The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-18
THE FUGITIVE LAW RESISTANCE AND
BLOODSHED.


statements are all highly colored and very con-
Trajectory, and it is difficult to ascertain the
exact truth The Democratic newspapers Of
Pennsylvania evidently exaggerate the facts.
with view Of throwing odum on Governor
Johnson, who is charged with opposition to the
Fugitive Law. The Wing papers afraid that
an attempt 10 set forth the truth, as it is, may
bring their party under suspicion Of lukewarm-
ness in the matter, are equally exaggerated in
their statements, and ferocious in their indgna-
ton. The Baltimore press, as may be expected
gives only One-sided version We have
seen but one account in which an attempt is
made TO give the other side, and that is from
Philadelphia correspondent of the Ne,c York
Tribune The occurrence is lamentable enough
without any exaggeration. The facts, which
appear to be admitted on all hands, are these
A party of persons from Baltimore county.
consisting of Edward Gorsuch, his son. Dckin-
son Gorsuch his nephew, Joshua Gorsuch. Dr.
Thomas Pierce, Nathan Holman, Nicholas
Hutchins, and another person, name nknown.l
set out few days since, for the purpose of re-
covering two fugitive slaves claimed by the
elder Gorsuch and who were believed TO be
harbored at Christiana, a small place between
Philadelphia and Lancaster. They secured the
aid of Deputy Marshal from Philadelphia,
named JoHN EGAN, commonly known as Ross
Egan, formerly notorious member Of the gang
Of killers, $50 says the TriLunc.) and with him
and some police officers, proceeded to the neigh
borhood in which the slaves were supposed to
be harbored Approaching the place in which
the fugtiyes were believed to be secreted it was
fortified against them, and the inmates assembled
TO the upper story. The party outside at
tempted to force their way in and up stairs. A
billet of wood (sOme say) was thrown from an
upper story window, striking one of Them and
horn was sounded This seemed to be sig
nal, as a crowd of colored persons soon collected
outside, and those inside rushed upon the aSsail-
ants, driving them out of the house.
Mr. Gorsuch announced his purpose to have
his slaves ut all hazards: they declared they.
would die first. pUtn parnes were arrned and
a struggle Immediately ensued Mr. Gorsuch,
the claimant was shot dead and the negro who
fred was killed by his son, who, in his turn,
received a severe wound 1t was at first stated
thas he was killed, being disembowelled, and
that Joshua GOrsuch and DR.. Pearce also were
fatally wounded; but according to later ac-
counts, the son was taken to the house of q
Friend, living in the neghborhood, where he is
now lying, in danger, but with some hope of
recovery, while the other persons named escaped
with few bruises Several colored persons it
was reported, were killed, but the report is not
confirmed
The deputy marshal and his party were at
last driven of, and those who had been active
in resisting them, it is said fled to Philadel phia
The telegraph rs usual, lied about the af-
fair, magnifying it into a horrible battle in
which several citizens of Maryland were muir
dered and mutilated; the blacks being insti-
gated by the Abolitonists, and countenanced
by white spectators who not only refused to
aid the marshal but encouraged the butchery
of the assailing party
1t seems now that only one white man was
killed; whether any of the blacks were killed
or not, is not known As to the report about
Aboltionists, there is not shred of evidence to
sustain it-although our neighbor of the Re
public, with characteristic zeal and judgment
has an article three columns long on the sub
ject taking for granted the falsehoods of the
kolo Y,bio Hiooo,,YS.por or laroa
the law of Treason and recommending that
some of the white families be singled out for
the inhction of the penalty of that high crime,
which is no less than death He must have
vampires lust for blood
The accounts published in the Baltimore pa
pers, which all emanate from one source, state
that the first shot was fired by the blacks the
account in the Tribune states that the first shot
was fired by the whites The truth, we pre-
sumo, will not be known until a judicial inves-
tigation shall have been had.
We understand that several persons supposed
to be concerned in the affair have been arrest
ed The facts will soon come before the
proper Tribunal-the truth will be known
justice will be done-the guilty punished, the
innocent acquitted Party newspapers would
show some decency if they would quit the at
tempt to make little political capital out of
the sad transaction, and the Republic might
Just as well reserve its elaborate essays on high
treason till they are wanted
The affair is a painful one-we regret the
coto &c 10 a.
scented as having been a very estimabe cit-
zen-we deprecate all violence-but we cannot
shut our eyes to the fact that the rigid efforts
to enforce this Fugitive Law are constantly
giving rise to scenes favorable to anything but
harmony between the States
NAMES &c.-N. FOSTER, of Vermont in a
short communication TO US, rejects the names
Free Soil Liberty Party, Wing Democratic,
&c, and proposes that the liberal Anti-Slavery
men be united as a Party under the title of
" Brotherhood Of Man" He says
~ prefer it in the first place, because it
seems to recognise God as our common Father
who has made of one blood the entire human
race and, in the second place because II rec
ognises all men, high or low, rich or poor,
black or white, as brethren, equally entitled to
religious, civil, and political privileges"
Whatever advantages the name may have, it
is too "Iengthy" for Americans. They like TO
abridge everything.
AN AxIoM.-A correspondent in Indiana,
writing to us about political matters in that
State. and the conduct of the editor of the State
Sentinel, says
cone of our citizens has recently discovered
an axiom in ethics. | have quoted it with con-