The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-01-15
NO. 742.


age might be introduced into Territories which
had been forever dedicated to freedom As
the stunning news of its abrogatiop passed
over the country, we gazed upon each other
in astonishment, and again the slavery ques-
ton was opened with tenfold excitement.
The patriot bowed his head in grief as he
heard the news, and the whole civilized world
looked on in amszement, and wondered at the
meaning of our boasted bill Of rights: Gall
men are created equal" Again / ask, are our
Southern brothers wholly blamelesss D..
You are asked to repeal certain laws upon
our statute books, known as personal liberty
bills" which are claimed to be in confict
with the Constitution, and defeat the execu-
ton Of the Fugitive Slave Law" and de-
prive our Southern brothers of the right Of
temporary sojournment in our State with their
Slaves. If these laws are unconstitutional,
and in conflict with the provisions Of the fu.
gitive slave law, then most certainly they
should be repealed. The Constitution, and
the laws of the United States, made in pur-
snanco 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 1893, pro-
viding for tho rendition of tie fugitive slave.
This act is abhorrent to our nature, and de-
grades the free man of the North into mere
''slavc catcher" It authorizes the claimant
TO cause the alleged fugitive to be apprehend-
ed, with, or without process, and to be taken
before a Commissioner Of tho Federal Gov
ernment, who is required to hear and
determine tho "case of such claimant in
summary manner" and upon being
presented with exparte affidavits, taken
before some justice Of the peace in a
distant State, showing tho identity Of tho
alleged fugitive, and that he does, in
fact, owe service to the claimant, to make a
certificate authorizing his removal back to
the State, whence he may have escaped.
conclusive evidence OF the right Of the claim.
ant to remove the alleged fugitive to the
State whence he escaped, and by the terms
of the act, the officer conducted these "sum.
mary proceedings" is 10 be paid bounty for
deciding against tho fugitive. 1t denies him
the right of compulsory process to obtain his
witnesses. 1t denies him the wit of Habeas
Corpus, and trial by jury. In short, it puts
him completely in the power Of the "slave
driver" and these exparte afidavts, gotten
up in the dark more than thousand miles
from his place Of arrest, are made concu,ive
against his rights, and forever consigu him to
a hopeless bondage. Every provision of this
humanity, and is moro beffitting the dark
ages than the middle of the nineteenth cen.
tury, and yet this act is part and parcel of
the Supreme law Of the land" and as such
must be ooeycd.
The Legisl ture Of 1856, passed two laws
which met the approval Of my immediate
predecessor The first is entitled " an act TO
protect the rights and liberties Of tho people
of the 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 dis.
tant slave State and there sold into captivity.
These citizens were as orderly and law abiding.
$50 far as my observation has extonded,) as
an equal number Of our white people 10 the
same station in life, and it was the duty of
the 5 tate to protect them in the free enjoy.
mcnt Of all their rights. This law was de-
signed for their protection and not for the
purpose Of violating the Constitution or pre-.
venting the execution Of the fugitive slave
law. 1t never has interfered with its execu.
tion. The President, in his message. tells us
that the fugitive slave law has been carried
into execution in every contested case since
the commencement Of his Administrations
The fugitive slave lew is to be executed ex.
clusvely by the Federal Courts and its Com
missioners end Marshals, and not by tho
State authorities. There is no part OF the
statnte Of our State that contemplates inter.
fering with the judicial proceedings of tho
Federal Courts in the execution Of tho fagi-
tive slave law. 1t provides that +" every per-
son who shall falsely declare, represent or pre-
tend that any free person entitled to freedom,
is slave or owes service or labor to any por.
son or persons, with intent to procure, or aid,
or assist in procuring the forci5le removal OF
such free persen from this State, as a slave
shall be imprisoned not less than three nor
more than five years in the State Prison -
The law was passed to protect the free colorcd
ciizans from Z" iorciblc removal from the State
rs slave aud to punish his kiinappcr.-
True, the act prohibits confining in our jails
" any person arrested and claimed as a fugi-
tive, unlcr penalty of not less than five
hundred nor more than one thousand dollars"
Has not Michigan exclusive control over her
ails? Neither the Constitution Of the United
States, the fugitive slave law Of 1903, nor the
'mcndatory at Of 1850, makes provision for,
,r contempates that, the fugitive shall or
nay be confined in our jails. The govern
merit of the United States has her forts, arse
lals, custom houses and marsha,s at her COM
nand. and is abundantiy able to guard the
ugitive from rescue without resorting TO our
ails fr protection. The other act Of the
legislature, already alluded TO, is wholly up.
IN tho subject OF tho use to which our jaiIs
ball be put. In this act the sheriff, or per.
on having them in charge, is prohibited from
onfning therein any fugitive slave This
ct in no way conflicts with the Consti.
ution or fugitive slave law. The third and
,st "prrsona liberty bill' upon our statutes,
the act Of the Legislature Of 1859, approx
d Ivy me on the 18th day Of February Of that
car.
This law has been in fyrco in our State fJr
he pa { twenty-five years, with the cxc"pt-
On Of two lines in tho act, which prohibits
ringing "auy negro, mulatto or other person
{ co,or into the State, claiming him or her
S slave" 1t is against these two limos
bat our Southern brothers take off.nse, and
n Al 4 "a