Washington sentinel., 1855-02-09
THE SLAVE RESCUE CASE AT MIL
WAUKEE.

We have already stated that the Supreme
Court of Wisconsin had issued writs Of habeas
corpus in the case of Messrs. Booth and Ry-
craft, fined and imprisoned under the provi-
sions of the Fugitive Slave Act, for rescuing
slave from the hands of United States officers.
The shameful proceedings which ensued, upon
the removal of the prisoners from jail, are thus
described by the Milwaukee Ners, of the 3lst
ultmo:
REIGN OF TERRoR.-The performace of the
fanatics on Monday morning in escorting Booth
and Rycraft from Jail are worthy the palmy
days of Robespierre and Danton. The groan-
ings and hootings before Judge Millers were
the effusions of weak minds; the conduct of
the crowd at the jail-or, more properly, of the
leader of twas marked with a feature Of
cold .blooded atrocity at which even savages
might cry shame. A son of DR.. Tracy, who
lives Immediately north of the Jail, had died
very suddenly that morning, rendering the be-
reaved mother frantic with grief, and over
whelming the whole family with deep sorrow
In this state they were assaied by din OF
yells, music and firing of cannon Immediately
at their door, which would have disgraced a
tribe of Hottentots. The Doctor came out
and stated the circumstances, and begged Of
them to desist at least from firing the cannon.
Without even the respect which brute animals
instinctively pay to the presence of the dead,
the request was not complied with-the carni-
val Of fanaticism suffered no abatement until
the performers took up their line of march
through the streets.
These are the fruits of fanaticism the "bit-
ter end' of which is not yet; and those of our
citizens who, from morbid and mistaken phi.
lanthropy, have countenanced or encouraged
it, may have them presented to their own lips.
The Milwaukee Sentinel, Fusion Whig,l of
the same date, has the following;
start for Madison with his prisoners, yesterday
morning. handbills were printed and posted
about the city, during Saturday night, inviting
the people to assemble at the county Jail, at
o'clock, Monday morning, to escort Messrs
Booth and Rycraft to the railroad depot. Pune.
tually at the hour named, the church bells be-
gan to ring out joyous peal and the cannon
sent forth its laundering summons, and obe
dient TO the signal, the people from all parts Of
the city came hurrying to the Court House
square.
In very few minutes nearly thousand
men had collected on the ground, and being
marshalled in procession by DR.. L. b. Wolcott,
with band of music in four-horse sleigh ON
the lead, and the sheriff. with his prisoners, in
another four-horse sleigh, in the centre, the i'm
posing column marched through Jackson, Wis.
consin, Spring, and Third streets, to the rail
road depot AS they passed Judge Miller's resi-
dence, the band struck mp Jordan is a hard
road TO travel" and the procession groaned
audibly; and at the residence of Mr.. Booth, and
other points on the route, they gave repeated
cheers. The morning was cold and tempestu-
Gus, the deep snow and driving blast disposing
everybody to keep within doors. Nevertheless,
the turnout was UNEXPECTEDLY large; and the
spirit which animated the entire assemblage
unmistakable.
Arrived at the depot, Messrs. Booth and Ry
craft, in obedience to the call Of the multitude
got upon the top of the cars, were saluted with
three laundering cheers, and briefly expressed
their Acknowledgements TO their ow.citizens
for their countenance and sympathy. Shortly
afterwards the train, drawn by two powerful
locomotives, and with thirty or forty men on
board, headed by the superintendent, 10 clear
the track from the constantly falling snow,
started off for Madison.
From he Miirca0kte Ns,cs, Of Jan. 30
The SUPREME CoURT-THE HABEAs CoRPUs
CAsE.-We have barely space TO call attention
to the following from the Madison Journal, Of
yesterday, partially stating the grounds Of the
decision OF the court TO grant the writ Of ha.
Jeas corpus in the case Of Booth and Rycraft
"0n announcing the decision Of the court
last Saturday, Chief Justice Wilton remarked
that they had decided to grant the prayer Of the
petitioners, and that the grounds for his deci-
sion would be given in his opinion after the
trial. Justice Crawford, who dissented from
the decision, declaring the Fugitive Slave Act
unconstitutional, pronounced last summer, said
that, assuming that act to be constitutional,
the petitioners were entitled 10 a writ Of haJeas
corpus, since no crime was alleged in the in
dictment under which they were convicted.
Justice Smith took still more decided stand,
and declared the Fugitive Slave Act unconsti.
tutional, and therefore void, and that no indict.
ment could lay under it."
Under this decision, the discharge Of the
roIlnuo N IF