Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-08-01
from tks washington UniOn.l
M, CyYo,,o r,o0a af phfIadeIuEia,

Generally anticipated The Philadelphia papers of
Friday evening contain full report OF the preiml-
rarv examination before the United States district
Judge of the plaintiff in this case as well as OF one OF
two Of the parties implicated in this daring ana sue
ccssfu attempt to rob citizen OF property iS%iuy
acquired and to the peaceable possession OF WiCI ne
$ s posed TO have the protection Of tue law and its
sworn executive. After reading the tesunuuy Vi
.heza witnesses, the questions naturally e!Se Haye
ihe people Of tie South the CONSTITUTIONS 10 we
POSSESSION and use Of certain description OF proper
~ and this rirht being conceded, what measures
should beadopted to force those northern cItes ana
States now under the joint domination OF Know
Notaingism and abotionism into prompt recog9l-
tos ard observance of paramount o6Igauon OF tne
federal compact In philadelphia and Boston, where
KNOWN otlinsiSm has full and almost unGispuieu
sway, no southern gentleman Is SAFE rom saL'n
This liability 10 personal outrage has been greatly
ncscased-immineut as it was before since the meet
nr OF the Philadelphia KNOWN othIng national con
ycutiOn in which the dIsgraceuI spectacle was pre-
s.n-eI nj men southern only in name with cap
lin hand and Bonded knees, irnporing the Johnsions
ana Wilson's OF the north 10 make concessions upon
nresfiou which the constitution has settled and the
rst natiougl Democratic party has upheld tor more
lhauI half n century. When southern men frater-
nae with and lwn upon aboitionsts in the name oil
-NOthingisn, the occurrence of tbs hagrant out
I rage TO which the readers attention Is now invited
/ should occasion surprise.
f II appears that Hon. John H. Wheeler of North
Ca:olina on his to his mission to Nicaragua,
LEFT Washington on Wednesday morning last Win
The view oftaking passage for himself his family and
his servants, on board the steamship which was ad-
+ yerisei 10 leave New York for San Juan on Friday
last While on board the steamboat at the Phadel-
phia wharf in company with his family and servants
in broad day light, he was surprised by the Sudden
appearance of small party OF negroes, headed by q
white abolitionst, who did not leave HIM long IN
suspense in regard their thieving intentions.
His three slaves, mother and two sons, were iorc-
lily stolen from him in spite Of their reHonstrances,
screams and resistance. Mr.. Wheeler attempted pro-
tect his servants from the outrage committed, but nc
Has roughly sized by the black scoundTclS, who
sat ore they wouldcut his throatfhe offered the slight
est resistance. The aid Of kuow-Nothng police
officer vino present during the whole transaction
WAS invoked but he declined doing his sworn duty
on The ground that "he not slave catcher y
We now copy from the published report OF the
Mr. y2c briefly stated the facts of the case as
follows: The Hon. john II. Wheeler is citizen Of
North Carolina he has been for some time American
minister to foreign power. He has been at his post
Ia discharge ofhs duties, and was returning to it
after a; brief visit to: the United States. lie Isl the
owner ofthree cOlorcd servants, Jane, Daniel, and
Isaiah.
g. lie was proceeding to New York on wednesday,
the s;h, TO embark FOR Nicaragua, and when on
board the wharf NJ this city with his three servants
tie respondent came on board aad asked those ser
wants, one q. them, they would like to be Tree
They told him that they wished to stay with their
master, when the respondent anil fifteen or twenty
cuJrCl persons took them iorciJly from the custody
O. their master. The two boys cried to go back to
Gr. Wheeler, hut t.e-Fespondcat here, one Passmore
Williamson, forced them away.
Tn. companions and associates ofNIr williamson
seized Mr. hcg!e- b; the throat as ne was TRYING
prevent this outrage his property, and said that
il he made any resistance they would cut his throat
:. Mr. Nardyke said that if he proved those simple
fJcta lie proved the return false
"Thc point raised hy the opposite counsel! he said,
was that the court would not 20 behind the return ;
but lie asked that the court 90 into the question
Oithc CUm:mttDi of the outrage and prove by cTi-
dcrce the return to be false.
Mr. Hopper, one OF the respondent counsel, tAcn
asked time 10 prepare teslimOht 10 prove Tue return
Tic court said that II the evidences was gene !alo
and PFt1ti-Gcc case was made out the court must
bind over the respondent on charge ut perjury; ana
81 cUuGsc evidence for the defence could not he "Hc'
lie could not agree to tie pCs;pJGencGt. II the facts
arc stated by the Tc.utOr there has been cruel
outrage OF 4 most criminal Eu,lre.
Mg. GiipiE, FOR the respondent said that they
wished stand the ground Of utter HCgaIion d
lie possession OF the servants CT any tilnc Ai,cr
some Remarks Oh technical pU!HisI Mr.. GI.r!n took
Ais seat
The evidence was then projected With, Wlen Mt
Wheeler called to the stand. lie testified as fol-
lows:
is native Of North Carolina ; is tie owner Of
tie ccUrea persons NAMED Jane Daniel. and Isaiah
icft Washington city, on Wednesday, the 18Th, UH-
der an order from Governments 10 crGa.s at New
York for Nicaragua to which port he VAS lccycL-
lied ambassador lie had been in that service about
:; ~aar; had come home 4 shurt time aro and was
ordered 10 return in consequence Of The confused
state Of 10 ideal affairs in that country his wife
au& three servants we're with him reached puil-
dc!phiu about quarter rast o.coc On his way 10
New York; -. forced 10 leave the beat to go 20 the
residence q His G.tlcrin-!ar Thomas Sulr ESQ., to
,-ei some thiuz5 for Mrs Wheeler; had ollaiucd the
;ri; con;ft the articles snoGrr ofauI return ell
4, the wharf ut found the ,Ecigl: Lglt sJwc: had
8, wait until o'c}lc, for th, rezt train-ls;a,.
if. was ss.nt mt tie nearest holcl Blood Goods 1T
ly,r,rt sra-. ,YI,rf: o, uOi,ie on board the boat
- 81 f;,o rrrr : o,.i,n, yrij,a, with the three SER
wants 10 IN. hurricane Laci; IL .setout Of the noise
sI bus;c. s,lurtl,. beSyr, 5ioc.gl;-lnc last bell
fn5 ir,St r,I,,r nj five Iuiufc5 before ! o'clock
thiIi was rallfu,r tc cycui'y plpnrz IN fulivil-
nal WHOM recognize As Mr.. s2i5sinorc Williamson
.Uoo,,ipg at the respondeut)f came up 10 ne aud
.n-IcI ifLn MIGHT sneak n m servants witness re-
i,iir6 that hr could NOT in,I3iue what business he
could btva with his (,yinps4l servants aud that if
he had ANYTHING TO saw wftnfs WAS the proper per
son TO saw II 10: Mr. WiliuI $2n then pushed past
witness and os,.nL tho WON Cyaue) if she was
sf.v, and If s know. sin, " Ia free country or
srI1rrlirr ln il and thor, 81 they (the seryantsl
,yuII UiSa tn Ln From, THO .u,y, ra,li.J that She
,gas aoir,et Irhrra md hnv,S.IIe was goiur. The
rcr.GTi-S7,, ,I, tol. L.r rs, , ,rnY md Eenan ia
Ir Nv 49,. ft,1ass in, i.rcj and s,iI 20 MIR
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