jeopardy, by submission to twelve good and lawful men. Not how much may we do for freedom, but how much can we do for slavery, has been the tacit assumption of the argument. But I pass by this for graver objections. The Fugitive Slave act purports to confer judicial power upon persons who are not judges. It provides for the creation of scores and hundreds of officers called “commissioners,” and upon these, it is said on high authority, to confer _original_ and _final_ jurisdiction on questions of human liberty. The constitution declares in whom “the judicial power of the United States shall be vested.” It shall be vested in “one supreme court, and in such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time establish.” No commissioner, nor any number of commissioners, constitute one of these courts. “The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior.” A commissioner can be made and unmade on any day. These judges are to “receive for their services a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.” The commissioners are compensated by chance fees, and not by a fixed salary. The President nominates and the Senate confirms judges of the supreme and inferior courts. Commissioners are only the “inferior officers” who may be appointed by “the courts of law.” I need not enforce the position, that the power which this act purports to confer upon commissioners is _judicial_. It has all the attributes of judicial power. It is _original_, _final_, and _exclusive_. They are “to hear and _determine_.” The fourth section says they “shall have _concurrent_ jurisdiction with the judges of the circuit and district courts of the United States.” The attorney-general of the United States, in a written opinion, given by command of the President of the United States, says as follows: “These officers, [the commissioners,] and each of them, have _judicial_ power, and jurisdiction to hear, examine, and decide the case.” “The certificate to be granted to the owner is to be regarded as the act and judgment of a judicial tribunal having competent jurisdiction.” “Congress has constituted a tribunal with exclusive jurisdiction to determine summarily, and without appeal, who are fugitives from service.” “The judgment of the tribunal created by this act is conclusive upon all tribunals.” The power of a commissioner, therefore, is _judicial_ in the highest sense,--in the sense of the constitution. His decision cannot be reheard or reëxamined by any judge, or by any court, of any state, or of the United States. In no other case can a commissioner perform any judicial act, or issue any executive order, whose validity may not be reëxamined in the court for which he acts, or in some other. He cannot strike a blow, nor fine a dollar, nor punish by imprisonment for an hour. By appeal, by injunction, by mandamus or certiorari, the proceedings of inferior courts or magistrates can be reached, and their