Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-08-17

II what - 10 prevent MI. Nhceler from
selling his slaves here while IN hans'tu D.?
What is to prevent them from being levied
upon for debt, and sold by the Sheriff , If
slaves arc "rropcrty" all these things may
come to pass, aud the ''dolefal sound" from
the Toombs that would call the muster
roll of his slaves under the shallow Of
Bunker Hill, bc something more than q
vaporing oratorical fourth from one Of
the chiyIry. If Judge Kane holds that
slaves are property, he must forget that
Madison rcpuliatod the Introduction Of
any thing upon the face Of our Cgnsti,u-
ton, which even indirectly recognized a
properly in man. If Fcnnsylyania can
not lcgislatc upon slave property SO called,
Congress can, under the clause concerning
the migration and importation Of persons.
Let u have the question come up before
Congress then and see where We shall land
after the storm has blown over. The most
unfortunate day work for the South ever
accompli hca-not even cZocrtlng the pas
slrc Of the Kansas undoubtedly was
that when judge Kane showed his scrvili-
ty to the slave holding interest by impri-
s5ning rassmorc Williamson. In conncc-
ton with this subject, We cXract from the
SIN the following pointed remarks upon
the writ Of iiabcus Corpus. The truths
contained in them are indiaputable. We
ask for the sulioincd an attentive rcrusal:
The privileges Of the writ Of llabeus
Corpus, are to Republican Liberty, what
the breath Of life which the Lord God
brcathcd into tic nostrils Of man formed OF
the dust Of the Ground, was to human cx-
istcncc Without it, soullcss mass-with
living spirit Of intelligence, freedom and
sclf-rcliancc, imagcl like divinity. The
Constitution Of the United States provided
nthc privilege of the Writ Of llabcus Cor
rus shall not be suspended, Na!cSs when in
case of rebellion or invasion the public
safety may require it" This is clear and
explicit. Let us try the recent conduct Of
Judge Kane by this constitutional test and
sec if he has not committed dangerous 4
violation Of the constitution as to demand
his Impeachment and removal. We DO not
profess to any sympathy with Passmorc
Williamson in this argumcnt, but VIC stand
only upon our Magma Charta. Judge Kane
commits Williamson for contempt because
the legal formalarics Of his answer to
writ Of IIabcas Corpus to test whether
Williamson was in contempt Of Court, or
Judge Kane in contempt Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States. The act Of Feb
ruary Is, 1855, VIC arc told by Chief jus
tice Lewis, cxccrts the privileges Of the
wit of lIabcas Corpus, while a prisoner ia
detained by legal rrogrcs7 for an offence
not bailablc. This is 4 violation OF con
s,itu,ional right, and if a citizen Of fcnu-
sylyania has appealed to iti Supreme
Court to protect him in Its enjoyment, the
Chief Justice has failed to uphold the ho-
nor and dignity of the State AMI suffered
one of her sons to be tyrannically misu7ed,
or the plea that one Court cannot intcrier"
with the Judgment Of another Inns W.
do not doubt is law-that law which max
CO constitutions mockcrics Of Liberty but
it is not right. Pcnnsylyania ne7cr dele
ratcl TO the United States the power to
impose conditions upon the privilege 81
the Writ Of IIabcas Corpus-nor docs the
Constitution prohibit it to the State, cx-
ccpt in cases Of invasion and rebellion !;
AMI there has never occurred in the bisto-
ry Of OUT country 50 ilaGrant an usurra'ion
Of power, precedent 50 frauglt with dan
ccr to our libortics-a judicial outrage OF
blackcr dye Why, follow slaves OF
rcnnsy lyania, look at it ! We under our
constitutional freedom OF the press, assert
that judge Kane has u5urpcd power lie
nav choose to consider this Is contempt,
and arraign Us before him, under his own
federal, alien an scdition law iutcrlrcta-
ton Of his powers, condcmn Us to occupy
the call where Arthur Spring or the Sku5-
rjnskis were lodged, incarceratc Us with
out bail or main prize, and no power but
ycvolpt;on could get u from his custody :
TLis is monstrous, an;jrcrublcan and le5-
motto Julrc Kane can do that which no
living bcip", emperor or rotentatc IN
Christonlom dare do-imprison a man for
4 constructive contempt, involved in lc'
nal return to 4 writ The Bill Of Rights
wrung from King John, at Eunnymcdc,
provided that if he, his justiciar, Or any Of
its articles Of peace and security, the b.
rons and the commonaIty of the whole land
mirht distrain and distress the king, in
all ways possible, till the grievance vas re
rcdresscd. IIallam,in his "Nliddle Ages,
commenting upon this, as not unusual,
cites the laws of both CASTLE and Arragon,
where the express provision was made for
the subjects resisting and controlling the
king, in case of breach Of his duty. A
capitulari,y of Charles the Bald permits
subjects to assist ono another, and combine