"Preamble. Whereas it is the duty of the Congress of the United States to enact all laws necessary to enforce such provisions of the Constitution as were intended to protect the citizens of the several States in their rights of property, and past experience has proved that laws should be passed by Congress to enforce the second section of the fourth article of the Constitution, which requires that persons held to labor in one State, escaping into another, shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such labor may be due; therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary is hereby instructed to report a bill to this House, providing effectually for the apprehension and delivery of fugitives from labor who have escaped, or may hereafter escape, from one State into another." Rules not suspended.--_House Journal, 30 Cong. 3 Sess., 213; Cong. Globe, 30 Cong. 2 Sess., 188._ =30. Legislative history of the Fugitive Slave Act. [Jan. 3 to Sept. 18, § 29.]= =1850, Jan. 3.= Mr. Mason of Virginia gave notice of his intention to introduce a bill.--_Cong. Globe, 99._ =Jan. 4.= Senate bill No. 23 introduced by Mason, read twice, ordered printed, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.--_Senate Journal, 54; Globe, 103._ =Jan. 16.= Bill reported favorably by Butler from the committee, ordered printed, and made a special order for Jan. 23.--_Senate Journal, 88; Globe, 171; Senate Reports, I. No. 12._ =Jan. 22.= Debate begun. Mason offered an amendment which made the fine for any obstruction of the workings of the act one thousand dollars, and refused to allow the testimony of a fugitive.--_Globe_, 210. =Jan. 23, 24.= Bill taken up and debated.--_Senate Journal_, 104, 110; _Globe_, 220, 228; _Globe App._ 79, 83. =Jan 28.= Seward presented an amendment, which allowed the right of trial by jury, and punished judges who should disallow the writ of habeas corpus.--_Senate Journal_, 117; _Globe_, 233-237. =Jan. 29.= Clay introduced, as a part of his compromise resolutions, a declaration that a more effective fugitive slave act should be passed.--_Senate Journal_, 118; _Globe_, 247. =Jan. 31.= Mason offered a substitute for the bill already before the Senate. It was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.--_Globe_, 270. =June 3.= Webster brought in an amendatory bill.--_Senate Journal_, 370; _Globe_, 1111. =Aug. 15.= The debate was again opened, and made the special order for Aug. 19.--_Senate Journal_, 560; _Globe_, 1588. =Aug. 19.= Mason offered as an amendment a substitute for the bill already before the Senate.--_Senate Journal_, 564; _Globe_, 1605; _Globe App._, 1582. Dayton brought in an amendment which gave trial by jury. This was rejected.--_Senate Journal_, 564; _Globe App._, 564. Chase offered one of the same character, which was also rejected.--_Globe App._, 1589. Winthrop brought in an amendment granting the protection of the habeas corpus. This was rejected.--_Senate Journal_, 565; _Globe App._, 1589.