Élection

1852 · 27980 — <p><strong>Boston Fugitive Slave Law Printing on Free Soil Party Broadsheet</strong></p><p>"<em>a vote for either of the former candidates is as truly a vote in favor of the sustenance defence and encouragement of American slavery in all its hideousness as a vote for the devil were a vote in favor of sin…</em>"</p><p>This broadsheet prints a summary of the three major party platforms—the "Compromise Democratic" Party the Whig Party and the Free Democratic Free Soil Party—headed with the injunction to "<em>Read Reflect and then Act!</em>" The second page includes the text of the Fugitive Slave Law or "<em>America's Bill of Abominations!!</em>" passed in September 1850 and an editorial by "Alexander" that explains the benefits of the Free Soil Party over the other two parties.</p><p><strong>ELECTION OF 1852. FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.</strong> Printed Broadsheet <em>Boston Commonwealth</em> Extra July 1852. 2 pp. 25½ x 22 in.</p><p><strong>Excerpts</strong><br />"<em>The Platforms of the Parties. Read Reflect and then Act!</em>" p1</p><p>"<em>The Fugitive Slave Law! America's Bill of Abominations!!</em>" p2</p><p><em>"…Section 6</em></p><p><em>And be it further enacted That when a person held to service or labor in any State or Territory of the United States has heretofore or shall hereafter escape into another State or Territory of the United States the person or persons to whom such service or labor may be due or his her or their agent or attorney duly authorized by power of attorney in writing acknowledged and certified under the seal of some legal officer or court of the State or Territory in which the same may be executed may pursue and reclaim such fugitive person either by procuring a warrant from some one of the courts judges or commissioners aforesaid of the proper circuit district or county for the apprehension of such fugitive from service or labor or by seizing and arresting such fugitive where the same can be done without process and by taking or causing such person to be taken forthwith before such court judge or commissioner whose duty it shall be to hear and determine the case of such claimant in a summary manner; and upon satisfactory proof being made by deposition or affidavit in writing to be taken and certified by such court judge or commissioner or by other satisfactory testimony duly taken and certified by some court magistrate justice of the peace or other legal officer authorized to administer an oath and take depositions under the laws of the State or Territory from which such person owing service or labor may have escaped with a certificate of such magistracy or other authority as aforesaid with the seal of the proper court or officer thereto attached which seal shall be sufficient to establish the competency of the proof and with proof also by affidavit of the identity of the person whose service or labor is claimed to be due as aforesaid that the person so arrested does in fact owe service or labor to the person or persons claiming him or her in the State or Territory from which such fugitive may have escaped as aforesaid and that said person escaped to make out and deliver to such claimant his or her agent or attorney a certificate setting forth the substantial facts as to the service or labor due from such fugitive to the claimant and of his or her escape from the State or Territory in which he or she was arrested with authority to such claimant or his or her agent or attorney to use such reasonable force and restraint as may be necessary under the circumstances of the case to take and remove such fugitive person back to the State or Territory whence he or she may have escaped as aforesaid. In no trial or hearing under this act shall the testimony of such alleged fugitive be admitted in evidence; and the certificates in this and the first fourth section mentioned shall be conclusive of the right of the person or persons in whose favor granted to remove such fugitive to the State or Territory from which he escaped and shall prevent all molestation of such person or persons by any process issued by any court judge magistrate or other person whomsoever.</em></p><p><em>Section 7</em></p><p><em>And be it further enacted That any person who shall knowingly and willingly obstruct hinder or prevent such claimant his agent or attorney or any person or persons lawfully assisting him her or them from arresting such a fugitive from service or labor either with or without process as aforesaid or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such fugitive from service or labor from the custody of such claimant his or her agent or attorney or other person or persons lawfully assisting as aforesaid when so arrested pursuant to the authority herein given and declared; or shall aid abet or assist such person so owing service or labor as aforesaid directly or indirectly to escape from such claimant his agent or attorney or other person or persons legally authorized as aforesaid; or shall harbor or conceal such fugitive so as to prevent the discovery and arrest of such person after notice or knowledge of the fact that such person was