| Location | Washington, DC |
|---|---|
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Names Mentioned | – |
| Date | May 10, 1862 |
| Document Title | Attorney General to the Governor of Maryland, May 10, 1862 |
| Document Description | Edward Bates to Excellency A.W. Bradford, 10 May 1862, vol. B5, p. 92, General Letter Books, ser. 10, Records of the Attorney General's Office, RG 60 {W-58} (from The Destruction of Slavery, pages 366) |
| Transcription |
US Attorney General's Office Washington May 10, 1862 Sir: I am honored with your letter of yesterday, informing me that large numbers of slaves owned in Maryland, are daily making their way into the District of Columbia, from the neighboring Counties of your state, which you assure me is producing great anxiety and complaint in your community and that such anxiety is greatly increased, within the last few days, by information received “that the Government has forbidden the Marshal of the District to execute any warrant for the arrest of these slaves, upon the ground, as it is suggested, that the fugitive slave law is not applicable to the District of Columbia. In these distempered times, I am not at all surprised to hear that Slaves in the border states are using all available means to escape into free territory; but the rumor you speak of; to the effect that the Government has ordered the Marshal of the District not to serve warrants in execution of the fugitive slave law, is to me, new, and unexpected. I know nothing of any such order, and do not believe any such exists. The Act of Congress of August 2d 1861, Chapter 37. charges this office with the general superintendence & direction of the District Attornies and Marshals, as to the manner of discharging their respective duties. And hence, I suppose it very probable that, if such an order had been given, I would know it. I think none such was ever given. The rumor I suppose to be a mere fiction, started by some evil-disposed person, to stir up bad feeling and to frighten the timid and credulous. I have the honor to be with great respect Your Obt. Servt. (Signed) Edwd Bates |
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