The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-09-18
Terrible Outrage.


On Thursday last terrible tragedy was en-
acted at Christiana, Lancaster county, Pa The
particulars are these: Mr.. Edward Gorsuch,
of Baltimore, was in search of fugitive slave
He procured the necessary documents and ac-
companied by his son, Mr. Dickinson Gorsuch,
his nephew, Mr.. Earl, two deputy Marshals
and two Constables, proceeded to a place called
Gap Hills, near Christiana, for the purpose of
making the arrest. The house where the fugi-
tive was secreted was discovered, and the slave
Pinckney was told to surrender. Instead of
this, he fred upon Mr.. Gorsuch, the owner,
who Immediately fell dead The son then fired
upon the slave, who was running away, and
wounded him near the hip. At this moment
horn was blown, number of colored persons
sprang out from ambush, and the party in search
OF the fugitive were completely overwhelmed.
The younger Gorsuch was shot down and beaten
with clubs, and is not expected 70 live. Several
others were wounded severely The Sheriff of
Lancaster county is reported wounded The L.
). District Attorney, John W. Ashmead, and
the Q. S. Commissioner, E. D. Ingraham, were
on the ground on Saturday, endeavoring to ar
rest the rHururrers, assistva by detachment
Of l. 5. Marines numbering forty-four men,
Thus far nineteen persons have been arrested
three whites and sixteen blacks. A large bore
rife was found in the house, also several other
guns and dirks. The persons arrested are in
the Lancaster Jail.
The above is the first outrage committed in
Pennsylvania under the Fugitive Slave Law and
we record it with feelings Of modification and
shame he Da If =.
State are a law-abiding. and constitution
loving people, and no matter what the opinions
OF some are the spirit of the Constitution must
be carried out, and the supremacy of the laws
must be m .intained at all hazards One section
OF the Compromise measures of the last Con-
gress has been trampled under foot by lawless
band OF negroes in Lancaster county. And why
is 1t so: Why have they dared to place them
selves in open hostility to the officers of the
law? Why have they taken upon themselves
the awful responsibility of resistance to the
openly, boldly, and fearlessly, that tfey hare
done all these things because they hare recetred aid
and comfort from the AJotition Whig party Of tAis
State, and because they haze friend IN the person
Of HiliiaHa z. Johnston, tie abolition Wing can
didate for GoceTnOr Of is State, arho has oyenly
and boldly proclaimed has opposition to tie said
Fugitire Stare Lar. On his head and on the
heads Of has Abolition friends rests The aacful
responsibility for The death Of these men. Had net
these negroes received sympathy from them,
they would have obeyed the requirements of
the law and the national csCutcheon of our State
would not have been tainted by this deed OF
blood. We not the friend of Slavery nor
are we one of its defenders. We regret its ex-
istence in this Union but We are also in favor of
granting TO the South their just rights-those
rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution
OF the United States, an instrument sacred and
dear to every American heart The fourth ar
tice of the Constitution says that :" No person
held to service or labor in one State, under the
laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in
consequence of any law or regulation therein
be discharged from such service or labor. but
shall be delivered up on claim of the party to
whom such service or labor may be due" Such
men as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Mifin Alexander Hamilton and James
Madison signed and endorsed the above lust
and necessary law, and it must be respected and
fully carried OUt 10 Pressrue the Union Of these
States In the words of great man. ''if the
Constitution is to be preserved it must be pre-
served as whole" and we are prepared to do
it, The Democracy of this County aud this
State are prepared to do it, and October next
will demonstrate their attachment to the Con-
stitution and the Compromise as they are and
Prore beyond peradgenture that Col Hm. Biqler
as the friend Of these measures, Cor Johnston their
enemy.