Title:  The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18

Author:  American Anti-Slavery Society

Release Date:  November 9, 2004 [EBook #13990]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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THE

FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW

AND

Its victims.

American anti-slavery society, 138 Nassau street, new York. 1856.

Anti-slavery tracts.  No. 18.

* * * * *

The fugitive slave law, and its victims.

* * * * *

The Fugitive Slave Law was enacted by Congress in September, 1850, received the signature of Howell Cobb, [of Georgia,] as Speaker of the House of Representatives, of William R. King, [of Alabama,] as President of the Senate, and was “approved,” September 18th, of that year, by Millard Fillmore, Acting President of the United States.

The authorship of the Bill is generally ascribed to James M. Mason, Senator from Virginia.  Before proceeding to the principal object of this tract, it is proper to give a synopsis of the Act itself, which was well called, by the New York Evening Post, “An Act for the Encouragement of Kidnapping.”  It is in ten sections.

SYNOPSIS OF THE LAW.

Section 1.  United States Commissioners “authorized and required to exercise and discharge all the powers and duties conferred by this act.”

Sect. 2.  Commissioners for the Territories to be appointed by the Superior Court of the same.

Sect. 3.  United States Circuit Courts, and Superior Courts of Territories, required to enlarge the number of Commissioners, “with a view to afford reasonable facilities to reclaim fugitives from labor,” &c.

Sect. 4.  Commissioners put on the same footing with Judges of the United States Courts, with regard to enforcing the Law and its penalties.

Sect. 5.  United States Marshals and deputy marshals, who may refuse to act under the Law, to be fined One Thousand dollars, to the use of the claimant.  If a fugitive escape from the custody of the Marshal, the Marshal to be liable for his full value.  Commissioners authorized to appoint special officers, and to call out the posse comitatus, &c.