Charleston (SC) Mercury, "Fugitive Slaves," January 10, 1848

FUGITIVE SLAVES—A bill to prevent kidnapping in Ohio, or rather to prevent the arrest of fugitive slaves, has been introduced into the Legislature of that State.  Its principal provisions are:

It prohibits, under the penalty of imprisonment in the Penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years, any person in this State, not a public officer of the United States, aiding or assisting in any way the arrest of removal of the fugitive slave.

Secondly, It prohibits, under a like punishment, any jailor or other officer acting under the laws of this State imprisoning in the jail or any other place a fugitive slave.

Thirdly, If inflicts the same punishment upon any person who shall in any ways procure any person to go out of the State with the intent of enslaving such person.

The character of the proposed law is nearly or quite similar to that which exists in Pennsylvania.