Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-15
From tho Washington Union.

y
grave and serious aspect than was gener.
ally anticipated. The Philadelphia pa,
pers OF Friday evening contain full re-
port of the preliminary examination be.
fore the United States district Judge oil
the plaintiff in this case, as we'll as one OF
two ofthe parties implicated in this daring
and successful attempt to rob citizen Of
property lawfully acquired. and to the
peaceable possession of which he is sup.
posed to have the protection of the law
and its sworn officers. After reading the
testimony these witnesses, the questions
naturally arise, have the people of the
South the constitutional right to the pos
session and use Of a certain description oil
property, and, this right being conceded,
what measures should be adopted to force
those northern cities and States now I'M
der the joint domination Of Know Moth
ingism and Abolitionism into prompt
recognition and observance of para
mount obligation of the federal compact
In Philadelphia and Boston where Know
Nothingism has full, and almost undis.
puted sway, no southern gentleman is
safe from rufian violence II he has the
temerity to bring with him his servants.
This liability to personal outrage has
been greatly increased-imminent as it
was before-since the meeting of the
Philadelphia Know Nothing national con-
Tention, in which the disgraceful specta-
Gle was presented of men, southern only
in name, with cap in hand and Bonded
kaees. imploring the Johnstons and wills
sons of the North to make concessions
which the constitution has settled and the
great national Democratic party has up
held for more than half century.
When southern men fraternize with, and
fawn upon abolitionists, in the name oil
Knows Nothingism. the occurrence of the
fragrant outrage, to which the readers
attention is now invited should occasion
no surprise.
1t appears that Hon. John H. Wheeler,
of North Carhlina, on his return to his
mission to Nicaragua, left Washington on
Wednesday morning with the view oil
taking passage for himself, his family and
his servants, on board the steamship,
which was advertised to leave New York
for San Juan on Friday last. While on
board the steamship at the Philadelphia
wharf, in company with his family and
servants, in broad day light. he was sur
prised By the appearance of small party
Of negroes, headed by white abolitionist,
who did not leave him long in suspense in
regard to their thieving intentions. His
three slaves, a mother and two sons, were
forcibly stolen from him, in spite of their
remonstrances. Mr.. Wheeler attempted
to protect his servants from the outrage
committed, but he was roughly seized by
che black scoundrels, who swore they
would cut his throat if he offered the
slightest resistance. The aid of a Know
Nothing police officer who was present,
during the whole transaction, was invok-
ed, but he declined doing bis sworn duty
on the ground that "he was not slave
catcher" We now copy the published
report Of the case
Mr.. Vandyke briefly stated the facts
OF the case as follows The Hon. John
Wheeler is citizen of North Carolina
he has been for some time American
Minister to foreign power. He had
been at his post discharging his duties,
and was returning to it, after a brief visit
to the United States. He is the owner
OF three colored servants, named Jane,
Daniel. and Isaiah.
He was proceeding TO New York on
Wednesday, the 18th, to embark for
Nicaragua. and when on board at the
wharf at this city with his three servants,
tile respondent came on board and asked
those servants or one of them if they
would like to be free. They told him
that they wished to stay with their mas.
ter, when fifteen or twenty colored per-
sons took them forcibly from the custody
Of their master. The TWO boys cried to
go back to Mr.. Wheeler, but the respon-
dant here, one Passmore Williamson,
forced them away.
The companions and associates of
Mr.. Williamson seized Mr.. Wheeler by
the throat as he was trying to prevent
this outrage on his property, and said
that if he made any resistance they would
eIt his throat"
"Mr. Vandyke said that if he proved
these Simple facts he proved the return
false.
81 The point raised by the opposite
counsel, he said, was that the court
would not go behind the return; but he
asked that the court now go into the
question of the committal of the outrage
and prove by evidence the return to be
false. go
"Mr. Hopper, one OF the respondents
counsel, then asked time to prepare testi>
mony to prove the return. =
a. The court said that if the evidence
was gone into, and prima facie case was
made out, the court must bind over the
respondent on charge of perjury, and of
course evidence for the defence could not
agree to the postponement. If the facts
are as stated by the relator, there has been
a cruel outrage Of the most criminal ma
ture.
g Mr.. Gilpin, for the respondents. said
that they wished TO stand on the ground
Ene I,Ltn Ll.a AE A.