California moves toward slavery

Correspondence of Commonwealth

  The green monster of Slavery is beginning to show his cloven foot within our borders, and already is marshalling his forces prior to the coming nominations.

The recent Legislature was a singular compound of odds and ends, and certainly could boast of but little talent.  Many of the acts passed by them have been declared by the first judicial authority in the country unconstitutional, and among them the Fugitive Slave Law stands conspicuous.  This wise enactment acknowledges the institution of slavery within our State which our Constitution expressly declares that it shall not exist.  The passage of this law may be looked upon as a triumph of the pro-slavery party, it only being the first  of a series of measures, the object of which is the establishment of slavery.

                                                                 Liberator, July 23, 1852, pg 1)