The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-07-22
raE SLAVE CASE AT pBILApELpHIA.


appeared in the Union Of yesterday has already assumed
grave and serious aspect than was generally anti
cipated The Philadelphia papers of Friday evening com
tain full report of the preliminary examination before the
United States district judge of the plaintiff in this as
well as of of the parties implicated in this
daring and successful attempt to rob citizen Of property
lawfully acquired and to the peaceabe possession OF which
be supposed to have the protection Of the law and It's
sworn executive officers After reading the testimony Of
these witnesses the questions naturally arise have the
people of the South the constitutional right TO the posses
sion and use Of certain description of property, and,
this right being conceded, what measures should be
adopted to force those northern cities and States
now under the Joint domination of know-nothingism
and abolitionism into prompt recognition and OBJ
Of paramount obligation OF tue federal com
pact In Philadelphia and Boston, where knownothng-
ism has full and almost undispued sway no southern gen
teman safe from ruan violence he has the tenery
to bring with him his servants This liability 10 personal
outrage has been greatly ncreascdimminent as II was
beore-snce the meeting Of the Philadelphia know-noh-
ing national convention in which the dsgraceful spectacle
was presented of men, southern only in name with cap IN
hand and Bonded knees mporng the Johnstons and Will
sons of the North make concessions upon question
which the constitution has settled and the great national
democratic party has upheld for than half century
When southern men fratenze with and fawn upon abo
tionists in the name of nownothingsm the
of the fragrant outrage to which the readers attention
now invited should occasion no surprise.
II appears that Hon John H. Wheeler, of North Carolina
on his return to his mission to Nicaragua, left Washing
ton Wednesday morning last with the view OF taking
passage for himself his family and his servants on board
the steamship which advertised to leave New York for
San Juan Friday last While on board Of the steam
boat the Philadelphia wharf, in company with his iam-
lily and servants in broad day light he was surprised by
the sudden appearance of small party Of negroes headed
by white abotionis who did not leave him long in sus-
pense in regard 10 their hieving intentions His three
slaves mother and two sons were forcbly stolen from
him in spite Of their remonstrances screams and resist
Mr. Wheeler attempted to protect his servants from
the outrage committed but he roughly seized by the
black scoundrels, who that they would cut his
throat if he offered the slightest resistance The aid of
know nothing police officer who present during the
whole transacton invoked hut he declined doing his
sworn duty on the ground that he not . slave
catcher We now copy from the published report of the
case:
Mr vandyko briefly stated the facts Of the fol-
lows: The Hon. John H. Wheeler is citizen OF North
Carolina he has been for time American minister to
foreign power He has been at his post in discharge OF his
duties and returning to it after brief visit to the Uni
ted States He is the Of three coored servants
named Jane, Daniel, and Isaiah.
He proceeding to New York on Wednesday, the
18TH embark for Nicaragua and when board at the
wharf at this city with his three servants the respondent
came on board asked those servants of them if
thew would like be They told him that they wished
stay with their master when the respondent and fifteen
twenty coored took them torcby from the CUSTODY
of their master The two boys cried to go back TO Mr.
Wheeler but the respondent here, Passmore William
son, forced them away.
.The companions and associates of Mr. Williamson seized
Mr. Wheeler by the throat he was trying to prevent this
outrage his property and said il he made resist
they would cut his throat
Mr. Vsndyke said that he proved these simple facts he
proved the return false.
The point raised BY the opposite counsel he said
that the would not behind the return but he asked
the go into the question of the committa Of
the outrage and prove by evidence the return to be false
"Mr Hopper one of the respondents COUNSEL then asked
time to prepare testimony to prove the return
The said that if the evidence gone into and
acic made out the court must bind the
respondent charge Of perjury and of evidence
the defence could not be TAKEN He could not agree to
postponemen If the facts stated by the reator there
has been cruel outrage Of most criminal nature.
Mr GiIpn for respondent said that they wished to
stand ground Of utter negaon of the possession of the
any time After remarks technical points
Mr.. Gilpin took his seat.
The evidence then proceeded with when Mr. Wheeler
was called to the stand. He testified as follows:
ola native of North Carolina is the of the col
ored persons named Jane Daniel, and Isaiah left ash
ngton city Wednesday the 18TH under an order from
government to embark New York for Nicaragua, to
which port he accredited ambassador lie had been
in that service about year had home short time
AFRO and ordered in OF the confused
state of political affairs that country his wife and three
servants were with hm reached Philadelphia about quar-
ter past o'clock on his way New York forced to
leave the 60 the residence Of his
Thomas Sully esq., to get things for Mrs. Wheeler
had obtained trunk containing the articles spoken OF and
returned to the wharf, but found the o'clock boat gonej
had TO wait until O'Clock for the next tran--which
time was spent the nearest hotel Boodgoods at wal
nutstreet wharf; going on boad the boat at mt
tie before o'clock retired with the three servants to the
hurricane deck get of the noise and buste shortly
before o cockthe last bell had just un at five minutes
before 5whie reading the evening papers, an indi-
vidual whom | recognise Mr.. Passmore Williamson,
docking at responden up to and asked II he
might speak to my witness replied that he could
not imagine what business he could have with his (wness
that il he had anything to say witness was the
proper person to Mr. Williamson then pushed past
Witness and asked the (Jane) If she was slave
and she knew she In free country or something ike
It, and then they (he servants) would like to be Free
The replied that she knew yth whom she was going
where and how she going The respondent then took
her by the arm began force her away witness inter-
sway two coored fellows who had up then seized
and held Witness and one of them said, If you make
any resistance will your throat; do not know the
proper names negroes who seized and held
Of them is called Rabbit by the interference Of some
ron leuan who seemed be a traveller, the