The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-09-11
The Alberti GO.

the subjoined authentic report Of this cele-
brated case, which we publish for the better
information Of our readers, as well as all
those persons in Georgia, who have been i'm
posed upon by the report copied from the
Richmond (va) Enquirey,whieh has been
so industriously circulated through the State
by the disunion organs and their allies
We have already expressed the opinion that
the review Of the Richmond Enquirer was
not emitted to credit, and the reader will be
able to Judge how fully that opinion is sus-
tanned after reading the following report
which is copied from pages 495, to SOP in
elusive, of forthcoming volume of Reports
of Select Law and Equity cases, decided in
the courts of Philadelphia This, therefore.
is no newspaper report of the case, made up
$ for political effect in the South, but is an au-
thentio Law Report, designed to elucidate
the principles of law adjudicated; and like
all such reports is a fair and impartial histo-
ry of the case,
THE ALBERT CASE.
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania rs. Alber-
tt et al.
The right of holding negroes in slavery is
one of the principles of our government,
and recognised by the Constitution of the
United States
The master can take his slave when he has
r. absconded in any State, of the Union He
h must do it pcaceably, and use no more
violence than is necessary to accomplish
his object EIe can send duly authors
r. cd agent to act for him in the recovery of
b his slave. He can have him removed I'M
der the Act of Congress, by an application
to Judge of the United States Court, or
:. to "a commissioner appointed by The Said
Court
Birth in Pennsylvania gives freedom to the
z. child of slave, who has absconded from
r another State before she became preg-
nant.
To justify the removal of a negro from the
State of Pennsylvania to make him a
slave for life or years, it must first be pro-
we'd that he is a slave. Without such
proof, if the design was to sell him into
bondage, those who caused hsremoval are
guilty Of misdemeanor If it is proved
c, that the mother was a slave, and she was
not pregnant when she came into the State
and afterwards had a child, if the mother
f. is removed as slave, the child cannot be
taken with her. The child is a free ne
gro. No slave owner can take such child
ri against his will and sell him into bondage
a child eighteen months old cannot give
consent to his removal to be made slave
for life. Nor can mother, by her entrea
R. ties aud prayers, have such child reno
re ed If the mother is taken the child can
y not be-
If free negro is carried out of the Stat,
by force, or seduced by artifce and fraud
] I, and carried to a slayeholding State, Will
view of selling him as slave for life o
years, it is a violation of the Act o
1917, prohibiting kidnapping.
March The bill of Indictment charges
George Albert, James f. Price, and J S
Mitchell with the kidnapping of Joel Henri
Ia. Thompson, free male negro child, with til
Rr design and intention of selling him int
slavery, as slave for life, in the town
Of Elkton, and the State of Maryland. Sue
our was the first count There were nine count
les in the Indictment, charging the offence
iII'g various ways, and also a count for conspi
- acy to entice the child away, and sell him il
the to slavery. 1t is unnecessary in the repo
It's of the case, to set forth at length the Indie
or ment, as the main points which arose on IL
trial will be fully comprehendcd from bri
. statement of the facts and the charge of Il
., Court.
There were various questions as to Il
admissibiity of testimony which arose
Do the trial of the cause, none of which it
deemed of sufficient importance to state
the report. The abduction of the child W
=, proved to have taken place on the 14th
try August, 1850, in the county of Philadelphi
the without any form of law being observed f
ion the arrest of the mother or the child.
The facts of the case were briefly thes
One William Thompson married a color
eys, woman in Wilmington in the year 1915, al
5 en- Immediately after they removed to this pa
ck, of the country. BY her he had two ch
dren; the one that was the subject of Il
indictment was a year and nine months o.
and was born in New Jersey.
In August, 1850, Thompson with his "
andchild, were living near Burlington, VII
S8 Price one of the defendants, came to t
house Of Thompson, on cunning excursiC
, ods as he pretended The parties were acquaint(
o o, and had been for some time before. Pr
and was treated kindly and Hospitality by Then
5oes son and his wife while with them Beft
3 3el he left he invited the wife of Thompson
Sad, come and see himself and family when 5
lass came down to market the next week. a
ictes urged her strongly to bring with her
;rad child, saying that his wife desired very mu
~ to see the child, and she must be sure
= bring the little boy with her. The won
on the following Wednesday went to mari
ORR at Philadelphia and took the child with b
~ She did not return home On Friday
l lsne husband became alarmed lest something
rc. happened, and came to the city in pursuit
5000 her. He went Immediately to the house
as 70 Price and inquired for bis wife. He !
arms informed by Price that she ate breakfast
a be his house on the previous morning, and t
obile he had not seen her since. it was pro
PS. by number Of the neighbors Of Price {
they saw colored woman and child, ansy
- ing the description Of the wife Of Thomp
NlAs' at the house day or two before she was /
00so- sing.
One witness testified that Price and.
wife said she was the Wife.of Thompson
. Price was seen to 90 down an alley with