The daily union., 1855-09-14
GA DEAD LOCK IN LAW"

The recent decision Of the supreme court of Pennsva
MIA, in the case of Passmore Williamson to have
thrown the editors Of the abolition journals into the most
groesque pasms of rage and disappointment These
modest gentlemen only to themselves superior
integrity and superior intelligence those whose eeva
ton the highest judicial trust warrants the suppostion
of spoess private reputation and legal attain
ments and whose duty it is to expound and apply
the law faithfully and earessly and without respect to
persons parties secs but they have the nsolence to
so behind the record mpugn motives and defame char
acter The opinion of the four concurring judges says
the New York Tribune all wrong, and the opinion Of
the dissenting judge is all rghtand then follows the
tomary half column of nvecye and abuse if the proba
btes were not strongly in favor Of the integrity and
soundness of the views Of four-ffhs of the couras
there was not bare possibility that Judges Lewis Black
Woodward, and Lowrie possessed in the aggregate as
much personal honesty and legal knowledge as were
concentrated in the person of the dissenting Judge
The comments Of tho New York Times exhibit some
slight distrus the part of the writer the length
depth and accuracy of his legal requirements He is al
most disposed to regard the legal opinion Of justice of
supreme State court with nearly much consideration
the legal opinion of rampant abolition editor who
ognises the supreme overriding binding force Of certain
laws not known to the States the federal Union This
opinion of the Pennsylvania court snys the Times may be
la but is its immediate effect has been
to produce "a dead lock in law"
There is appalling mystery about this expression Of
the Times which doubt not will prove highly refreshing
to the wrthing, gaspng negro worshippers "dcad
lock-" when associated with the retarded Of
coach wagon, implies prudence and safety and We
Shrewdly suspect that in its present association similar
implication may be fairly made The thousands of male
factors securely confined in the prisons and penen-
arios of the United States have experimental apprecia
on Of this mystic expression-frghtful it may sound
to outside barbarans land WILL doubt 60 as far as
the most rabid aboonist in their abuse and denuncia-
ons not merely of the dead locks" but the dead lock-
ups of the law and the laws execuoners Notwihsand-
ing the protests and opposition and vuperation Of pun
shed and unpunshed offenders Of the law, all civilized
communities have only attached these "dead locks to
their legal machinery, but they look an incorrupble
Judiciary for frequent and fearless application of these
stern wholesome and effective checks TO CRIME and dis
order
The Of Passmore Williamson lies we think in
nutshell The writ of habeas corpus is either nuity OF
reality fit is reayif the Aabeas corpus act is one
of the greatest Of boased rights as con.
inement of Passmore Williamson within the walls Of a
prison affords satisfactory and substantial evidence that
there judges in our land who will preserve the pristine
purity and integrity of the act regardless of personal
political considerations-the howngs Of fanatics or the
camor of demagogues. II writ of ha5eas corpu,
that Mr. Williamson was brought before Judge Kane III
made false return to that writ; in other words he was
guilty Of deliberate perjury For thus insulting the
and attempting to bring right into contempt which
dear to freemcn the right of trial by jury Mr. William
has been punished and will continue to be punished
until he has made the necessary aonement for his offence
If the had been reversedif Col Wheeler at the ns
CATION Of Passmore williamson had been brought before
Judge Kane writ of ha6eas copusif he had made
false return in regard to the possession Of the slaves
Williamson madeColone Wheeler would have been pun
ished Passmore Williamson has been punishedthe dig
nifty Of the court mainainedthe integrity of priceless
right vindcatedand the dead lock in law illustrated
to the entire satisfaction Of every abotonis the land