New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-01
FROM PHILADELPHIA.

IA the public bsve not been made acquainted
with the facts AID particulars respecting the
AGENCY o. Mr.. Passmore Williamson and others,
in relation to the slave case now agitsting this
city, and especially as the poor slave mother
and her two sons have been 20 grossly misrepre
ssnted, deem 1t my DUTY to lay the facts before
you, for publication or otherwise, as you may
think proper.
On Wednesday afternoon, week, at Al o'clock,
the following note was placed in my hands by
colored boy whom had never before seen, to my
recollection
"MR. STILL-Sr. viii you come down to Blood
goods Hotel as a. pOssible--as there are three
fugitive slaves here and they want liberty. Their
mBsier IL here with them, bis way to New DIRK.
The pote was without date, and the signature so
indstnctly written as not to be understood BY me,
having evidently been penned in moment Of haste.
Without delay / ran with the note to Hr. +.
Wiliamson's Office Seventh and Arch, found him
at bis desk, and gave it 10 him, and after reading
it, be remarked that he could not 90 down, as he
had to 90 10 Harrisburg that night on business
but he advised ne to go, and to get the names OF
the STAKEHOLDER and the slaves, in order to tele-
graph to New-YOrk to have them arrested there,
as no time renamed to procure writ OF habeas
corpus here.
/ could not have been two minutes in Mr.. WIS
office before starting in haste for the wharf To
NY surprise, however, when reached the wharf,
there found Mr W., his mind having undergone
q sudden change; he as soon on the spot.
] saw three or four cOlored persons in the hall,
at Bloodgoods, none of whom recognized except
the boy who brought me the note. Before having
time for making inquiry some one said they had
gone on the boat Get their description" said
Mr.. w. to myself instantly inquired of one of
the cOlOred persons for the desired description,
and in a single sentence was told that she was " a
" tall, dark woman with two little boys
Mr. w. and myself ran on board of the boat,
looked among the passengers on the first deck, but
saw them not. "1hey are up on the second deck,
an unknown voice uttered In second we were
in their presence. We approached the anxiOus-iook-
ing slaye-mOther with her two boys on her left
hand close on her right sat an ill-iayored white
man having cane in his hand which took to be
a sword cane. CAS- to its being sword cane, how
ever / might have been mistakenly
The first words to the mother were: Are you
travelling" eyes" was the prompt answer.
with whom 2" NOdding her head toward the i'll
favored man, signify ing with him. fldgetlng ON
his seat, he said something, exactly what do not
now recollect In reply / remarked " Do they
belong TO YOU, Sir 2" eyes, they are in my
charge was his answer Turning from him to
the mother and her sons, in substance and word
for word as near as | can remember, the follow
lDg remdThk were earnestly Cdinhl
dressed by the individuals who eOiced to meet
them on free soil, and who felt Enthusiastically as
sured that they were justified by the laws OF Penn
sylvsnia as well as the Law of God, in informing
them OF their rights:
"You are entitled to your freedom according to
the laws of Pennsylvania having been brought into
the State by your owner. If you prefer freedom
to slavery as we suppose everybody does, you
have the chance to accept it now. Act calmly
L. f-tu ,a1 hx naQf
much entitled to your freedom as we are, or as
he is--be determined and you need have no fears
but you will be protected by the law. Judges
have time aud again decided cases IN this city ana
State similar to yours III taYor OF freedom! vi
course, if you want to remain slave with your
master, we cannot force you to leave we only
want to make you sensible of your rights. Re-
member, If you lose this chance you may nerer get
such another" DC.
This advice TO the woman was made In the near
irg of number of persons present, white and col
oIed an0 one elderly white gentleman OF genteel
address, who seemed to take much interest IN what
was going ON, remarked that they would have the
same chance for their freedom i'll New-Jersey and
| New York as they then had-seemng to sympa-
thize with the woman, &c.
During the few moments in which the above re-
marks were made, the Shareholder frequently In
terrupted-sad she understood all about the laws
making her free, and her right to leave II she
wanted to; but contended that she did not want
TO leaye-that she was on visit to New YORK 10
see her Acknowledgement piSh6d TO return to her
three children lchom she ft IN pTgiHIa, from tohom
IL rouid be HARD TO separate her. Furthermore ne
diligently tried to constrain her to say that she aid
not want to be interfered with-that she wanted
10 90 with him-that she was on visit To New
York-had children in the South, &c; but the
woman's de,ire TO be free was altogether too
strong TO allow her to make single acknowledg-
nent favorable to his wishes in the matter On
the contrary, she repeatedly said, distinctly and
firmly " am not free. lat rant my treedom-AL-
WAYS ,ranted 10 be free ! but he holds me-"
In the Shareholders remarks, after saying that
she belonged to him. he said that she tcGs free
Again he said that be was gong to gire heT her
freedom &c When his eyes would be of OF hers,
such kndling feelings her eyes exhibited lndlca-
tive of her enreaty that we should not forsake her
and her little ones, in their weakness, II had never
been my lot to witness before, under any circum-
stances.
The last bell toled The last moment for fur
Their DELAY passed The arm of ihe master being
slightly touched, accompanied with the words,
" Come and she Instantly arose" go along-go
along" said some, who sympathized, to the boys,
at the same time taking hold of their arms. By
this time the parties were fairly moving toward
the narrow stairway leading to the deck below
Instantly on their starting the STAKEHOLDER rushed
at the womsn and her children, TO prevent their
leaving and, if am not mistaken, he simultane
ously took hold of the woman and Mr.. Williamson,
which resistance on his part caused Mr.. W. to take
hold of him and set him aside quickly
The passengers were gazing all around but none
nteriered in behalf of the stakeholder except one
man whom | took to be another Shareholder. lie
said harshly, LET them alone; they are his
property " The youngest boy, about years OF
age-too young to know what these things meant
cried Mas,a John Msssa John The elder