The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-08-10
From the Reading (Penn.) Gazette 4 Democrat
An Infamous Ouiraye.

III,
ii. Wheeler, u. S. Minister TO Nicaragua, while
IN transitu. from Philadelphia to New York, was
heard last Friday, before Judge Kane, in the U.
). District Court. Williamson, in answer to the
VIII served upon him, made return that the slaves
were not, and had not been at any time in his
power or custody, and therefore he could not pro.
duce Them. The prosecution objected TO this re-
iurn and offered TO produce evidence TO show that
1t was false. Judge Kane decided 10 hear the
evidence, and If prima facie case was made out
he would hold the defendant to answer for perjury
The testimony was then gone into, and when it
closed, Judge Kane said The case was of so grave
character and the consequences great 10 the
defendant, that he must take time to consider and
examine the matter. In the meantime he was held
IN $4,000 for further hearing.
1t Is high time that The rights of Southern gen.
iem"n, travelling through The Northern S ales
should be more clearly ascertaned. II they are
TO be constantly subjected TO the same indgnny
ami wrong which Mr. Wheeler suffered the
hands of this bold aboIitionis and his black
c"mpIces, without any power of redress. they
should know the fact, and shape their intercourse
with the free STATES accordingly. Whatever may
bc he feelings IN other parts o the North,
satisfied that The conservative, law. abiding and
UnIon.lOvng people Of PenHSy lsanIa do not ap-
prove such acts OF violence and frgrant injustice
as the one committed upon Mr.. WhreIer, and will
rejoice to see It's perpetrators punished 10 he
tr'mrst lawful point. They may have no love
Tor slavery; but this does not axe them less vii.
ling 10 respect tn. laws of their sister States which
Tolerate II, and the rights their fellow citizens
haV" acquired under them. When they 90 TO
the South, they expect Southern laws 10 protect
them IN their persons and property and when
Sou hernrrs come here, they would extend the
same protection, even though 'he property OF the
latter may consist in that which our laws do not
recognize such.
1t has been decided we believe, by cur Courts,
that slaves brought voluntarily by their owners,
into free State, entitled 10 their freedom, u
fhcp choose to claim It, But, we apprehend,. there
is n"thlng in these decisions which sanctions the
t0rciJie seizure and rescue Of slaves, their res
toIarlon to liberty, against their own will, by
rlUiOuS mob In this case, ii was clearly Prov
by >rvt raj Witnesses, IN cOrrObnra;Ion o: Mr..
Wheeer's own statement, that the slave WON ~
and her TWO boys ''wcre forced away" from their
master that "shc held back with all her Strength
and the boys we're also struggling and crying t"
get away from The negroes who held thrm that
"Ihe boys and woman kicked and cried TO get
way, and said they wanted to GO to their master,
and that OF The mob "thrcatrn"d Ia cut Mr..
WheeIer's throat from TO ear if he interered."
Surely there is no decision of any Pennsy lvann
Court on record, To warrant the commission Of
such outrage Our laws, though they gnor"
The existence Of slavery, are certainly not so de-
fcctIve as TO provide no punishment for a hagrant
ncl of violence like this. There must be ample
legal means 10 bring Mr.. Williamson and the
black scuundrels who aoetrcd his rintous proceed.
ing, 20 s'rict account; and we hope they may
GC made to irrl, i'll such way as sill cause Them
not soon 10 forget, that even sltvc-holders have
rights in a free State which cannot be invaded
with impunity.
Th 8 negro woman and her two hoys-whum
Mr.. Wheeler intended TO take to their mistress.
native of PhadcIpha-are now free. whether
they will or no. II StOnH be the duty OF their
llberatorS, it they have the common feelings OF
humanity. to feed, cIothe. and provide for lh"m.
Mr.. Wheeler was bound to do. They need
such care; for they are among strangers, and
helpless slaves usually are when obliged 10 de-
pend upon themselves. But the philanthropy OF
aboliiionsm goes no farther than to give slaves
freedOnt-wheuher TO beg, steal, starve, they
care not. Liberty is shrine AT which il is a wor
thy deed TO offer sacrifice and what more ac-
ceptable victim be inundated than the poor
negro, just red from the chains OF slavery! So
the abuonists reason, their pracrice tells US.
What, then. is be the fate Of these liberated
slaves! Will any family in Philadelphia take
them into its service We doubt it. Our Nor
thern housekeepr:s are not accustomed TO hire
servants encumbrred with children. The ''cru"l
act" of separating this mother and her little help.
less bnvs-which would give the Iftbu'c and
other abolition journals material for whole col.
umn OF ''ihe horrors Of slavery. it IT were 10 TIC
cur al the Souih-must therefore be their 6rs ex-
prri"nce Of Freedom II, able, separately, TO earn
bread enough To keep themselves from starving,
they will probably find lodging in some mlsera-
BILE garrett or filthy cellar, and drag out a burden.
some existence in the midst OF the sqnaI"r, disease"
and oarhsnme vice. which mark the hnun's Of free
negroes in our Northern CITIES. Will William.
son and his confederales be remembered in Mr'r
DYING prayers !-if indeed their prayers be not
turned 10 curses.
USE OF ToBACCo.-ln the United S ates, phys
Icians have estimated that twenty thousand per.
sons die every year from The use Of tobacco. In
Germany the physicians have calculated that, OF
all the deaths hich occur between the nges OF
eighteen and twenty six, one half originate IN the
waste of the constitution by smoking. They say
tina. the article exhnustS and deranges the nervous
powers, and produces long train oI disease, t"
winch the stomach is liable, and especially those
forms that go under the name of dyspepsia. 1t
also exerts disastrous influence on the mnd
Pt,hldrIphiu Ledger.
Say twice, whnut a mistake. 'PAter Piper 5
p"acock pecked peck Of pepper out oi pewter
platter If Peter PIPers peacock picked n peck OF
pepper ou; o! pewter platter, where's tl" pcE "i
DeDDrI Peter PIDer's g ne; cock Dpcked I!