The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-23

IMPORTANT LEGAL DecIsIoN.-We find in th
Alexandria Gasette the following report of de
cision under the Maryland act of 1876, and one o
the Compromise acts of the United States, know
as the act to prevent the traffic in slaves in tn,
District of Columbia:
"Nesyo Jane and Child We. B. o. Sheckels.
the circuit court for the county of Alexandria-A
the November term of the county court for 1852
the case of tho petition of negro Jane and chile
was tried, and the jury found against them, ano
for the claimant, o. Sheckes. After the YER
dict, a motion was made by the counsel for thu
petitioners for new trial, upon the ground thai
the verdict was contrary to the law and the evi
dence-which motion the court overruled. Where.
upon, the counsel excepted to the ruling of the
court, and prepared bill OF exceptions, which
were signed and certified BY the court. His honor
John Webb Tyler, judge of the circuit court,
granted writ Of error, and the case was argued
before him on Thureday last. The following is a
statement of the evidence given in the court below
certified by the court:
"Upon the trial of this cause it was proved that
the defendant is a dealer in slaves and is and has
been, resident and citizen Of the District of Co.
lumbia for more than twenty years; that on or
about the 10th of July, in the year 1851, the de-.
PENDANT purchased the petitioners in Georgetown,
in the District of Columbia, from Mrs. O'Reiiy,
and, few days thereafter, carried them to Alex
andra, in Virginia, and deposited them in his jail
with the view and purpose Of sending them to
Alabama for sae that whilst said petitioners were
in defendants jail in Alexandria, defendant en-
tered into a contr act with one William Heron, a
citizen and resident of Georgetown, in the District
Of Columbia for the sale of petitioners and that
about the 4th day Of August, 1851, the said Heron,
In company with one John Adams, went to Alex.
andria, found said petitioners in said jail, took
the petitioners and carried them back to George
town, D. c.; that the purchase money for said
petitioners was paid by Heron after they we're
carried back to Georgetown, and that petitioners
remained in possession of said Herron residing in
Georgetown, D. c., until the 9th day of Novem-
Der 1852, when they were again sold to the de-
PENDANT by said Heron. again carried to Alexan-
dria and deposited in defendants Jail, where they
remained until the institution of this suit
"The petitioners council relied upon the Mary
land act of 1896, in force still in the District of
Columbia, prohibiting the importation of slaves
and one OF the Compromise acts, known as the
"Act to prevent the traffic in slaves in the District
Of Columbia " The claimants counsel relied upon
the decisions OF the circuit court for the District of
Columbia, and the court of appeals of Maryland
which established the principle that the act of Ma
ryland, which is almost identical with the Com
promise act referred to. did not apply to the case
of slaves temporarily removed from to District of
Columbia, even with view to sale; and contended
that The State Of Virginia was not bound, by the
doctrine of international comfy, to enforce the
penal laws of foreign territory or State, when
contrary to her policy and institutions.
'The judgment fthe county court was affirmed
with coats. Lawrence B. Taylor for petitioner; A.
and c. E. Stuart for B. o Sheckels."