The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-19
WAsHING TON, April II, lS4S.

WAsHING TON, April II, 1S43.
The Schooner, ,cith ats cargo Of Runa,cay Slares
Movements of the Abolitionists.
A practical abolition movement has been the
subject of discussion among the citizens of
Washington for the last two days.
The facts in the case are not yet ascertained;
but il would seem from all that we can learn,
that on Sunday morning yesterday from fifty
TO sixty slaves, (some say one hundred in all,)
belonging to various persons in this city and in
Georgetown, were discovered to be missing
and simultaneously with this discovery, it was
also discovered that schooner which had dis
charged at the wharf the day before cargo Of
firewood, had also disappeared and the fact
that this schooner was commanded by north
ern captain, stranger In these waters, and other
circumstances OF director proof. tished the in-
terested that said schooner had carried off the
negroes aforesaid, destined, no doubt, under the
philanthropy of the abolltionists to be dismissed
as freemen In the northern States
A telegraphic despatch or two were forthwith
sent to Baltimore, and under its information ana
request, several steamboats,, 1t is said, immedi
ately left Baltimore and proceeded down the bay
IN order to intercept the schooner as 1t emerged
from the mouth Of the Potomac. At the same
time little steamer was despatched from
Georgetown but being a slow affair, II was not
calculated u overhaul the chase and we are
told that II has returned tonight reported pro-
II.
A general report prevails this evening, that
one of the Baltimore steamers ovcrhaucd the
schooner some fifteen miles below the debou.
chure of the Potomac, brought her to, and Cap
tured her rumor says that there was ight,
and that several OF the negroes were KILLED and
wounded.
The facts, you will have, perhaps, received
from Baltimore.
This Is the active beginning of the abolition
ists-the practical commencement for the abo-
ton OF slavery in the District of Columbia. For
some years, slave property has become very
unsdfc In this quarter, and the presence Of Sc
the colored population OF Washington to sys-
tematlc cooperation with the abolitlonists OF
the North, as Is believed, for the gradual elope-
ment OF the slaves OF this District
We do not pretend TO say that the abolition
members Of Congress, have had any direct agen-
cy or ioreknowledge OF this schooner, or OF the
OBJECT of its visit to Washington; but the pre-
sence of those members In Congress, and their
this movement. The abolition paper here,
we can cheerfully say, has pursued dig
nihed and respectable line Of policy as
an abolition paper--t has not dealt
ia vulgar abuse of the shareholders, but
has argued the great abstract question
OF slavery with great respect and caution
precautions dictated by the locality OF the
paper, and the discretion of the editor. Still,
there is feeling of disrust against this Nation
al Era, and an explanation acquIuing IT oi any
agency In the arrival or departure OF the runa-
way schooner, will be necessary to relieve the
conductors OF the paper OF the suspicious OF the
slaveholders at washington, whose servants
have been SO unceremoniously carried off.
The extraordinary ultralsms of the French re.
volutIon have also had their effect in this enter
prise, the results OF which may tend to precIpi-
on this vexcd question, IN which the north has
no business TO Interfere. The south will demand
that the federal constitution be either respected
or abandoned. BONA FIDE.