The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-01-20
The Case of Rachel and Elizabeth Parker.

! The case of Rachel and Elizabeth Parker, the
colored girls who were last spring abducted from
Chester county, Penna., and which has been for
some days on trial in the Baltimore county Cir
cult Court before Judge Constable on petition
for freedom was decided on the 18th inst, by a
verdict granting them their freedom. They
were taken away on the allegation that they
were fugitive slaves, and the Evidence produced
during trial being sufficient to establish that
they were born in this State and therefore free,
they have had full justice done them. Another
evidence that while Pennsylvania is desirous of
remanding back to their owners real fugitives,
she viii take proper measures to preserve the
precious boon of freedom to those of the colored
race born upon her own sol,
Attorney General JAMES CAMPBELL, and Hon.
THOMAS S. BELL, conducted the case ON the part
of the State of Pennsylvania, with much ability.
assisted by Mr.. Norris, of Maryland.
But the most pleasing feature of this trial af-
ter leaving out of view the ability displayed by
the coansel on both sides, is the conduct of the
defendant. He, as soon satisfied in his own
mind that the girls claimed slaves Eere in
reality free. waived all title, and in orea~court
declared that he was willing to abandon his
suit. S7
We present below, part of the remarks of
Judge Campbell, and those of Mr. Norris, of
Maryland. Mr.. Norris pays a high and deser-
we'd compliment to Judge C.
Mr.. Campbell addressed the court in substance
as follows:
As these cases have terminated so happily
do not intend to refer to them, but shall say q
few words before leaving this court room in be-
half of my colleague and myself. 1t may have
appeared strange to your Honor that the Legis-
lature of Pennsylvania should have instructed
her Governor to send into your courts my learn
ed colleague and myself. need not say to you
that it was not from any want of confidence IN
the learned and enlightened tribunals of this
State, or in the Maryland bar, which has gained
for itself Gi istinguished name in every part of
this land-no foul spirit Of Abolitionism either
entered into its counsels. l need not | know,
say to you that the present government of Penn
lsylvania entertans no wish nor feeling to inter
fere with your domestic institutions, or to take
one slave from your territory which legally be
longs to any of your citizens
We desire to cultivate with you the kindest re-
lations, TO act up most fully to every constitu-
tional requirement, and to bind still stronger
the ties which should hold Maryland and
Pennsylvania together If any thing has hap
pened in the past, calculated to weaken those
ties, no one can regret it more deeply than the
individual who has the honor to address you, or
the administration with which he has the honor
of being connected Whilst we have no wish
other than to obey the Constitution and the laws
and so far as in us lies to surrender to you any
of your property which may flee into our terri
tory we ask that no man set of men be al
lowed to claim or to make slaves of those who
were born free.
Sufficient has been heard within the last ten
days to satisfy you, and | believe every citizen
of Maryland, that the Legislature Of Pennsylva-
MIA had good reasons for believing that the hum
BILE individuals, whose history we have been list
ening to, were born the soil of Pennsylvania,
and that they are free. They belong to poor
unfrended class, unable to take care of them
selves; and this was one of the reasons that the
hand of Pennsylvania was thrown over them,
and for that my colleague and myself are here
If these parties were rich or powerful, we might
have been attending to our respective duties in
life elsewhere; but being friendless and penni-
less unable to guard their own rights, if gov
ernment did not extend to them its fostering
care they would be without succor and support.
But there was another and a much greater
reason. Whilst we are ready and willing to sur
render to you your slaves, and to teach every
one of our citizens that it is their duty to aid
and encourage you in the pursuit of them, our
citizens must likewise know that if an attempt
be made to make slaves of those who were born
free, our government will be equally vigilant in
protecting their rights When the citizens of
Maryland thus made to know that their
rights will be regarded and the citizens of Penn
sylvania that those who were born free cannot
be made slaves, the laws can be calmly and
faithfully executed, and peace and concord exist
between the two States. These were the
sons which induced the legislature of Pennsyl-
vania to send my colleague and myself before
this tribunal, and know that these reasons will
be properly appreciated by every citizen of Ma
ryland.
Mr.. Norris said he did not intend to make but
a single remark, and in doing so he would men
tion circumstance stated in the history of the
battle of Waterloo. One of the cuirassiers was
pursuing flying foe, and was in the act of cut
ting him down with his sword when he obser-
we'd that the pursued party had lost his sword
arm, and Immediately he dropped his uplifted
sabre to the position of salute, and passed on.
He came not here to feel one emotion of victory,
but gratifed Marylander at the result
in this case. He had told his colleagues when
they came here that tn ey would find that there
was somewhat of prejudice, but in the high hon
or of this community, if the testimony suf
fcient, there was q guarantee that these girls
would be freed
When the French soldiers in Egypt treated
some of the people with barbarous cruelty, and
it reported to Bonaparte, he despatched Off
GERS to arrest and punish the offenders. The
Sheiks asked him why he troubled himself to
extend aid to such common people. Bonaparte
replied that he did so because he was civilized
Governor and such it was his duty to defend
the weak equally as much as the more powerful
So in this State, be the persons who may be in
need of aid, ever so black-negroes-such was
the force of justice in the community that its
power would follow them everywhere, and see
al Az Al