New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-26
APPEAL TO PRNNsYLvANIAyS.

very grave and fragrant wrong was recently
perpetrated on the soil of your State, which in
its effects and consequences strikes at the rights
and liberties ofall. One only Ofyour number was,
and still is, the immediate victim; but any one of
you having an unseared conscience and humane
spirit might have stood in his place, and may be
called at any time TO suffer as he is suffering.
Though the facts are already known to most Of
you who will read this appeal we restate them in
the hope that they may make plain to you the
path of duty, and impel you to pursue it.
John II. Wheeler of North Carolina, appointed
Minister to Central America, recently arrived
at Philadelphia on his way to the Isthmus, bring
ing with him three slaves-a mother and her two
young boys, whom he designed to take with him
on his mission. The intelligent mother had
SEINE general notion that her removal to Free
State by her master would entisle her legally to
her freedom, and, on applying, though closely
watched by her old master, to some black SER
wants at the hotel where they stopped, was con-
firmed in that presumption. She thereupon re-
solved to get away from her master on or before
her arrival in New.York, and remain to enjoy
her new. found freedom.
Wheeler, who kept his eye on his slaves
almost perpetually, took them, considerably be-
fore O. o'clock, down to the ferry boat fthe Cam
den and Amboy Railroad, where he seated them
on the upper deck and sat down beside them to
await the time of starting.
Meantime, a negro servant ran from their late
hotel to the office of the Society for the relief
Z" of persons Illegally held in Slavery" estab-
lished soon after the Revelation By Benjamin
Franklin and others, and told the Secretary,
PAssMoRE WILLIAMSON, that man had gone
down to the Amboy boat with three persons
whom he was holding as slaves, and who desired
their freedom. Williamson, being very busy,
told the black to go down to the boat and inform
the persons so held by Wheeler that they could
be so held no longer, having been voluntarily
brought by him into Free State, and advise
them to walk on shore and quit Wheeler's IN
desirable company. The negro started for the
boat accordingly, but soon Williamson changed
his mind and followed. He went directly up to
Wheeler and bis late chattels, asked the woman
if she wished to be free, and, being assured that
she did, advised her of her rights and opportuni-
ties. She started to go; Wheeler demurred and
held on to her children who were frightened by the
excited thropg which had gathered around them,
and chung to their master in terror scuffie en-
sued between him and the half dozen blacks who
had crowded to the scene, by whom they were car.
ried of in the train of their mother, who was eager
for liberty. They all quickly disappeared and
Mr. Williamson went back to his office, where he
n n n
o'clock when he left for the Pittsburgh station and
took the night-train for Harrisburg, where he had
to attend meeting of Telegraph Company next
day
When he returned to Philadelphia, thirty.si1
| hours later, he was met by officers who arrested
| him on habeas corpus issued by U. S. District
Judge Kane, 1T the suit or relation of Wheeler,
commanding him to produce the bodies of the
woman and children aforesaid before the said
Judge-Wheeler having charged him with OBJ
structi1g and secreting them. To this suit
Vii hanson responded by personal appearance
before the Judge and by affidavit setting forth
| that the said Jane johnson and her children,
claimed by Wheeler as his slaves, had never
been in his (Williamson's) custody or keeping,
and he knew not where they were. This verified
answer Judge Kane pronounced evasive and q
contempt .: Court, and therefore sentenced William
son to prison without bail or limit of duration.
Dir. WIS counsel forthwith applied for permission
to amend the returns but the Judge refused it,
saying it was too late. From that hour, two months
since, Williamson has lain in Jail, though every
effort has been made BY eminent counsel to pro-
cure his liberation. An application in his behalf
to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for habeas cor.