The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-03
A Law that Should Unite all Loyal Men
"a in its Support.

MI. 1Aiuoiu, meinOer OF congress
from Illinois, has introduced into Con-
gress a bill that should command the
united support of all loyal men. As it
is not long we append it hereto:
A Bill to render Freedom national and
Slavery sectional.
To the end that Freedom may be
and remain forever the fundamental
law of the land, in all places whatever
so far as it lies withinsthe power or de-
ponds upon the action Of the Govern
ment of the United States to make it
so therefore, ~
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress as
sembled: h.'e s fsa s = naes pa.
SECTION l. That slavery and invol-
untarY servitude, in all cases whatso-
ever, other than in the punishment of
crime whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall hereafter
cease and be prohibited forever in all
the following places, viz:
First, In all the territories now ex.
listing or hereafter to be formed or &C.
CURED in any way. ga.ae
Second, In all places purchased or
to be purchased by the United States,
with the assent of the legislature of the
several States, for, the erection of forts,
magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and
other needful buildings.
Third, In all vessels on the high
seas and on the national highways, be-
yond the territory and jurisdiction of
the several States from which or to
which the said vessels may be going.
Fourth, In all places whatsoever
where the national government is SUI
preme or has exclusive jurisdiction and
power. s ~
Sec. 2. That every person now held,
or attempted to be held hereafter, rs a
slave in any of the places above named,
is hereby declared to be free, and the
right to freedom hereby declared may
be asserted in any of the courts of the
United States, or of the several States,
in behalf of the party, or his or her
posterity, after any lapse of time, upon
the principle that a party once free is
always free. r..i I'd beae
This is going back to where the Gov
eminent started. Our Constitution
contains no recognition of the right of
property in slaves, but denominates
them as persons, and this we know was
designedly done by the Fathers of the
Government on account of their hos
tility to slavery. In the same organic
law they prohibited the slave trade af.
ter certain time. The Congress of
the Confederation forbid slavery in the
common territory, and the first Federal
Congress enacted the prohibition,
which was originally drafted by Thos.
Jefferson. The Government did not
presume to interfere with slavery in the
States, as law abiding men refuse to do
now, but the men of that day believed
it should be unequivocally OH the side
of freedom. 1t might not be able to
do all that many in full flush of philan.
thropic fervor could wish, but it would
do all it could.
This is what Mr.. Arnold's Bill pro.
poses to do at this time. 1t makes no
assault upon the rights of States. /:
invites the Government TO no uncen.
ditional or iinpracticabie action, only i,
completely locaizes slavery, which has
become principally dangerous by as
piring to national dominion. The mel
itated law does no injustice to slavery,
and slavery has no rightto expect ia
vors from a country it has sought 10
destroy. Even among the non-slave.
holding masses of the Sonth, we be-
lieve this law will command approval.
Some few years since our readers will
remember case of serious discussion
at the Norfolk Navy Yard, in conse.
quence of shareholders employing their
slaves to labor there on United States
work, thus crowding ont the white me-
cbanics and laborers. Under Mr.. Ar.
nold's bill a vexatious question of this
kind could not arise, and the slave
States would not be SO anxious to mon
opolize the public works. Of course
the Fugitive Slave law would extend
over these places where slavery was
abolished, the same as i'm the free
States, and hence they would not be in
vitations or harbors for slaves. 1t vii
be seen that this law only proposes t.
operate in places where Congress ha.
exclusive jurisdiction, and so careful,
does the bill guard the rights and priv
leges Of the States that, in Inc third
paragraph of section first, slavery il
prohibited in all vessels on the higl
seas and on the national highways, be
yond the territory and Jurisdiction q
the sererdl States from. achich or 4
which the said Uessels may be going
There is no undue assumption of power
no trenching on disputed ground. Blu
after all the grand leading idea of Thu
bill is its merit-"a bill 10 render free
dom National and slavery sectional =
No comment could add to the grave
and honorable force of this title.-Det
Tribune.
Another Regiment of Michigan Sharp
i shooters. tf -. 3-7l
| Capt. Carleton, late of the Lancers
is recruiting a full company for the reg
iment of Berge Sharpsheoters, now
serving in Tennessee. This regimen
has assumed the name of the 'sFirs
Regiment, Michigan Sharpshooters.'
1t was engaged in the successful assanl
on Fort Donolson opd did valiant ., =, =,