The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-08-31
SENATOR SUMNER TO PAssMoRE
WILLIAMSON.
LAKE SUPERIOR. on Board North Star,
Saturday, Aug, IL, 1855.


Nv Dear Sir:-Wilh astonishmen, and indig.
nation have learned the story Of your imPrison-
ment /; and now, from this distant retreat, where
am for the moment, make haste 10 send you
my sympathy.
From besinninn to cnd-lrOm side TO side, aud
in every asPect-this transaction can he regarded
only as a clear indubiable, and utterly unmitiga-
ted outrage. The new tangled doctrine, that
slave-mas,er can voluntarily import his al
legged slaye-of course, with all the revolving
incidents Of slavery into the free States, Is
not more oJious than II is prePoslerous II is
secuted By reason and disowned by universal Ju.
rispruJeuce You were RICH, in disregar~ing 1t.
In stepping forward to rmind persons, claimed
as slaves on this pref that all such claim IS
basclSss, you did u good work TWAS this knowl-
edge which filed them with confidence to regain
their God.given liberty. Aud for this il appears
that you have been brough, before man who
"drassed in little brief authority. has cas-, you
into prison. This outrage Is rendered more out
rageoo- u, the way in which " done.
II was pc-petra,ed through the Perver.iCn OF
the great writ Of haItaJ corpus, This writ ct
freedom and deliverance. which in England has
often been styled the palladium OF the Coustitu'
ton Nhich is recognized as distinctive feature
Of constitutional government, - which finds no
place IN a dcspoiism, aud which Is the vey mas
ter key appointed to unlock prison do ors and let
the oppressed so iree-has been ma de in your
case, by hOcuspOcus without proceed ent, the in
slrument Of imprisonment and oppression.
Strange and disgracelu as al this is, 1t must be
considered as the natural fruit of slavery. Any
person, whoever he may be-whether simple citi-
zen or magisln,e-who undertakes to uphold this
wrong, seems forthwith to lose his reason. He
may he Just, humane and decent in other things
bu, in the support Of slavery he becomes unjust,
lnhuman aud indecen,-olen IN obvious uneon'
sciousness of his degradation. The blindness
which males him uSenslble to a wrong 50 truus-
cendani, naturally makes him nsensible to the
lesser wrong by which it Is maintained. What is
the writ OF kaJSas corpus, the trial by jury. the
privilege OF debate, your liberty oS rhine, IN the
estimation Of person who has already screwed
himself to the pitch OF injustice necessary for the
vindicaion Of an institution which separates pa
rent and child-whlch stamps woman as con-
cubine-which shuts the gates Of knowledge, aud
which suaiches from the weak all the hard-earned
fruits Of incessan, toll'
But there must be an end to those things, and
as Shakespeare found iowel in the iOad's head, so
do find cheering omen even in the the injustice
which has made you its victim. There Is an old
saying handed down from distant antiquity, that,
Whose the gods wish to destroy they frs, make
mad" and have ohen OF laie been impressed By
its truth. The slave oligSrchy /, mad, and their
overlooking madness runs through every Sgen, and
tool. In all that they do-espevially in the fugi.
tive slave bill and ITS cruel enorccm snt, the Ne.
braska bill and ITS felonious administration, and
now in the Imprisonment OF an unOhe udtng clii.
zen-I rejoice TO believe that there is IA uumis.
taxable evidence OF tina, madness which precedes
fall. Verify the day is at hand when returning
justice will once more bear sway thea among
the ,riurnphs Of freedom will be a reckoning with
unjust judges.
Meanwhile accept my congratulations on the
portion Of responsibility AID dignity which is
yours. 1t is privilege to sutter for truth; aud
envy no, the mesnness Of that soul which would
hesitate to prefer your place within the stone
walls OF a prison to the cushioned bench Of the
magistrate by whose Irrational aud ,yrann'cal
cdicI YOU have been condemned.
Believe me, INV dear sir, with much regard,
Very faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER
PASSIONS WILLIAMSON, Esq, MOyamensing
Prison, Philadelphia.