Press enter after choosing selection

The Slave Case

The Slave Case image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
August
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The report of this case occupies more room han we nnticipated, but it will be read with ittention. Tlie charge of Judge McLean to ;he Jury was, porhaps, as nearly imparttol as raight be. H8 opinión on several positions 3reciseíy coincides with whalabolitiomsts have :laimed. He declares that slavery is local in its character- tbat there is no international law by which fugilives can be demanded oF a (brtign nalion - that the consütiition invariably spoaks of skves as persons, and in no ilace as property- that slavery is "founded in wrong, in oppresaion, in power against right" that every person in a free State is presumed o bo free, without regard to color - and that he commission of a crime, or an ogreeinent ' o commit a crimo, does not constitute a good onsideration, and contracts resting on such a asis are void. The only proper ground of omplaint we can make against the expositiori f the Judge, f, that the act of 1793 should have been cunstrued striclly and rtgidly, 1. Because the clause it was designed to arry out was on exception to the the general' enor of the Conslitution, being designed to sustain afstem which, according to his own showing, is "founded in wrong, in oppression, in power against right." 2. Because it was a penal statute, and ehould je construed etrictly. The construction put upon the law ie very liberal for the slave-holder. To carry a fugU tive a few miles without concealment - to help úm into a waggon and teil him which way to go, to give him water, bread, money, or clolhing, with theinlent to enable him to elude the vigilance of his master, is construed into "ha-borinjr i violation of the statute !"' "It is clearly within the miechie f it was designcd toprevent!!" Another nove! fuct was brought to light by thia trial. It was established before the Court that thcre is a law of Kentucky which compels a master to pay sevenfy-five dollnrs to any peison who may apprehend and return a fugitive elnve. It is not necessary that the person mnking the arrest should bo authorized as an ngent or attorney. Any person performing the service shall recsive ihe reward. Tlms Kennicky hires on nrmy }f kidnappers to viólate the lawa of O!iio! It is thotight lliat llie business will bo lucrative. The hïcl- nnpperd in this case received for their Sunday morning's work, f 450.' Vanzont is liabfe by law, in addition to tho $1200 adjudged to the plamtiffin this suit, to pay $500 for eich elavc heassisted, making $4,500 in the whole. One suit has already taken pluce, and he was adjudged to pay $500 penalty for assistingoneslave. Mr. Vanzant is a farmer, and nothing but the fear of public indignation will prevent their stripping him of all his property, and turnin his wife and little ones int o the highwny. But what will the slaveholders gain by such a course? Will Mr. "nnzant and his friendo hate slavery less? Will the institotioo gain any respect in the eyes of Norlhern freemen by adding the robbery of Abolitionists to that of their elaves? Should the slaveholders follow up this decisión by couimencing snits in all the Free State?, as it would 6eem they may do with every prospect of succoss, it wiil only has'cn on the grand issue between Slavery and Liberty. The struggle between these opposing elements must come, and we care not how soon.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News