THE Fugitive Slave Bill : ITS HISTORY AND UNCONSTITUTIONALITY ; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEIZURE AND ENSLAVEMENT OF JAMES HAMLET, AND HIS 122 SUBSEQUENT RESTORATION TO LIBERTY. New-York: WILLIAM HARNED, 61 JOHN STREET. OFFICE OF THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY, THIS Review of the infamous Bill recently passed by the Congress of the United States has been hastily prepared, with a view to meet the present exigency, and the author has freely availed himself of such helps as were at hand. A wide circulation should be given to the pamphlet. To enable the friends of freedom to accomplish this object, it will be sold by the thousand or hundred at the bare cost. They are earnestly entreated to have a copy put into the hands of every citizen in the Free States, and to have copious extracts made for the public press. The Executive Committee of the Society believe that the heart of every antislavery individual will deeply sympathize with the panting fugitive. They trust that the dwelling of every citizen will be an asylum, or place of protection; and that in view of his extraordinary circumstances, and the approaching cold weather, clothing, and other necessary articles, will be furnished with a liberal hand. They would not recommend that fugitives go to Canada, at least on the approach of winter; but if any go, that they be men without families. It is well for every fugitive to avoid large cities and public houses. The free people of color are advised to remain at their posts, unmoved and "unawed," and each one to consider his dwelling his castle. In case of assault or molestation, they may be assured that they will be effectually aided by their white friends. The opposition to the wicked Bill is general and strong; and if those exposed to be its victims are circumspect and fearless, the opposition will increase, and the sympathy will be deeper and more general, until the "law" is indignantly and for ever swept from the statute book. Those who aid the fugitive, and defend the free people of color from being kidnapped, act on conscientious, and many of them from Christian principles. The administration of the iniquitous and unconstitutional law is therefore a matter of persecution. In every way in which it can be viewed, it is a disgrace to the nation, an act of extreme cruelty, and can be viewed as an experiment on the part of the Slave Power to see how much the Free States will bear, with reference to future experiments upon their rights and feelings. LEWIS TAPPAN, Cor. Sec. RHODES. HOUSE 6 MAY 1931 IBRAR CIVIL LIBERTY OUTRAGED. THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE COMPROMISE! THE FIRST UNITED STATES OFFICIAL SLAVE-CATCHER IN NEW-YORK! THE FIRST OUTRAGE UPON CIVIL LIBERTY ON FREE SOIL, IN A FREE STATE ! Let the following plain statement of facts be read by every American citizen, and the public judgment be passed upon the authors of the law under which they took place, and their aiders, abettors, and approvers. On the 26th day of September last, one THOMAS J. CLARE came to the city of New-York from Baltimore, with a power of attorney, purporting to be executed by one Mary Brown--not by her signature, but by her mark—authorizing him to take and carry to Baltimore a man represented to be her slave. Bringing with him a copy of the Fugitive Slave Law, just passed by Congress, as one of the heralded measures of peace in which that body has been engaged for the last ten months, certified to be authentic by Daniel Webster, Secretary of State, Clare appeared before Alexander Gardiner, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of NewYork, and Commissioner under the Fugitive Slave Law, and in virtue of this law, constituted a slave-catcher, and made an affidavit that George Hamlet, a mulatto man, about 30 years of age, who has resided in the neighborhood of this city for the last two or three years, and who has a wife and children there, was the slave of Mrs. Brown, |