a fugitive from service or labor as aforesaid shall for either of said offences be subject to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars and imprisonment not exceeding six months by indictment and conviction before the District Court of the United States for the district in which such offence may have been committed or before the proper court of criminal jurisdiction if committed within any one of the organized Territories of the United States; and shall moreover forfeit and pay by way of civil damages to the party injured by such illegal conduct the sum of one thousand dollars for each fugitive so lost as aforesaid to be recovered by action of debt in any of the District or Territorial Courts aforesaid within whose jurisdiction the said offence may have been committed…"</em></p><p>"<em>To the People of the United States!—The Issue Before the Nation!</em>" p2</p><p>"<em>We present you this Document for the Campaign in order that its doctrines may be scanned before the minds of men become steeled against the power of just reasoning by the intense zeal and party prejudice of an exciting election. It is a simple and earnest appeal to reason.</em>" p2/c1</p><p>"<em>The Free Democracy will favor the early policy of the country to limit localize and discourage slavery—the separation of national funds from banking institutions cheap postage a moderate revenue—the election of civil officers by the people—such internal improvements as are national and constitutional—the cordial reception of emigrants and exiles from the old world—the grant of the Public Lands free of cost to landless settlers—the immediate repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law—the recognition of the independence of Hayti—an arrangement in future treaties…</em></p><p>"<em>And the said party will oppose the exercise of doubtful constitutional powers—the demand for more slave States new slave territories and the nationalization of slavery—foreign interference with the right of a nation to govern itself.</em>" p2/c2</p><p>"<em>The intrepid Free Democracy have sought the arena of political strife with a determination to oppose each of these powerful clock-work organizations. They publish a platform which presents a point-blank contrast to either and both the others. They claim the support of the people because their policy is founded in Right and Justice; and because the application of that policy to governmental affairs cannot be secured by the triumph of any other party.</em>" p2/c3-4</p><p>"<em>While the attitude of the Free Democracy is that of a general championship of the rights of the humbler classes … its position upon the slavery question affords the great contrast and entitles it to the support of the lovers of Freedom and Right.</em>" p2/c4</p><p>"<em>Whigs and Democrats would sanction slavery by law. The Free Democracy forbid the high-handed endeavor.</em>" p2/c4</p><p>"<em>It follows that a vote for either of the former candidates is as truly a vote in favor of the sustenance defence and encouragement of American slavery in all its hideousness as a vote for the devil were a vote in favor of sin.</em>" p2/c4-5</p><p><strong>Historical Background</strong><br />The author of the editorial may have been Alexander De Witt 1798-1879 a former Democrat who joined the Free Soil Party and was one of the six signatories of the "Appeal of the Independent Democrats" in January 1854 in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act.</p><p>President Zachary Taylor a Whig died in July 1850. His successor Millard Fillmore supported the Compromise of 1850 and enforcement of its stronger Fugitive Slave Law which made him unpopular in the North. At the Whig National Convention in Baltimore the delegates took 53 ballots to choose General Winfield Scott of New Jersey as their presidential candidate.</p><p>At the Democratic convention also in Baltimore it took 48 ballots to select dark-horse choice Senator Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire as their presidential candidate.</p><p>The Free Soil Party which opposed the extension of slavery chose Senator John P. Hale of New Hampshire as their presidential candidate. After the Compromise of 1850 many Barnburner Democrats and Conscience Whigs returned to their parties at the expense of the Free Soil Party.</p><p>With no major policy differences between the Democrats and Whigs the election became a contest of personalities between Scott the anti-slavery war hero of the Mexican War and the pro-slavery Pierce who though eighteen years younger had also served in the war.</p><p>In the election on November 2 1852 Pierce won 50.8 percent of the popular vote carrying 27 states with 254 electoral votes. Scott's 43.9 percent carried only 4 states with 42 electoral votes. Hale attracted 4.9 percent of the popular vote taking no electoral votes.</p><p><strong><em>The Commonwealth</em></strong> 1851-1853 was a newspaper published in Boston daily with occasional supplements under the motto "Circulate the documents<em>.</em>" In 1852 it became the official newspaper of the Free Soil Party in Massachusetts.</p><p>Condition: Very good overall.</p> Boston Commonwealth