The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-10-06
Passmore Williamson.

Republican State Convention of Pa, may
excite inquiry as TO his character and ante
cedents.
We are informed by our we'll known fellow
citizen, SolomonW Roberts, Esq, civil engi-
neer, that he has been we'll acquainted with
Mr.. Williamson for years. He is a nephew
of William Williamson, of Westchester, at
one time Speaker of the Senate of Pennsyl-
vania; and the eldest son Of Thomas Will
iamson. one of the most eminent conveyan-
GERS in Philadelphia, and man distinguish
ed for his high character and extensive know
edge of land titles in Pennsylvania.
Passmore Williamson is now about thirty
five years Of age he has wife and sever
al children and he has been brought up by
his father, and has been in partnership with
him as scrivener and conveyancer. Mr..
Roberts informs us that Mr.. Williamson is
a man Of excellent character, and of great
intelligence, and altogether superior man
to those whom the people of Pennsylvania
have been in the habit of electing to the
office of Canal Commissioner.
The South has set up claim to the right,
not only of carrying slaves through our free
territory, but of holding them here as long
as it may prove convenient. Senator
Toombs has uttered the insulting boast that
he will vet call the roll of his slaves on Bun
ker Hill, and hold them there in defiance Of
northern constitutions and laws. In the
case of Col. Wheeler's slaves, Passmore
Williamson set himself to dispute this claim,
and to convey to those slaves the sound le-
gal information that by the laws of Penn
sylvania they were free. For doing this he
has been ruthlessly seized and reduced to the
condition of slave. The sacred writ of
hebeas corpus was FIRST abused in being serv
l.: 4 tho Cf
persons claimed as slaves, over whom he had
no control, and then it was denied to him
when it was his constitutional right to claim
it. Upon false and frivolous plea of con-
tempt he has been deprived of his liberty,
thrust into prison for an unlimited term and
left without remedy or apparent hope of re-
lief. The purpose of his illegal imprison-
ment is plain. 1t is to punish him for sue
cessfully questioning the claim of south
ern man TO hold slave upon our soil. He is
an example selected by the slave power to
teach us not to resist what it is pleased to
demand Shall we be frightened by the ex-
ample? Or shall we rally to the side of the
victim, and by timely stand vindicate
both his rights and our own?
The objection has been made to MFR. Wilt
hanson that he is the secretary of an Aboli-
ton Society. He is the secretary of So
ciety, incorporated by the Legislature of this
State in the days of the Revelation, for the
amelioration of the condition of colored
men. OF this Society Benjmin franklin
and DR.. Rush were active members and Off
GERS; and Passmore Williamson is but the
successor of those worthy and venerable men
in the Office which they filled. Franklin
and Rush-signers of the Declaration of In
dependence-were worthy forerunners and
it is no disgrace TO him to hold place which
they honored and by which they were hon
ored in turn Let those rail at him who
will, on that account. We hold it no dis
credit 10 him to follow in their illustrous
footsteps.-[Ptts Gaz.
| A great running battle has occurred be-