An Effective Method to Restore Due Process

FROM THE TENTH AMENDMENT CENTER

Michael Boldin
May 10, 2012

In 1850, when President Millard Fillmore signed the second “Fugitive Slave Act,” due process was under serious attack by the federal government.

The law compelled people of all states to “assist” federal marshals and their deputies with the apprehension of suspected runaway slaves. It brought all trials involving alleged fugitive slaves under federal jurisdiction. It included large fines for anyone who aided a slave in their escape, even by simply giving them food or shelter.

On top of it, bounties were paid to commissioners in fugitive slave cases. $10 was paid if a person was sent back to slavery, and $5 if the person was allowed freedom. The federal government was paying people to capture other people and send them to slavery.

The act also suspended habeas corpus and the right to a trial by jury for alleged “slaves,” and made their testimony inadmissible in court. The written testimony of the supposed slave master, on the other hand, which could be presented to the court by slave hunters, was given preferential treatment.

STATE RESISTANCE

In response, Northern States intensified efforts to pass what were known as “personal liberty laws.” These had already been growing over time in response to the original Fugitive Slave Act years earlier.

Vermont passed a “Habeas Corpus Law,” requiring state judicial and law enforcement officials to actually help captured fugitive slaves there. Massachusetts took a really strong stand – and passed a law that provided for kidnapping charges to anyone trying to use these “indefinite detention” provisions of the fugitive slave act.

No federal agent was charged with kidnapping in Massachusetts, though. But, this was only because no escapee was ever captured for return after the law was passed. The state response was working.

Obama maintains dictatorial power!

Founder of Oathkeepers, Stewart Rhodes, explains that the power grab of George Bush, Jr has been ‘legalized’ by Congress for Obama.

Unfortunately, Mr Rhodes hasn’t researched the history surrounding the 1933 US bankruptcy and the ‘authority’ delegated to the office of the President during war and/or national emergencies. The Senate investigated this ‘Presidential’ power grab (which authorized FDR to confiscate the people’s gold by making the people ‘enemies of the state‘) and wrote an official report on this very issue back in 1973.

Emergency Powers Statutes (Senate Report 93-549): In this 1973 official report, the U.S. Senate admits that the Emergency Powers given to the President (Franklin D. Roosevelt) under the pretense of the National Emergency of 1933 have remained in force and that the normal function of the Federal government has been suspended. [93rd Congress, SENATE Report No. 93-549, 1st Session]. See War Powers Act.

A long history of deception and fraud has been ongoing since the founding of our country. Even the 14th Amendment (that precipitated The Corporation’s lawsuits to gain corporate personhood and the federal government’s plan to eliminate sovereign states), was not lawfully ratified. Perhaps the best the people and the military can hope for is the recovery of the Nation States (state sovereignty) and a new start.