Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-15
THE WISCONSIN, FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE.

THE WISCOISI. FUGITIVE SLAVE CASE.
Weprinted on Saturday paragraph from
the Cleaveland Lcair, giving an account of
the granting of the writ Of Habeas Csrpus
by the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, in the
case of Booth and Rycraft, and the departure
Of these men for Madison, to attend the hear
ing. We now have some further particulars,
including the gratifying news that the Supreme
Court has discharged the prisoners, on the
ground that they were illegally convicted.
The Madison Joaraal gives the following
decision OF the Court upon the question Of
granting the writ. The Court was unanimous /:
"On announcing the decision, Chief JUS
tice Wilton remarked that they had decided
to grant the prayer of the petitioners, and
that the grounds for his decision would be CIV
en- in his opinion after the trial. Justice
Crawford, who dissened from the decision de-
claring the Fugitive Slave Act unconstitu-
tonal pronounced last summer, said that
assuming that Act to be constitutional, the Pc
titioners were entitled to writ of HabeaS
Cdrpus, since no crime was alleged in the in
dictment under which they were convicted,
Justice Smith took still more decided stand
and declared the Fugitive Slave Act uuconsti-
tutional and therefore void, and that no in
lictnent could lay under it."
THUS it seems that the Supreme Court
does not falter; and that no trafficker in men
need come to the Free State of Wisconsin and
expect to reclaim his fugitive human chattels
under the Act of 1850 When an imprsion-
alton of high.born southern aristocracy comes
along, and tells us that such man is his prop
erty, that he has neglected to bring his blood
hounds with him. or did not think it essential
since the act referred to, and that we must
supply the deficiency by hunting the fugitive
ourselves, VIC can reply, /" Is thy servant a dog
to do this thing I" and in fact can plumply
refuse without rendering ourselves liable to ci-
Their fine or Imprisonment. This is great
privilege in I" the land of the free and the home
Of the brave" 1t is not enjoyed in many
States land for it VIC are indebted to fearless.
indepe ,dent, high-toned Supreme Bench. All
honor to our Supreme Court Its course will
receive not only the warm appreciation Of the
people of this State, but of every liberty-lov-
ing citizen Of the nation
The Milwaukee Sentinel of the 30th ult.
gives the following account Of the proceedings,
under the writ -
1t being understood that the Sheriff would
start Tor Madison with his prisoners, yesterday
morning, handbills were printed and posted
about the city during Saturday night, inviting
the people to assembeat the County Jail, at
O'Clock Monday morning to escort Messrs.
Booth and Ryccraft to the Railroad Depot.
Punctualy at the hour, the Church bells be-
gan to ring out joyous peal, and the cannon
sent forth its laundering summons, and obedi-
emit to the signal, the people from all parts of
the city, came hurrying to the Court House
square. In very few minutes nearly thou
sand men had collected on the ground, and be-
ing marshalled in procession by DR.. e. B.
Wolcott with band Of music, iu four-horse
sleigh. on the lead, and the Sheriff with his
prisoners in another four-horse sleigh in the
CENTRE the imposing column marched through