FINAL REPEAL OF ALL FUGITIVE SLAVE ACTS.
Speech in the Senate, on a Bill for this Purpose, April 19, 1864.
December 10, 1863, Mr. Sumner gave notice of his intention to introduce a bill to repeal all acts for the rendition of fugitive slaves.
February 8, 1864, in pursuance of previous notice, Mr. Sumner asked and obtained leave to introduce the bill above mentioned, which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Select Committee on Slavery and Freedmen.
February 29th, Mr. Sumner reported from the Committee a bill with an accompanying report, of which ten thousand extra copies were ordered to be printed.[327] There was a minority report by Mr. Buckalew, of Pennsylvania, which was also printed in equal number.
The bill was in the following terms:—
“A Bill to repeal all acts for the rendition of fugitives from service or labor.
“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled, That all Acts of Congress, or parts of Acts, providing for the rendition of fugitives from service or labor, be and the same are hereby repealed.”