Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-07-05
Repeal OF the Fugitive Slave
III xrr

Law.
On Monday, Mr.. Julian, Of Indiana who
once had the honor to be candidate ior
Vice Presidency, on the Abolition tick
ct, with John p. Hale at the head OF 1t,
introduced a bill to repeal the Fugitive
Slave Law, which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary. He then
offered a resolution, instructing the COM
mittee to report bill for the repeal of
that act, which resolution, on motion OF
Mr.. Holman was tabled-yeas 66,nays 5l'
This shows that there are fity.one men,
bers of the House brave enough to vote,
openly and squarelcy, for an utter
and unconditional repeal of the Fugitive
Slave Law.
Mr.. Colfax, OF Indiana, then offered res
olution instructing the Committee on the
Judiciary to report bill modifying the
Fugitive Slave Law, SO as to require
a jury trial where the person claimed de.
nies under oath that he is slave.
Mr.. Wickliffe, of Kentucky, moved to
table this resolution, but the motion was
rejected by AZ majority. The resolution,
was then passed, yeas II, nays 43.
The judiciary Committee, of course,
will report such bill as this resolution
requires, and it is more than probable
that the House will pass it by such vote
as carried the resolution Of Mr.. Colfax.
If so, this will virtually repeal the Flu
gitive Slave Law of 1850. The old law
for the recovery of "fugitives from la
bor," which was enacted at a time when
the people were willing to obey the Con
stitution, answered its purpose we'll enough
until Abolitonism arose in the North,
when it was found that the law was in
sufi sient or defective ia some of its pro
visions, so that the enemies of the Con-
stitution could Often prevent the rendition
of fugitive slaves. Indeed it had become
almost useless for the master to pursue
his runaway servant into the free States.
Consequently, when the Compromise
Measures of 1850 were passed by Con-
gress, the present Fugitive Slave Law
was included in them, and was voted for
by Clay, Webster, Cass, Douglas and all
the patriotic men in Congress of the
Wing and Democratic parties, and, two
years after, When Scott and Pierce were
the Presidential candidates Of these par
ties, both ran upon platforms distinctly
and emphaticaly endorsing the com,
promise measures mentioned, Hincludine
, the Fugitive Slave Law SO that every
voter in the United States in 1852, ex.
cept the beggarly few fanatics who voted
for Hale, voted to endorse and ratify thi:
law.
: But now, just ten years later, we fine
, our Congress about to modify that law s.
as virtually to repeal it and revive The OLE
law which proved insufficient, when abo
ltionism was not half so strong as it nov
is, to carry out that provision of the Con
G sttution on which it was founded No
body believes that Northern juries wi
q in half the cares unanimously agree
return fugitises, however strong the proc
in favor of the claimant. Some abolition
lists, in almost every case, will manage
get on the jury, and as they throw them
selves upon their "couscience," which al
to them ga higher law than the Const
tuition ;" they will, of course, refuse to re
store fugitives in every case.
Therefore, this proposed bill to modif
the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, so as
h. require jury trial etc, may be regarde
y as, in effect repeal of that law. So
goes ! What next?