Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-08-24
The Triumphs of Slavery.

the slave power than u can d 10 our
readers. We would prefer to write
and think on other subjects, but this
is forced upon us by repeated aggres-
sions, repeated demands. and u dispo.
sition on the part Of some to make no
peated concessions.
As late instance Of the demands
Of the slave power, take the Wheeler
case. which is destined to create no
little sensation. A Mr.. Wheeler. a
slave holder. found IL convenient to
travel through Philadelphia with a
slave woman, and her two children
While there. a Mr.. Williamson inform
ed her that she was free and she de-
liberately got up, TOOK her children
and left. A writ Of habeas corpus
was issued by slave catching COM
missioner. and Williamson was required
to produce the slaves. In answer to
the writ. he returned that they were
not in his custody and never had been.
For this he was committed to jail for
contempt Of Court II Is alleged that
his return Is false. but this would
constitute perjury. and that would inn
ply the right Of n trial. but contempt
Of Court is an indefuable, intangible.
invisible something. that Is convenient
when imprisonment is determined on.
and no legal cause can be obtained
Shortly after his commitment writ
OF habeas corpus was asked. from
Judge Lewis. that an investigation of
his ollense might BE- had, His friends
did not wish to exculpate him. II he
had committed an oflense against the
law. but they wished his oilensc to be
proven. or at least defined. The only
custody he had had, was simply to in
form the slave woman Of her rights.
II that is violation of Pennsylvania
law, or Federal law, let 1t be known.
But Judge Lewis refused to grant the
writ, because IL would be iisrespectful
to Judge Kane. as every Judge should
be competent to decide what is con-
tempt Of his Court. Beautiful. love.
ly. decision The liberty and prop
erty Of Americans. ut the mercy Of a
Judge, and there is no appeal So
Mr.. Williamson remains in Jail and is
likely to for the grave "anconstiiution-
al" offense of informing fee wo-
man. who was about to be carried.
with two children into slavery, that
she was free. The decision of South
ern Courts and the Federal Court,
have repeatedly affirmed that, taking
n slave into free state, makes him
free.
Well, let him lio there II the ty.
rant. SLAYER. ycan incarcerate William.
son, there is no man whom il may moi
And il the Sovereign people Of Penn
sylvania will submit to such an out.
rage. let them. But. citizens Of Indi,
ana, though it be at the risk Of inpris
onment, for contempt Of oppression. We
will hold up such deeds to the JUS
contempt Of freemen.
Not the least painful feature Of thi.
question of oppression and tyranny il
that there is powerful party existing
among us that sustains it--that ever
makes obedience to its exactions .
test Of fellowship. We say po'ssrfu
party. we do not mean large party
If the elections Of last summer, ant
the increasing love Of freedom aud ha
tired of oppression, that is everywher,
manifest. is to be regarded, the numeri
cal strength Of that party is not 10 b,
feared. Yet it possesses the power o
Office. The President and his tabine
favor the demands of the south. ant
the thousands Of appointees Of til,
President are presumed to favor thu
same. Most of them do, but we know
some deputy Post Masters, who woult
die before they would bow down t.
the Moloch of that party.
The Washington Union, as in dut,
bound. lauds. the decisions of the Judge
and rejoices that Williamson "must re
main in prison to pay the penalty o
his willful perjury" When was h
convicted of that offence Periur,
is crime-known to the law-and n
man can be punished for it except Of
conviction-nor can he be conyicte
of it, except in, accordance withpaw.-
When was Mr.. Williamson convicte
of perjury When was he tried p
By what witnesses was his guilt pre-
we'd ? What Jury returned him gull
? ty? Is Judge Kane at once Court
Q Witnesses. Jury and Executioner 3
r Is his decree-his bare, naked fat
{ to supersede all the forms Of Justic
n and of Law? This is worse than Sta
:. Chamber tyranny. And yet it 6nt
!. an earnest. exultant champion in I'll
t organ of the Federal Executive
n Suppose precisely that ground ha
s been taken by Massachusetts, judg
y in case of Southern Slave owner
e Suppose such citizen in pursuit of
,e fugitive slave, to be committed to pri
y on in Boston for contempt of Court
l. and writ of habeas corpus to be d
,e MED. Would the Union uphold su,
" decision in that case, as it does in thi