Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-08-11

m asst consider tho conduct Of Judge Kane. in the
as OF Mr. Nt,,ttmsvu, the remedy here proposed
9 worse .6aa The disease.-Better, far better, Pass
nlore Williamson should suffer temporarily. throug
u, tAan inatthe basis If society should he shaken
~ the violent measures he advocatcs-measur
too, which would only lead a few brave men pre-
InAiuteiy into % position where they must be crush.
co ny the whole power of an administration reckless
vi auglt but tho support Of the South.
Should the next legislature of Pennsylvania le
Unable to protect her citizens against tho usurpa-
lions Of the Federal judiciary, it will DO time
enough Tor the people 20 arise N overthrow such
granny Tho present is not the time. wait u
little longer"
From the pllaiclrais Sun.
Tho great question is as to tho right Of Judge
Kane TO commit him "without bail or mainprise,'
until he chOses to make proper submission to the
Court. The act Of Congress, Of March Cd, 1888,
an reference to writs Of habeas corpus, says:
IF any person or porso ms to whom such writ OF
habeas corpus may be directed, shall refuse to obey
the same ga shall neglect or refuse to make return,
or shall make a false return thereto in addition to
t5e remedies heretofore given by law, he shall be
deemed and taken to be guilty Of a AisdeRelnor.
Hore it would seem is a sufficient direction
which the Court ought to have regarded. Pass
more Williamson, if guilty of anything is guilty OF
perjury or mislemeanor. BY what authority is his
action, by a strained Interpretation, heightened in
TO contempt? The Act Of Congress of March =,
1881, provides:
That the power. Of the several Courts OF the Uni
ted States to issue attachments and inHict sum
mary puuishmeuts FOR contempt of Court shall not
be construed to extend to any cases except misbe-
hl7ioc Of any pcrson Or persons in presence Of the
Court.
The Actof 1889 gave authority to punish parties
or Witnesses for whatever the Judges might con
sider contempt. The latter statute seems to re-
strain that power, and take it away in all cases
bat those Of "misbehavior." The word is a mild
enc, and evidently applies to an offender who acts
without proper respect and with personal rudeness.
Thc. o8pnce Of Williamson is Of a more serious
grade.
We have given his case moro attention than usu-
nj, because we tlinkit an extraordinary one. The
mere euIpability OF Passmore Williamson is not
the only consideration in it. If the Judge @! Uni
ted States Courts can, because a man swears too
saac3, deprive him Of personal liberty and keep
him in prison for an unlimited period, without any
opportunity Of having q jury trial and meeting his
accusers face to face, the principles OF the ancient
English doctrines Of liberty, which came to us
from kingIy times, have been sadly subyertcd IN
these days Of theolopical republicanism. If Pass
more Williamson is guilty Of perjury, or misde-
ineanor, let him he tried, and If convicted, punish
ed. lie has deliberately placed himself in a posi-
ton where he may be auswerable, but the substi-
tuition of the mere will Of u Federal Judge for tho
guargees of Constitutional liberty, is, we think, a
monstrous pcrycrsion Of the rights of the people Of
Pennsylvania.