Daily American telegraph., 1852-11-17
TIL. slave Case In New York


Our readers are already aware, (says the Rich
mond Dispatch that Judge Paine, of the Super
ior Court of the city Of New York, has decided
that the eight slaves, belonging to the wife of
Jonathan Lennon, of this State, are free under
the laws of the State. Lennon was on his way
to Texas with these slaves, with the intention Of
settling there and took them ON board the steam
er City of Richmond, for the purpose of transpor-
tation, That vessel, touching at New York,
habeas corpus was taken out, and the decision was
as We have said. The Judge cited number Of
cases to prove that they were free under the law,
which we have not the space, nor do we think it
necessary, to republish. The result is, that Lem
mon has been plundered to the full amount Of
the money which the slaves would bring in mar
ket, and the costs Of the prosecution. We, how
ever, insert the following extraordinary train Of
reasoning for the especial edication of those who
have hitherto believed that they held their slaves
by tenure derived from the Constitution Of the
United States:
when We are considering master and slave
in free state, where slavery is not Upheld by
law, we must take into view all these principles
Of the law Of nature, and see how they are re-
spectively to be dealt with according TO that law;
for it will be remembered that the master can
now claim nothing except by virtue Of the law Of
nature. He claims under that law a right TO
pass through the country. That is awarded to
him. But he claims in addition to take his slave
with him but upon what ground that the slave
his property. BY the same law, however, I'M.
der which he himself claims, that cannot be for
the law Of nature says that there can be ne pro-
perry in slave.
We must look still further TO see what is to be
done with the claims Of the slave. There being
now no law but the law Of nature, the slave must
have all his rights under that, as we'll as the
master and IL is just as much the slaves right
under that to be free as it is the masters to pass
through the country. 1t is very clear, therefore,
that the slave has right to his freedom, and
that the master cannot have right to take him
with him."
The Constitution Of the United States expressly
says that the citizens of each State shall be en-.
titled TO all the privileges and immunities Of cih.
zens Of the several States" Yet, in defiance Of
this plain and positive provision, the property Of
man, living in enc State, is annulled in another
and he is voted to have no privileges and immuni.
ties In the last mentioned State. Surely, what
by the Constitution Of the United States is prop
erty in Virginia, may, under this clause, be car
ried through New York. Otherwise that provi-
sion is of no earthly value.
What has thslaw Of nature to do with this mat.
teri BY the law of nature, the earth is common
to all the inhabitants thereof, and IL II be pro-
posed to apply it in one instance, why not In ali
It was precisely because the law Of nature would
not suit an artificial state Of society, that munich
pal law was introduced, and wherever 1t comes
Il takes the place Of the former law. BY the law
Of nature, all men are equal. But the laws Of
many Of the States recognise slavery, and the
Constitution Of the United States acknowledges
property in them. But State undertakes to set
the Constitution at defiance, md the Judge who
pronounces the decree under its laws resorts to
the law Of nature to sustain him.
II is time that the Southern people should ex-
actly understand their rights in this particular
There can be no more reason or justice in depriy-
ing Lennon Of his slaves, than there would be in
depriving Judge Paine Of his riding horse, should
he happen to ride to this State