Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-02-02
Free State "PersonaI Liberty Bills"


from Free State laws, by which the South claim
the Constitution has been violated
ARTICLE FOURTH CONSTITUTION OF UNITED STATES.
SECTION 2. The citizens of each State shall be
entitled TO all privileges and immunities of cti-
Zens in the several States.
SEC. 2. CLAUSE 8. No person held to service
or labor in one State, nnder the laws thereof,
escaping into another shall, in consequence Of
any 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
or labor may be due.
ARTICLE G.
CLAUSE 2. This Constitution, and the laws OF
the United States which shall be made in pursu-
ance thereof. and all treaties made, or which
shall be made, under the authority Of the United
States, shall be the supreme law Of the land; and
the judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
anything in the constitution or laws of any State
to the contrary notwithstanding.
CLAUSE g. The senators and representatives
before mentioned, and the members of the several
State legislatures, and all executive and Judicial
officers, both of the United States and of the
Sc veral States, shall be bound by oath or aflirma-
ton to support this Constitution, &c.
LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
SEC 81. The governor by and with the advice
and consent Of the council, shall appoint in every
county one or more commissioners learned in
the law, who shall, in their respective counties,
when any person is arrested or seized, or in dan
ger of being arrested or seized as fugitive from
service or labor, on being informed thereof dill
gently and faithfully use all lawful means to
protect and defend such alleged fugitive, and
secure to him fair and impartial trial by jury,
and the benefits of the provisions of this chapter
and any attorney whose services are desired by
the alleged fugitive may also act as counsel.
| (Act 1855, 4S9, sec. III
SEC. So. The commissioners shall defray all
expenses of witnesses, clerks fees, and officers
fees, and other expenses which may be incurr ed
in the protection and defense of any person
seized or arrested and the same, together with
the reasonable charges of the commissioners for
| tbelr services as attorneys and COUNSEL shall be
paid from the treasury of the Commonwealth on
a warrant to be issued by the governor. (Act of
1855, sec. 18, p. 489.)
SEC. SO. No person while holding any office of
honor, trust, or emolument under the laws of
ibis State, shall in any capacity take cognizance
of any case, issue any warrant or other process,
or grant any certificate, under or by virtue of an
act OF Congress approved the twelfth day of Feb
ruary, in the year 1878, entitled An act respect
! ing fugitives from justice and persons escaping
! from the service OF their masters" or under or
by virtue of an act of Congress approved the
eighteenth day of September, 1850, entitled An
act to amend, and supplementary to An act re-
specting fugitves from justice and persons escap-
from the service of their masters" or shall, in
any capacity, serve such warrant or other process
| any justice Of Hs peace who shdH offend dgaiRa the
pr0vtStonS Of this section, By directly or indirectly
acting IN such case, shall forfeit not exceeding
one Mous0nd doiIars. or be Imprisoned in jail not
e1ceecfing one year, for each oGense
SEC. 6l. Whoever shall remove from the limits
OF this State or assist in removing therefrom
come into the State with the intention of re NOV
ing or assisting in the removing therefrom, or
procure or assist in procuring to be so removed.
| hain in tho bn ic nnf
held to service or labor by the party" making
claim" OF who has not escaped from the
party making " claim" or whose service or labor
is not due" to the party making claim" with
In the meaning OF those words in the Constitution
| oil the United States, on the prctence that such
person is so held or has so escaped, or that his
" service or labor" is so due" or with the in
tent 10 subject him to such service or labor"
shall be punished by fine not less than one thousand
nor more than fUe M0uSand dollars, and by mpriS-
On'et IN the Sfate prison not less than one nor more
Mdn fDe years. And any person sustaining wrong
or INJURY 10y any proceeding punishable as afore-
said, may also maintain an action and recover
damages therefor. (Act 1885, 4S9, sections 7, 81
SEC. 62. Any sheriff, deputy sheriff, jailer, cor
oner, constable, or other officer Of this State, or
OF the police of any city or town, or any district,
| county, city, or town officer, or any officer or
other member Of the volunteer militia of this
State who shall hereafter arrest, imprson, detain,
or return, or aid in arresting, imprisoning, de-
talnlng, or returning, any person for the reason
that he is claimed or adjudged to be fugitive
from service or labor, shaU be punished by fine not
less than one thousand and not eIceeding ta0o thou
sand dollars, and by imprisonment in the State
prison for not less than nor more than h0O years.
LAWS OF RHODE ISLAND.
SEC. 1S.-No judge, justice, magistrate or court
whatsoever of this State, shall grant any certif-
cate or warrant TO, or otherwise officially aid any
person claiming or pursuing another as fugitive
/ slave either under the act of Congress approved
Feb II, 1898, entitled An act respecting fugi-
tives from justice and persons escaping from the
service of their masters, or under the act of Con-
gress approved Sept Is, 1850, entitled an act
to amend, and supplementary to- said act.
Sec. l9.-No sheriff, deputy sheriff, town SER
geant, constable or other officer Of this State,
shall arrest or detain, aid in the arrest or de-
tention, of any person claimed as fugitive slave
| for or by reason thereof, or imprsOn snch fug-
tive, as such. in any Jail other building belong
ing to this State orsto any city, town or village
thereof.
SEC. 20.-Any justice of the peace, sheriff, dep
uty sheriff, town sergeant, constable jaor or
keeper of a Jail, who shall violate any provision
OF the two sections next preceding. shall, for ev
cry offence. be fined five hundred dollars, or be
imprisoned not exceeding six months.
LAWS OF CONNECTICUT.
! SEC. 1.-Every person who shall falsely and
malciously declare, represent, or pretend that
any free person entitled to freedom is slave
or owes service or labor to any person or persons
with intent to procure, or to aid or assist in pro
curing, the forcible removal of such free person
from this State as slave, shall pay fine of five
thousand dollars and be imprisoned five years in
the Connecticut State prison.
SEC. 2.-In all cases arising under this act, the
truth of every declaraiion representation or pre-
tence that any person being or having been in
this State is or was slave, or owes or did owe
service or labor to any other person or persons
except by the testimony of at least two credible
Witnesses testitying to facts directly tending to
establish the truth of such declaration, pretence
or representation, or by legal evidence equiva-
lent thereto.
SEC. 3.-Every person who shall wrongfully
and maliciousy SEIZE or procure to be seized,
any free person entitled to freedom, with intent