Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-07-28
tFrom the Washington Onion. ]
The alavo Case at philadelphfa,

Iron the Washington unioa.l j.
The alave Case.at Philadelphia.
The slave csss At Philadelphia, = brief notice
Of which appeared 10 the Union II yesterday, has
already assumed q more grave and serious as.
Feet thaa was generally anticipated. The Phil.
adelphia papers Of Friday evening contain . full
report Of the preliminary examination before The
United States district Jsdys Of the plaintiff in Ibis
case, ~ well rs Of one Or two u the parties i'm
plicated IN this DARING and successful attempt
to roba citizen Of property fully acquired, and
to the pescsAbls possession of which he 10 sup.
posed 10 have The protection Of the law aud lis
sworn executive officers. After reading the test.
linony OF these Witnesses, the questions natural
~ Arise, have the people Of tho South the con
ssitutional right ~ the possession and hss Of .
certain DESERT tion.of property, and, this right
being conceded, " hal measures sheuld bg ed0pt-
ed ~ foice those northern cities aud States now
under the joint domination Of Know Nothing ism
aud aoolltioilism into promps recognition and
obssl vance Of paramount obligation Vi The fed.
sral compact In Philadelphia and Boston,
where Nothiogisn has full and almost u,,.
disputed sway, no southern gentleman is sale
from ruffiau violence il hs has the teme,ity 10
bring with him his servants. This liability 10
personal outrage has been greatly incrsased-.im.
/ lie Philadelphia KNOW Nothing national con.
ven,ion, in which he dissraceiul spectacle was
presented Of Rlvi,, southern only in name, with
cap in hand aud bonded knees, importing the
Joh,.stons aud Wilson's Of the North TO make
concessions upon question " hch tho cons.iiu-
tlOn has Sc lied aud the great national Democrat
ic party haa upheld tor more Than halt centu-
~. When southern men fraternizu with and
Awn upon aboltiouists, in ihs name Of Know
Nottingham, the occurrence of tho fragrant out
rage To which the readers attention 10 now in
viled should OCCASION 40 surprise.
II appears that Hon. john II. Wheeler, oil
North Carolina, on his return 10 his mission 10
Nicaragua, left Washington on Wednesday
morning las; with The view Of taking passage foI
himself, his family, and his servants, on board
the steamship which was advertised 10 leave
New York for San Ian on Friday last. While
Oh t'oard the steamboat at the Philadelphia wharf,
in company with his family and servants, in
broad day light. he was surprised by the sud
den appearance Of a small party Of negroes,
headed 10y u white aboliouist, who did moi
leave him long iii suspense in regard TO their
thevn intentions. His three slaves. moth
er aud lwo SOILS, were iorcibly stolen from him in
spite Ut their remo,issr4nces. screams aud re-
slslance. Mr.. Wheeler attempted to protect his
servants from the outrage committed. but he was
roughly seized by the black scoundreIs, who
sxore ,ney would cut his throat if he offered the
slightest resistance. The aid Il a Know Moth
ing police officer, who was present during the
Whole transaction was invoked, but he declined
doing his sworn duty OIL the ground that she
was not slave ca,cher.n We now copy from
the published repol, Of the case:
.Mr. vandy Ike briefly stated The fact Of the
case ss follows: The Hon. John Wheeler is
citizen OF North Carolina; he has been Tor some
time American Minister 10 a foreign ipow,r-
He had been at his post in discharge of his du-
lies, and was returning TO il alera brief visit 10
the Uui,ed States: lie is :he owner oil three
colored servants, naMed Jane, Daniel, and
Isaiah. =
..He was proceeding 10 New York on Wednes-
day, the 18Th, 10 embark for Nicaragua, and
when OIL board at the wharf a, this city with his
three servants, the respondent came OIL board
and asked those servants or one OF them, il they
would like 10 be Tree. They told him that they
wished TO Stay with their master, when fifteen
or twenty colored persons took them torcibly
from the custody Of their masler. The Two
boys crieo to 60 back to Mr.. Wheeler, but the
respondent he;c, Que Pass.nore Williamson Nor.
ced them away.
"The companions and associates Of Mr.. vii.
hanson seized MIR Weeler by the throat ne he
was trying 10 proven. this outrage IN bic proper.
~, and said that il he made any resistance they
would cut his throat.
"hli vaudyks said thai II he proved .hess
simple facts he proved the return false.
..fhe point raised BY the opposite counsel, he
the return; but he asked that the conr: now 20
into the question Of the communal oi The outrage
and prove BY evidence the return 10 be falsei
"Ait. Hopper, Oie Vi The respondents cousel,
then asked time 10 prepare testimony ~ Prove
the return.
1.-THE court said that II the evide CO was gone
iDtc, and prima fdcis case was made out, the
court must bl.d over the. respondent On charge
Of perjury, aud Of course evidence Tor the de-
fence could not agree 10 the postponement. Ii
the facts are az slated BY the relator, there has
been q cruel, outrage VI most criminal nature.
"Mr. Girhin. Tor The respondent, said that
They wished to stand on the ground Vi utter ne
ga.ion VI the possession Of tho servants u ANY
time. Alter souAs remarks Oh techhical pei1,,s,
Mr.. G:lrhia took his seat.
The evidence was then psoessdkA with,
when MI. Wheeler WA caIIsA y the s.a,sd. He
testified an follows:
It's native Of Nsssh csrolina; 10 tAs owner
Of the colOyeo peSsoas named Jane, Daniel, aud
Isaiah; lett Washington city on Wednesday,, tho
18Th, under All esdeJ from government, 10 EN-.
bark al Now York ioy Nicaragua, 10 which por,
he was an accredited ambassador. He had been
in that service about a year; had come homo
short tin ago and was ordered 10 return in
consequence 81 The confused state Of poll teal al.
iairs in that county, his wife and tire servants
were with him; reached Phiiadsipsia about
quarter past O'clock IN, his way 10 Now York;
was forced 10 leave the boal 10 60 10 the resi.
dence Of his iathes-in law, Thomas Suily, Esc,,
to Sc, some things, ios Mrs Wheeler; had OBJ
tanned The trunk containing the articles spoken
of ant turned " ths what, but found the 2
O'Clock bat gone; han 10 Vi, un,i S O'clock for
the next ,rain-wh ich tinss MAS spent q. the
neases. hotel, Bioosiseea's. a, MaInu, street
whs,l; ~ g ing on board The Soat little before S
O'Clock, rei,ted with she thee servants to the
hurricane deck 10 get out Of tho mise aud hustle;
shortly brf,rs S o'clock-,he lass bell had insi
rnng, III i've minu,es beioss o'rlo. k-while |
was rea,liug The evening papers, an individual,
whom recognize as Mr.. Pass,nufe Williamson,
(isoking ~ The sespondenl,) cana up 10 me
and asked ilhe might speak 10 my servants, wit
mesa replied that he could not imsgne what
business he conId have with hist " ilnesss )ser
wants, aud il he had anything 10 say, winess
was the pr per person 10 say tito; Mr.
Williamson then pushed past witness, anil ask
oil The woman (Jane) Il she was . siave, aud II
she knew she vas in free country OF some.
thing like l. and then; ii they hs sefyan,sl