New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-02

Il 10 but few weeks since Mr.. Score.
tary WEBSTER stood up before an audience
in this City, and with all due solemnity and
impressiveness, declared to the listening
thousands that the American Constitution 10
" founded on the basis of equal rights-its
provisions secure perfect equality and Free
dom to all; all whe live under it are equal
all enjoy ing the same privileges.
Let few facts serve by way of com.
mentary on this lofty oracle.
A black man named HORACE PRssroN,
residing in Williamsburgh, and earning an
honest living by his own work, married to a
woman most devotedly attached to him,
was arrested the other day by member Of
our With Ward Police, named JAMES MAR.
TIN. The arrest was made on an
utterly frivolous pretext it was charged
that he had committed larceny, that
the witnesses against him would be
forthcoming and accordingly he was in
carcerated until they might be produced.
But that nothing might occur to render i'm
pe,ft ct this illustration of American equality
before the law, and American respect for
personal rights, he was hustled into the lock-
up of the With Ward Station in the lower part
of the Tombs, not under the control of the
regular Warden of that prison, and kept there
in 4 manner which might not disgrace the
Justice of Persia or Tartary, but is foul
blot on New. York. The offense charged
was q bailable one ample bail was offered,
but it was refused. The worst Of criminals
"a pirate, murderer, violator Of help
less woman,-is allowed to see counsel and
prepare for his defense; legal gentleman
of the highest respectability, having, after
long search, discovered the place Of this
mans sequestration, went there and de-
manded TO see him as counsel, but was
turned away from the door, and was not
even allowed to see the warrant upon which
he was immured.
Such is the Justice in New York melted
out cuon Is the respect Tor personal
rights which officers Of the law here ex-
hibit! Such that equality of privileges Of
which Mr.. Webster so pompously boasted!
But the morrow developed new phase
of the affair. The charge Of larceny was
laid aside to give place to the charge Of
Slavery. The alleged theft Of other peo-
PIES property was supplanted by the theft
Of his own person and his own freedom.-
The man vas Slave and had stolen his
liberty. That was all. And, in order to
gain time to seize him for this offense, the
charge Of stealing had been trumped up,
and the man had been grabbed aad treated
worse than if he had been guilty Of the
most internal and unnatural crimes. And
finally he was taken before Commissioner
Morton in an out Of ths-way place, near
the United States Court Rooms, where a
pile Of wood zearly blocked up the entrance,
and there the examination was commenced,
with no counsel present TO protecthis rights.
Mr.. Culver aiterward arrived to undertake
bis case, but no time vas allowed him to
consult with the negro, or to examine the
papers on which he was held. The slave
owner had rights, but the presumPtivs free.
man none
1t seems that the active agents in this
foul business, were Policeman MARTIN and
one RICHARD BusTEED, = lawyer Of this
City. They had tracked out the fugitive,
and had informed the man, REss, Of Balti-
more, who claims to be the owner Of the
negro. that his chattel was here and could
be caught They telegraphed to him that
the trap was ready, and that he must be on
the spot to take the prey when il was en-
shared. More than this, Busted himself,
in order to make sure of his reward,
Voluntarily went before the Commissioners
and made the affidavit on which, the maa
was held ~ fugitive slave. Nss content
with the part of slave owners counsel and
advocate-of itself sufficient, one would
suppose, to satisfy an ambition of srdi-
sary scope in the way of meannesa and dis
bonOr,-he must put himself forward as the
primary evidence in the premises. And in
this affidavit, drawn with his owa hand, il
we mistake not, he swore to the whole
claim Of the alleged owner, not as a matter
of hearsay or opinion, but absolutely, and
~ Of his own positive knowledge. And
yet 1t did not appear that he had, at the
time Of swearing, any other proof on the
subject than the statement of Mr.. Rsss that
he was the owner Of such . runaway.
Suppose Rees had claimed 70 be the pre-