The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-02
SLAVE CASES.

There is no lack of disposition among slave
holders to try the efficiency Of the Fugitive act.
W. commend TO the attention of the reader the
occount on our fourth page of the case Of Adam
Cibson. claimed as slave in Philadelphia, sworn
70 he such by witnesses one Of whom had been for
merlv arrested on the charge Of kidnapping, re-
fused necessary delay for the purpose Of procur-
inc evidence by Edward d. Ingraham, United
states Commissioner, in the most summary man
nor consigned to slavery by the same Commits
s;oner. from which he was saved only by the hon.
s.tv Of Mr. Knight in whose name he had been
crested who seeing him in Elkton, Maryland,
rbitber he had been taken, declared that he was
not bis slave. Gibson was of course returned to
PHILADELPHIA. where before the honest tribunal Of
Commissioner Ingraham he may again be sworn
to be the property of somebody, not quite SO con-
scientious as Mr. Knight.
The Servile Press is impudent enough to quote
this case as favorable illustration of the work
ing of the law, pointing triumphsntly to the con-
duct of Knight in returning the alleged fugitive
as if the Personal Freedom Of man should be
left to the fuctuating honesty Of his neighbors,
instead of being protected by law. The conduct
of Ingraham was shameful, dsgraceful even to an
Office whose cheffuncton is that Of slave-catching
The Philadelphia Sun, Compromise paper,
says
at will tend more to strengthen fanaticism,
and to exasperate the conscientious Aboltionists,
than any means that could have possibly been de-
vised IL we are to have such decisions under
the Fugitive Slave law, and its repeal is to be
the signal of the dissolution of the Union, we may
as well make up our minds to the terrible alterna-
tive. Ii the provisions of the law authorize the
surrender of the supposed fugitive. slave, upon
s,IJA zsssger and conflicting o:,,Sepec, wass -
proof Of his freedom was stronger than Of his be-
ing a slave, when the claim to the fugitive is at
- Il ~. - "a 4 10y I>sSsLsA~A "a
given by Commissioner Ingraham must tend to
weaken the confidence of the people of the free
States in the policy and fropriety of the bill"
The Mem York Evening Posi- adds
1.-THE mischief done by Ingraham's decision has
happily gone no further than the unjust violence
committed in the mans arrest, and an unjust i'm
prisonment for few days. The supposed owner,
being little particular about the identity of his
negro, declined taking substitute The case
shows, however, what we are to expect from those
gentry, who, in the capacity Of Commissioners,
are clOtneu Win dutnoTity W utClut Ou 0ur lDer-
ties"
Another Fugitive case is exciting good deal
of interest in New York city. A colored man
named Henry Long was arrested on the 23d,
charged with having escaped from slavery in
ls47, from his master, John J Smith of Russell
county, Va He was taken before the Commits
sioner Messrs Jay, Field, and White appear
ing for Long, and w. w. Parker for the alleged
owner
On the examination before the Commissioner,
Parker testified that he lived in Richmond, Vir-
ginia where he practiced medicine; that Long,
the fugitive, was the property Of Mr. Smith, Of
Russell county, to whose brother witnesses sister
is married
have known Henry, continued the witness,
for the last FIVE years. Mr. Smith sent him to
Richmond to me to hire him out and did So
Let him out for yesr to work in store; he es-
capped Mr. Lobby of Richmond afterwards met
him in New York was in Russell county in
ls46, and Jaw uenry there, and received him
afterwards at Richmond, as | told Mr.. 8. I
would to hire him out. He was spoken Of as
being very good servant
On the cross-examination by Mr. Whitehead
he testified as follows:
q How do you know Henry was a slave2
Il. have seen him at Mr. Smiths house, and
| agreed to hire him out.
@ Did you ever see the title deed or authority
by which MIR. Smith held this man az slave2
4. No, sir, have not.
O. Have you any other means of knowing that
this man is slave, than seeing him with Mr..
Smith, and your hiring him OUT
H. | have not, except that have heard my
sister speak Of him as being a very useful SER
want, and the property of DR.. Smith.
u Arnp no nf ha hlack IA in Viz
ginia freemep?
A. Certainly. ! have heard MIR Smith speak
Of him as his servant the servants and slaves
both are engaged in the same kind of work, in
Virginia. and black free persons, as well slaves,
are sometimes called servants Beyond what |
have seem and what have heard from DR. Smith
and my sister, have no knowledge Of his being
slave. DIR. Smith has sent Henry three hun
dred and fifty miles to me, for the purpose Of
hiring him out. | have never been employed in
a similar mission before nor would do so for
any other man, or under any other circumstan-
ces, but from the fact OF his having escaped when
in my charge. | have no desire for it. came to
the North on this business and expect that my
expenses will be paid
postponement was requested by Longs coun-
sci, for the purpose Of procuring witnesses, and
resisted by Parker The Commissioner, having
received Mr.. Whitehead's affidavit of the neces-
sity Of postponement, granted an adjournment
till ten o'clock on Tuesday
Tuesday the examination of witnesses was re-
sumed.
The Commissioner decided that, by the law Of
evidence, the conversation of the fugitive could
not be received in the case. The chief witness
relied upon by the counsel for the claimant, DR..
psrker who testified as follows:
81 received his pay myself and forwarded II to
Mr. Smith my authority TO do so was both YER
bal and by letter Henry knew that received
1t. Tie continued at the hotel one year, and be-
lieve conducted himself well He knew that |
was the agent Of Mr.. Smith, and looked upon
me, in Richmond as his master He knew that I
had authority to dispose of him attended him
Tnen SICK and sat up with him one night. About
Gnri''mss, ls47, left the city for a while pre-
ous' having made an engagement for him az
Sler at the City Hotel but on coming back, |
,oeni hat he had gone to the hotel bnt left after
1eing there day or two, and was walking about,
uOng nothing censured him for disobeying my
o'uerS' ana wrote to his master about it, His
master repied-lobjected TO- | found great diff
vvul'y In getting him a situation Henry was
naia 70 please and an xous to hire himself, as
MS master had formerly permitted him to do.
TAPos,ulated with him, and received a letter
!o'Jec'ed to After some time, I saw an adver-
usgnent OF Haskins & Libby, wanting man,
6uu RODE down to their store at what is called
nYcSets, little below Richmond where the ves-
seis come ia. They are merchants, connected
S %a.n steamboats, and vessels. They agreed to hire
nm, INN ne had hired himself about in the mean
',ne, ana never made any return to me, although
~, O.I MIN TO do so. lie hired himself out, dur
Hs 'he Tine for nine days at my request TO wait
upon sick man, and received the paw. which
r; las nine dollars, being dollar day lie hired
o% nseii to the Madison House, and also to an
We, hotel, for which he made no return. He
AMI I' 70 liaskins Libby's about February, ts4s,
li remained tfpra fifI aho,t RI r;atmaa ,rh.r hc