Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-02-21

ing or kidnapping negroes, and bring
ing them to the United States, and
selling them 10 the citizens of the
Union, as slaves. A. proposition was
made to abolish that trade, or to give
Congress the power to abolish it;
but the North, the States of Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut, and New Hamp-
shire. said that they wanted the trade
extended, at least until 1903; thus
giving them twenty years more TO
bring this species Of property to the
United States, sell it, and pocket the
profits Of The sale. 1t was the idea
enterrined then. universally. No.
body thought of any thing else than
that they we're legally bought and
sold as property.
But, sir. when you came to organ
ize the Mississippi Territory, you
put in your bill. that any man being
the owner of a slave might take
that slave into that territory and
there reside. And every Admins.
tration from that Day to this, and
every President Of the Uoited States,
has recognized the same idea
FCosgress has again and again rec
ogniz ID it, and directed slaves TO be
paid for as property. Your treaties
have recognized it Aud, sir, not
only that. but your courts have again
and again recognized it. Your Gov
eminent in all its branches executive.
legislative, and judicial, have been
treating slaves as property up to
this good hour. And now, when an
individual pursues his slave into the
State Of Ohio, if you please. and
apprehends bim,by what right does he
apprebend him. Why, under the
right to the service and labor of the
slave. That is technically the right
ander the language employed by
the Constitution; but what does il
mean? 1t matters not whether The
individual who has escaped owes SER
vice for day, for year, or for life
be is subject to be delivered up Wher
a fugitive from his master. Upor
what other ground has the master
the right to reclaim bis slave who
has escaped into another State, unless
it be a right conceded under The
Constitution, that he has the sole
and exclusive control over the ser
vices of the slave to as full an ex
tent as be has over any other species
of property, real orpersonal,no ineon'
ssistent with the laws of humanity?
The gentleman from Ohio, GMr
STANTON the other day, contended
before this House that the admission
that slaves we're property would 10.
volve US 10 intermirabIs difficulties
Why2 he objected to the admission
oil. the right; for the reason, among
others, that, if man in traasitu
through free State with his slave
should die, and die indebted to the
citizens of such free State, an al.
mlnistrator in such State could mol
inventory the slave as property. or
snbject him to the payment Of such
Indebtedness Why, sir, if the gen.
sleman from Ohio bad reflected upon
the result of that provision Of the
Constitution relating to fugitive
slaves, according TO bis own construc-
zion of it, he would have seen that
the same difficulty might Occult
Suppose slave escaping from Ken.
lucky into Ohio is pursued and ap.
pretended by his master, but before
his return bis master dies, owing
debts in that State: the slave could
mot be sold there; a writ of feri fa-
'cias could not reach him; but be
could be taken back to Kentucky,
and there be sold in the market
Suppose the slave escapes. and is
apprehended by bis owner in a free
State, where the master dies: surely
bis personal representatives, S
heirs-or administrators would have
the light to carry him back, and
apply the proceeds OF his sale to
the debts of bis deceased owner.
(Concladed ne1t week.)
Is~.a7.,s. ~. O..L IT, ILL