery, are our Southern BROTH
ers wholly blaiieless? - sS
In eighteen hundred and fifty, the
giant intellects of the nation, in Con-
gress assembled, compromised this ex-
citing questions" and passed . series
of laws for the purpose of putting it
forever at rest. The North and the
South acquiesced, and the whole coun-
try became quiet. Excitement died
away, and q fratertal feeling was fast
springing up throughout the country.
In eighteen hundred and fifty-two,
each OF the great political parties
passed resolutions depreciatng all fur.
ther agitation upon the subject of slave.
ry, and declared that it was forever
compromised and put at rest. The
election passed off calmly. We had
got rid of the exciting subject, and the
patriot breathed more freely. 1t was
a calmness, however, that pfecedes the
storm, and that storm soon burst upon
the country in all its fury. The Mis-
souri, Compromise, that our fathers
made thirty-three years before, was
abrogated at the dictation of the South,
that human bondage might be intro
duced into Territories which had been
forever dedicated to freedom. As tie
stunning news of its abrogation passed
over the country, we gazed upon each
other in astonishment, and again the
slavery question was opened with TEN
fold excitement. The patriot bowed
his head in grief as he heard the news,
and the whole civilized world looked on
in amazement, and wondered at the
meaning of our boasted bill of rights
.All men are created equal" Again
l ask, are our southern brothers wholly
blameless?
You are asked to repeal certain laws
upon our statute books, known as ssPer-
sonal liberty bills" which are claimed
to be in conflict with the Constitution,
and defeat the execution of the "Fugi.
tive Slave Law" and deprive our
Southern brothers of the right Of tenn
porary sojournment in our State with
their slaves. If these laws are uncon-
stitutional, and in conflict with the
provisions of the fugitive slave law,
then most certainly they should be re-
pealed. The Constitution, and the laws
of the United States, made in pursu-
ance thereof, are the Supreme law Of
the land, and as such, are entitled to
our highest consideration and respect.
Congress, in 1850, passed an act
amending the act of 1898, providing
for the rendition of the fugitive slave.
This act is abhorrent to our nature, and
degrades the free man of the North in
to mere "slave catcher" 1t author
ICES the claimant to cause the alleged
fugitive to be apprehended, with, OF
without process, and to be taken before
a Commissioner of the Federal Gov
ernment, who is required to hear and
determine the "cGse Of such claimant
an a summary manner" and upon be-
ing presented with expartc affidavits,
taken before some justice of the peace
in a distant State, showing the identi-
ty of the alleged fugitive, and that M
does, in fact, owe service to the claim
ant, to make certificate authorizing
his removal back to the State, whence
he may have escaped. These exparte
affidavits are by the act, made con-
elusive evidence of the right of the
claimant to remove the alleged fugitive
to the State whence he escaped, and
by the terms of the act, the officer con-
Quoting these summary proceedings"
is to be paid bounty for deciding
against the fugitive. 1t denies him the
right of compulsory process to obtain
his witnesses. 1t denies him the writ
of Hab@s Corpus, and "a trial by jury.
In short, it puts him completely in the
power of the "slave driver" and these
exparte afidavits, gotten up in the dark,
more than thousand miles from his
place of arrest, are made conclusive
against his rights, and forever cousigu
him to a hopeless bondage, Every
provision of this "amendatory act'n Is
at war with justice and humanity, and
more befitting the dark ages than the
middle of the nineteenth century, and
yet this act is part and parcel of the
Supreme law of the land" and as such
must be obeyed. -.
The Legislature of 1855, passed Two
laws which met the approval of my i'm
predecessor. The first is enti-
tied San Act to protect the rights and
liberties of the people of this State"
At the time of its passage, Michigan
contained more than FIVE thousand free
colored citizens, each of whom was
liable to be seized and forcibly taken.
into some distant slave State and there
sold into captivity. These citizens
were as orderly and law abiding, $50
far as my observation has extended,)
as an equal number of our white peo-
pie in the same station in life, and it
was the duty of the State to protect
them in the free enjoyment Of all rights.
This law was designed for their pro-
lection and not for the purpose of vio-
lating the Constitution or preventing
the execution of the fugitive slave law.
1t never has interfered with its execu-
ton. The President, in his message,
tells us that the fugitive slave law has
been carried into execution in every
contested case since the commence
ment of his administration. The fugi-
tive slave4aw is to be exeented exclu-
Al a