Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-12-04
letter frcm Washington.
from the Charleston CuuueI
WASHINGTON, s<uT.

NAsH1NGT0H, .,U". -.
The New York Save stealing ease exc'es
much attention here, and e'en l3oFo st tie
North. The conservative parties Of tie Norm
view the subject in a proper light. They are
evidently disposed 10 Do full justice in the mat.
ter, and repair the wrong done to the owner OF
the slaves. Mr.. Lennon, as far as practicable,
L is conceded that the manner in winch the
outfaUe was committed WAS q disgrace to the
civ aud State Of New York. for it was done
by the baseat trcachery. The New Workers.
anxious TO relieve The CITY from this lou. stain,
have contributed the sun OF five thousand Dol
lars fer the remuneration vi Af, LeHiHoD.-
They will not stop at tbs; but INSIST thai the
law capable of being thus abused be erased
from the statute book. The siaves are, ere
this, spirited away, and are abandoned 70 he
tender mercies Of the aboiJtioaists. Bat The
Legislature Of New York, 1t their next session,
will certainly take up the subject, and Iaden-
Nifty the persons who pay the value OF the
slaves TO Mr.. Lennon, and pass some law for
the prevention Of any similar breach OF good
faith and comfy towards citizens OF other
States.
There existed a law in New York, previous
70 l84l, which rendered it lawful for citizens
of other States to retain slaves with them, in
their visits to that Stale. That law vii! not
probably be restored, and if it were, it would
only serve TO the extent, which travellers
would avail themselves of it, as a harvest for
slave s1ealers, and employment for under
ground railroads. But they can simply pass s
law declaring the proper meaning and intent
of existing laws to be such as TO permit citi-
gems of one slaveholding State to pass with
their slaves to another sIayehoiding State,
through New York. This has been decided by
Justice Grier of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, to be the proper construction Of the
Pennsylvania law, and the jury to which he
sent the case for an examination of the facts,
gave a verdict Of $4,000 damages and costs,
against Kaufman and others, for assisting in
HE escape of slaves, voluntarily brought BIZ
their owner into Pennsylvania, en- route from
Maryland TO Missouri. The right of transit
was conceded by the Court in this case, and in
il case that was decided in Indiana. and was
not denied in the Massachusetts case,
Judge Payne's decision that slaves are not
property for the purpose Of conveyance by the
owner from place TO place, is n novelty. Should
TIE case be ultimately brought by appeal 10 the
United States Supreme Court, it is perfectly |
certain that this decision will be oyerruled. |
The Executive Government of the United
States has, as | mentioned in former letter,
maintained that slaves were property. |
and were TO be paid for as such when taken by
foreign powers from our citizens. Tie Ques-
ton arose, and was thus decided under the pro-
vision Of an article in the treaty Of Client.
There are but few Of the national or compro-
mise wings among the members elect Of the
New York Legislature, that is to meet next
wjnter--and bot very few of the ~free-soii wings.
The body will consist chiefly of the united de-
party, in which there is a streak Of
We shall see whether the demo
crazy will stand up to the principles of the
and he harmony and the comfy Of the
There is conservative majority in the
beyond doubt.