Maine

The bilí which pnssed the House of Representativos to protect the colored citizcris of Maine, rood tlicp; Be it r.nacted'by the Scnnte and House of Reprrsentutivis in LrgUlature asscmblcd - as follows. Sec. 1. That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be denned unluwful nnd a high rnie-demeanor, fornny jndicial officer, niiy justice ofthepeace, nny coroner, sheriffj depnty sheriff, j ilor or other executive officers ofthis Stnte, in auy manner to interfiere with nny person who mny have escaped ffom slavcry, into this State, for, or on account of such person Icing a fugitive from slnvery. Fu?. 2. All preerpts issued by any judge of ny judicial court of hs State, or by any justice of the pence, for the arrest of nny alleged fugitive slavo, shall be utterly nuil nnd vo'd; and nny jndicial officer or jti8tice of the peace, who .huil issue sucli precept, and nny cxccuiive olTicer who shall undertake to serve the same, shall be subjected to indictment in the Stiprcme Judicial Court or District Court. within the district where auch ofö-nce is committod, nnd if convicted thereon, be fined in sum not less thnn two hundred, and not exceeding one thonsand dollnra. Skc. 3. Nojnil in this State shnll be used, undpr uny pretence,to confine n fupitjve slave, as such, or any person who has escoped from slfivrry, for that cause. And any sheriff, juilor. or deputy jnilor, who hall receive, nnd confine any fugiiivc slave for the reason that heis such, or nny person escaping' from slavorv, for that cause, shall be forthwith removed from offico, and shrtll bo subject lo indictmont n the Supreme Judicial Court, or Ditrict Court, in the district where such ofTence is committed, nnd on conviction shl! be finnd in n snm not less tiian two nor more than five hundred dollars. Sr.c. 4. Ilereafler, the we of tlie j.iils n this State shall not be granted to the United State?, for the purpose ofconfininp a fugitivo slave, or person esenping from slavery, when commitfpd for th.it cause. This bill passed the House without a división. It was indefiniteiy postpr.ned in the SenHfe. upon which the House voted, yens 55, nays 47 that they would ndhere to the bilí. Resolutions nlso pnssed ihe Legislature authorizing the Gover nor to toke 11 necessary stens for the release of any citizen iu the State who may be imprisnned in any other State solely on account of h is color, the expences tocóme out of the State Treasury.