U. S. Marshals: From Frontier Days to Today
Justice, Integrity, Service: Motto of the Nation's First Protectors
U.S. Marshals celebrated is 219th anniversary on September 24, 2008, first established by President George Washington, continuing to serve America and being involved in most of the major historical episodes since that time. At inception, there were 13 marshals which has expanded 4,700 agents in 2008.
U.S.Marshals 18th and 19th Century
U.S. Marshals came into existence on September 24, 1789 when President George Washington signed the first Judiciary Act. The original service consisted of 13 men. Among its first duty was conducting death sentences on those condemned by federal courts.
- Until the creation of the Secret Service in 1865, the responsibility of perusing counterfeiters was among their duties.
- U.S. Marshals were empowered to take the national census every ten years.
- When Congress passed the infamous Sedition Act and U.S., Marshals and Attorneys enforced the law.
- U.S. Marshals enforced the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 arresting fugitive slaves and returning them to their southern masters. Failing to do so subjected the Marshals and their deputies to severe financial penalties
- U.S. Marshals confiscated property used to support the confederacy and rooted out Confederate spies.
- U.S. Marshals, including Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan Earp, kept law and order in the “Old West” and began protecting federal judges from a threatened assault.
U.S. Marshals 20th Century
U.S. Marshals role expanded during the 20th century:
- When Francisco Madero brought his revolution against the Mexican President, U.S. Marshals were used to protect the Mexican American border.
- Marshals took over the protections of the United States while American troops fought WWI.
- Marshals arrested bootleggers and seized equipment under the Volstead Act and 18th Amendments as the principal enforcing agents.
- U.S. Marshals provided security for James Meredith’s enrollment at the University of Mississippi in 1962 for a whole year and for Ruby Bridges when she was one of the first students to integrate New Orleans schools.
- The Witness Security Program was established as a division of the USMS under the passage of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970.
U.S. Marshals 21ist Century
- U.S. Marshals complete the largest fugitive apprehension operation in American history.
- U.S. Marshals focus on gang members and activities in targeted areas.
- Participations in the Fugitive Safe Surrender program which is a re-entry program for wanted non-violent offenders. It offers individuals with felony and misdeamnors warrants to turn themselves in to law enforcement and have their cases adjudicated in a safe environment.
From westward expansion to the civil rights era to today, U.S. Marshals have continue to honor their motto, “Justice, Integrity, Service” , whether tracking criminals or performing the duty of reducing the risk to arresting officers.
Bibliography:
James H. Chenoweth. Down Darkness Wide: U.S. Marshals and the Last Frontier Publish America, 2004
Connie Colwell Miller. The U.S. Marshal's Service: Capstone Press, 2008
Robert Ernest with George Stumpf. Deadly Affrays: Violent Deaths of United States Marshals Service 1789-2004. Scarlet Mask Enterprises, 2006
Source:
An Index of U.S. Marshals history: http://www.usmarshals.gov/history/index.html
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