From the time of its passage to the present hour, the people, the legislative assemblies, and the judicial tribunals of the Northern States, have manifested the most determined purpose to set it at naught. Although it has been adjudged by the highest Court of the United States to be in conformity with the Constitution, and therefore to be a part of the supreme law of the land, the legislatures of almost all the Northern States have passed acts to nullify or evade its practical execution. Many of their courts have interposed every obstacle in their power to its enforcement, and mobs have risen in most of the Northern cities to resist the law, and to rescue the fugitives from labour by force of arms; and several Southern citizens have been murdered whilst engaged in attempts to arrest their slaves.

"In 1854, a bill was introduced into Congress, under the auspices of a distinguished senator from Illinois, for the organisation of territorial governments in Kansas and Nebraska. As originally reported, the bill was silent in regard to slavery. Subsequently, the bill was modified so as to embrace a clause which declared the law of 1820-commonly known as the Missouri Compromise Act-inoperative and void; and in this form it became a law. The avowed object of the mover and friends of the bill was to remove the slavery agitation from the halls of Congress, and to localise it, by confining it to the territories as they should respectively be in a condition to establish their own municipal institutions. The bill declared on its face that its true intent and meaning was not to legislate slavery into any territory

or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States.'

"The passage of this law furnished the pretext for the revival, with increased bitterness, of all the sectional feuds which had been temporarily allayed by the measures of 1850. Throughout the Northern States, old party lines were almost obliterated, and a new Northern political organisation sprang into existence, under the designation of the Republican party. This organisation was distinctly sectional in its character, and it soon acquired the ascendancy in almost every Northern State. The ostensible object of this party was to organise public opinion in opposition to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and to the extension of slavery into new territories. But it soon became evident, from the sectional character of the party, the doctrines which it inculcated, and the policy which it pursued, that its real purpose was to make war upon the institution of slavery itself. Your committee have no doubt that the ulterior designs of the leaders of the party were carefully concealed from the great body of those who enlisted under its banner, and who would have then recoiled from the idea of invading the acknowledged rights of the Southern States, and trampling under foot the solemn compacts of the Constitution. The object was to obtain the co-operation of the Northern people, by the specious pretences of opposition to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise and to the extension of slavery, and then,

by the force of party affinities and discipline, to lead or drive them into open warfare on the institution itself,

"By the laws of Maine it is provided, that if a fugitive slave shall be arrested, he shall be defended by the attorney for the Commonwealth, and all expenses of such defence paid out of the public treasury. The use of all state and county gaols, and of all buildings belonging to the State, are forbidden the reception or securing fugitive slaves; and all officers are forbidden, under heavy penalties, from arresting or aiding in the arrest of such fugitives. If a slaveholder, or other person, shall unlawfully seize or confine a fugitive slave, he shall be liable to be imprisoned for not more than five years, or fined not exceeding $1000. If a slaveholder take a slave into the State, the slave is thereby made free; and if the master undertake to exercise any control over him, he is subjected to imprisonment for not less than one year, or fined not exceeding $1000.

"The Dred Scott decision of the Supreme Court has been declared unconstitutional, and many offensive and inflammatory resolutions have been passed by the Legislature.

"Vermont law now forbids all citizens and officers of the State from executing or assisting to execute the fugitive slave law, or to arrest a fugitive slave, under penalty or imprisonment for not less than one year, or a fine not exceeding $1000. It also forbids the use of all public gaols and buildings for the purpose of securing such slaves. The attorneys for the State are directed, at public expense, to defend, and procure to be

discharged, every person arrested as a fugitive slave. The habeas corpus act also provides that fugitive slaves shall be tried by jury, and interposes other obstacles to the execution of the fugitive slave law.

"The law further provides, that all persons unlawfully capturing, seizing or confining a person as a fugitive slave, shall be confined in the State prison not more that ten years, and fined not exceeding $1000. Every person held as a slave, who shall be brought into the State, is declared free; and all persons who shall hold or attempt to hold as a slave any person so brought into that State, in any form or for any time, however short, shall be confined in the State prison not less than one nor more than fifteen years, and fined not exceeding $2000.

"The laws of Massachusetts forbid, under heavy penalties, her citizens, and State and county officers, from executing the fugitive slave law, or from arresting a fugitive slave, or from aiding in either; and denies the use of her gaols and public buildings for such pur

poses.

"The Governor is required to appoint commissioners in every county to aid fugitive slaves in recovering their freedom, when proceeded against as fugitive slaves, and all costs attending such proceedings are directed to be paid by the State.

"Any person who shall remove, or, attempt to remove, or come into the State with the intention to remove or assist in removing any person who is not a fugitive slave within the meaning of the Constitution,

is liable to punishment by fine not less than $1000 nor more than $5000, and imprisonment not less than one nor more than five years.

"Connecticut. By the Act of 1854, Sec. 1, it is provided, that every person who shall falsely and maliciously declare, represent, or pretend that any person entitled to freedom is a slave, or owes service or labour to any person or persons, with intent to procure or to aid or assist in procuring the forcible removal of such free person from this State as a slave, shall pay a fine of $5000, and shall be imprisoned five years in the State prison.

"Sect. 2. In all cases arising under this act, the truth of any declaration, representation or pretence that any person being or having been in this State, is or was a slave, or owes or did owe service or labour to any other person or persons, shall not be deemed proved except by the testimony of at least two credible witnesses testifying to facts directly tending to the truth of such declaration, pretence or representation, or by legal evidence equivalent thereto.'

"Sec. 3 subjects to a fine of $5000 and imprisonment in the State prison for five years all who shall seize any person entitled to freedom, with intent to have such person held in slavery.

"Sec. 4 prohibits the admission of depositions in all cases under this act, and provides that if any witness testifies falsely in behalf of the party accused and prosecuted under this act, he shall be fined $5000 and imprisoned for five years in the State prison. This law

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