The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-09-08

Z The following leJUer SnOulO Oe reau
by every voter in Minnesota, and after being
read, should be carefully put aside for re-
reading at least once week. 1t is the ELOQUENT
sentiments and opinions of one Of the noblcst
minds of our country, called forth by Judi
cial outrage which would disgrace any nation
of heathens that ever existed upon earth:
Senator Sumner TO Passfiore Williamson.
LAKE SUP'R, ON BOARD THE NORTH STAR,
Saturday, Aug. IL, 1855.
MY DEAR SIR:-With establishment and
Indignation have learned the story of your
imprisonment; and now, from this distant
retreat, where | am for the moment, make
haste to send you my sympathy:
From beginning to end-from side to side,
and in every aspect-this transaction can be
regarded only rs a clear, indubitable, and ut
tcrly unmitigatcd outrage. The tangled
doctrine, that slavemaster can voluntarily
import his alleged slave-of course with all
the revolving incidents of Slavcry-into the
Free States, is not more OdiOus than it is
preposterous. 1t is secuted by reason and
disowned by universal jurisprudence. You
were right in disregarding it. In stepping
forward to remind persons, claimed as slaves
on this pretcxt, that all such claim is baseless
you did good work. 1t vas this knowledge
which filled them with confidence, to regain
their God-given liberty. And for this it ap-
pears that you have been brought before a
man, who, dressed in little brief author
ity," has sent you to prison. This outrage is
rendered more outrageous by the way in
which it was dbrie.
1t was perpetrated through the perversioti
of the great Writ Of habeas corpus. This writ
of freedom and deliverance, which in England
is styled the palladium of the Constitution
which is recognized as distinctive feature OF
Constitutional GOvernmtnt-whichf finds ro
place in despotism, and which is the very
master-key appointed to Unlock the prison
doors and let the oppressed go free-has been
made in your case, by hocus-pOcus without
precedent, the instrument of Imprisonment
and oppression.
Strange and disgraceful as all this is, il
must be considered as the natural fruit o.
Slavery. Any person, whosOever he may be
Whether simple citizen or magstrate-whC
undertakes to uphold this wrong, seems forth
with to lose his reason. He may be just, hui
name and decent in other things, but in the
support of Slavery he becomes unjust, inhu
man and indecent-often in obvious uncon
seriousness of his degradation. The blindfiess
which makes him insensible to wrong 81
transcendent, naturally makes him insensiblt
to the lesser wrong by which it is maintain
ed. What is the writ of habeas corpus, the
trial by jury, the privilege of debate, or YOU
liberty or mine, in the estimation of person
who has already screwed himself to the pitcf
of injustice necessary for the vindicatiOn o
an institution which separates parent ant
child-which stamps woman as coficubint
(which shuts the gates of knowledge, and
which snatches from the weak all the hard
earned fruits of inceSSant toll
But there must be an end to these things
and as Shakespeare found jewel in the toad's
head, so do | find a cheering omen even in
the injustice which made! you it's victim.-+
There is an old saying handed down from
distant antiquity, that "Whoso the gods
wish to destroy they first make mad y and
| have often of late been impressed by its truth
The Slave Olgarchy is mad, and their over
flowing madness runs through every agent
and tool In all that they do-cspecially in
the Fugitive Slave bin and its cruel enforce
ment, the Nebraska bill and its feionious adj
administrations, and now in the Imprisonment
of an unoftsnding ctiZen-I rejoice to believe
that there is unmistakeabIe evidence of Il at
madness which precedss fall. Verify the
day is at hand when returning jtistics will
bear sway; then among the triumphs of Free
dom, will be a reckoning with the unjust
Judges.
Meanwhile accept my congratulations chi
the portion of responsibility and dignity
which is yours. 1t is a privilege to suffer for
truth; and envy not the meanness of that
soul which would hesitate to prefer your place
within the stone walls of prison to the cush-
iioned bench of the magistrate by whose IRA
tionel atsd tyYannical edict you have been
condemned.
Believe me, dear sir, with much regard,
Very faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
| PAssMoRE WILLIAMSON, ESQ.,,
Moyamensing Prison, Philadelphia.