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Edward Prigg, Plaintiff in error, v. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Defendant in error U.S. 539 (1842)

handle is hein.slavery/ussccases0326 and id is 1 raw text is: E!DWARD PRiGG, PLAINTIFF IN EliuRo, v. THE. COMMONWEALTH
OF, PENNSYLVANIA, DEFENDANT IN ERROR.
A writ of error to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, brought under .the twenty-
fifth section of the judiciary act of 1789, to revise the judgment of that Court,
on a case involving the construction of the Constituton and laws of the United States.
Edward Prigg, a citizen of the state of Maryland, was indicted, for kidnapping,'in the
Court of Oyer and Terminer of York coupty, Pennsylvania, for. having forcibly'
taken and carried away, from that county, to the state of Maryland,'a negro woman,
named Margaret Morgan, with the design and intention of her being held, sold, and
disposed of as a slave for life, contrary to a statute of Pennsylvania, passed on th6
twenty-sixth day of March, 1826. Edwvgrd Prigg pleaded not guilty, and the jury
found a special verdict, on which judgment was rendered for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. The case was removed to the Supreme Court of the state, and
the judgment of the Court of Oyer and Tbrminer was, pro forna, affirmed: and
the case was carried to the Supreme Court of the United States; the constitutionality,
of. the law, under which the indictment was found, being denied by the counsel of
the state of Maryland; which state had undertaken the defence for Edward: Prigg,
and prosecuted the writ of error. The cause was brought to the Supreme Court, with
the sanction of both the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania, with-a view to have
the questions in the case settled. Margaret Morgan was the slave for life, under the
laws of Maryland, of Maigaret Ashmore, a citizen of that -state. In 1832 she
escaped and fled from the state, into -Pennsylvania. Edward Prigg, having been
duly appointed the agent and attorney of Margaret Ashmore, and having obtained a
wanant from a justice of the peace of York county caused Margaret Morgan to be
taken, as a fugitive from labour, by aconstable of the state -of Pennsylvania, before
the magistrate, who refused to take cognisance of the ease: and thereupon Edward
Prigg carried her and her children into Maryland, and delivered them to Margaret
Ashmore. The children were born in Pennsylvania; one of them, more than a year
after Margaret Morgan had fled and escaped-from Maryland.
By the first section of the act of Assembly of Pefinsylvania of 25th March, 1826, it is
provided, that if any person shall by force and violence take and carry away, or shall
by fraud or false pretence attenipt to take, carry away, or seduce any negro or mu-
latto from any part of 'the commonwealth, with a design or intention of selling and
disposing of, or keeping or detaining such negro or mulatto as a slave or ser ant for
life, or for any other term whatsoever, such, person, and all persons aiding and abetting
him, shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of a felony, and shall forfeit
and pay a ium not less than five hundred nor more than three thousand dollars,
and shall be sentenced to undergo a servitude for any term or terms of years,
not less than seven years, her exceeding twenty-one years; anq shall be con-
fined and kept at hard iabour, &c- .)ther provisions are contained in the act;
and it was passed in 1826, as declared in its title, to aid in carrying into effect -the
Constitution and laws qf the United State , relating to fugitives from labour; and
on the application to the legislature, by commissioneis from the Ate of Maryland,
539

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