Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-05-24
The Fugitive Slave Law Imbrseiie

See the Stars local columns today for an ac-
count Of the finale Of the &C mistakes OF the night,
before last-the release by the Provost Guard OF
the Deputy Marshal and Tailor OF this District,
and the simultaneous release Of the Sergeant and
sentry Of the Provost Guard recently held by the
Marshal.
A publication upon the subject made in a
morning paper makes II incumbent upon US to
silt Its points. II states that the negro whom the
military governor ordered TO be taken from the
Marshals custody by military force, had mill
tary protection. We apprehend that that 10 a
mistake; though, IL true, it goes to prove the
sweeping improperly OF deprtvlng citizens OF
their property through granting such "protec.
tions." The negro is certainly the property Of a
lady as loyal, quite, as any person In the United
States, which is notorious to all residents Of the
district Of the county in which she resides For
nearly year past the Stars and Stripes have
roated from her premises, where they were
placed by her own hand. We state these facts
that the public may perceive that these "protec-
tions". operate quite az efectually against the
lawful rights Of the loyal against those Of the
disloyal.
II the military may, at the point Of the bayonet
aorogate one law here, they may an properly alb
rogate any other laws operation in this District
The fact that the law is unpopular with abolition
lists amounts to no justification whatever for thus
defeating Its operation. So long as there was the
slightest military necessity for military interfer.
ence here with the administration of the civil law
no mar more heartily sustained that policy than
ourself. Our aim in 30 doing was to maintain the
integrity Of the State-the Union-at all hazards,
Our aim being still to maintain It, we al heartily
deprecste the unquestioned supremacy of military
Vnla ian
menD in civil affairs here, now that all realize
that no rebellion exists in Maryland and that the
Federal capital is no longer In any danger what
ever
The justification by the newspaper referred to
above OF military protection to runaway slave.
OF citizens Of Maryland, amounts simply TO a JUS
tihcation Of the policy OF aboIishing slavery In
that State at the point Of the bayonet-a policy
the Government entertains no Idea whatever of
endorsing. To the hundreds of thousands In the
border states whose loyalty under the pressure Of
almost appalling adverse circumstances nOtori-
onsly saved the Government in its late hours of
sOrest trouble, the loss OF property to the loyal
OF Maryland through "military protection is
most ungracious. Its continuance must naturally
render the work Of effectnally putting down the
rebellion task OF greater difficulty; as being
likely to make enemies rather than friends for
the good cause, where friends are most needed.
That loyal men who lrse property or receive
personal Injury through the exercise Of military
power, will, as soon as possible, seek redress at
law, ascertain. They would be more than human
were they TO look to Congress for reparatIon,
rather than to the citizen . shield-the law. Thus
1t Is already notorious that hundreds OF citizens
OF Maryland who claim u have lost slaves by the
direct Interference Of the military, busiIy en-
gagged in getting together testimony likely to re-
cover for them veidicts In United States courts,
against the Individual military officers whose
orders, they aver, have damaged them That 10,
in cases where the officers may have property out
Of which to satisfy judgments.
These cases can hardly be tried before the end
OF the war, by which time, In the mutabllity of
our national politics, il is by no means impcs-
sible that the government may be in the hands Of
those as anxious to bring the acts Of our present
authorities into popular odium, as those in Con-
gren who are endeavoring to bring about the
adjustment Of slavery AZ the result of the war,
certainly are 10 deprecate all the acts Of the last
government. Should such change in our ma
tional government take place, the chances are
ten to one that all that the new powers can do in
the courts to aid such claimants, will Of course
be done. We call attention to this phase Of the
case, simply by way Of illustrating the trouble in
time to come that 10 likely TO arise from these un
fortunate occurrences.