New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-23
THE PHILADELPHIA SLAVE CASE.

A somewhat novel case has come up in the
L. S. Court at Philadelphia. Mr.. John II.
Wheeler left Washington on the 18th, under an
order from Government to embark at New-York
for Nicaragua, to which country he is the ac
credited Minister of this Republic. He had
with him three colored persona, woman and
two bOys, whom he styled his servants. The
party reached Philadelphia, and went on board
a boat which was just starting for New York
While the boat was lying in the river, gentle
man named Williamson went aboard, and having
been told that the cOlOred people desired to be
free, he approached the woman, asking her "f
she knew her rghts-if :" she knew that by
Law she was free ~ The diplomatist objected
to the Sc proceedings on the part OF Mr. William
son, and stoutly declared that the coored lady
did not d. sire freedom, though she asserted the
contrary. While the dispute was going on,
seyersl coloIed men came aboard, took the woman
and her two sons, and conveyed them from the
boat; since which we believe they have not been
heard from. Thereupon Mr.. Wheeler applied to
Judge Kane for a writ of habeas corpus, direct
ing Mr.. Williamson to bring in the bodies of the
three rescued persons Mr.. Williamson re-
sponded to the writ by averring that the bodies
mentioned therein had not been in his custody
at any time, and were not now. Az the hearing
before the Judge, Wheeler's attorney moved
that Mr.. Williamson be held for contempt in
making false return, and also to answer to
charge Of willful perjury. The Judge passed
over the motion for contempt, but required Mr..
Williamson to give bail on the charge of perjury.
There is perhaps no great reason for sar'
prise at a stretch Of authority on the part Of
Judge Ksne in case like this, where the ques
ton is betsen man claiming to own other
men like cattle, and another who has Informed
the chsttel, of their rights and put them in the
way Of becoming in fact, as they were in Law,
their own propretOrs. Still it is difficult to
understand on what principle he held Mr.. vii
| hanson for perjury ia swearing that ne had not
the custody Of these emsncipated blacks That
they were legally ewancipated will, we pre-
sumo, not be disputed, since they had been
brought into Free State voluntarily by their
former master. Nor will il be denied that il
was the privilege Of Mr.. Williamson to so inform
them, ifhe chose to do it. Indeed, as to all the
charges preferred against him, we fail to dis
cover shadow of evidence whereon to base
them. 1t does not appear that the people
ever were in his keeping; and if they were
not, there has been neither contempt nor per
| jury in the case.
We do not perceive how il is to be shown
that any crime has been committed, except it
be crime to inform slaves who arrive in the
Free States that they are no longer slaves.
That Mr.. Wheeler feels the loss he has sus-
tainedss very probable. The old lady and the
two boys were worth to him some hundreds OF
dollars in Carolina. lie is entitled TO SYM
patty in his misfortune from all persons SINH
lsrly situated. But after sill, be can blame 10
one but himself. He should not have brought
his property" into the Free States. AS a
diplomaiist learned in the laws Of nstions, be
should have known that it ceased to be "Prop-
"erty" the instant it set foot on the soil
Of Freedom. Ii shareholders Will bring their
slaves where slaves they can no longer be, they
must take the consequences Neither ACCUSE
tiCrs of perjury nor of contempt OF Court
brought against Abolitionists. csn restore tae