The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-09-25
THE pAssMORE WILLIAMSON CASE.

Whilst the abolition papers persstng in the effort
make martyr of Passmore Williamson, and to excite a
northern sympathy in his behalf that sterling national
democratic Journal Detroit Free Press speaks tho
tments of the sound northern in the following ar
tcle
"TBE CONFERENCE.-The Passmore Williamson
will scarcely prove godsend to the abolcnss The
public sympathy cannot be excited in his behalf nor in be-
half Of the political party which is seeking to impose him
upon the world the representative of heavenborn idea
Passmore Williamson is not martyrs and intelligent peo-
Pile be impressed with the conviction that he is such
certainly not that he is martyr to anythng but his
wicked stubbornne His Imprisonment is the penalty Of
contumacy and he has but to to be
has but submit himself to the legal authority and tell tie
ruo find his prison doors to him, and himself free
man.
sThe abolition papers Professionally and ndustriouy seek
to the belief that Williamson is imprisoned for his
agency in abductng Colonel Wheeers He
He imprisoned for contempt Of court in refusing to make
writ of haJas corpus. The question of
right of Colonel Wheee to their freedom the
right of Williamson to aid them in obtaining their freedom
not involved the matter Of Wiiansons imprisonment,
Not at ALL Had Williamson obeyed the writ of hateds
and brought the servants into court he required
to do the question of their right freedom under the laws
of Pennsyvan could have been tried II Colonel Wheeler
had right to the possession of the negroes certainly Viii
hanson had not and his seizure of them
the holding of them by Colonel Wheeler. To state the
case, in the language Of cotemporay without touching
the inquiry whether Colonel Wheeler could legally hold the
negroes slaves in the State of Pennsylvania his right
to them certainly superior to that Of williamson
whose Intervention in the was Mt best trespass
If Colonel Wheeler held those persons Illegally the courts
had the power to give them, not him, redress. The
writ of habeas corpus might then have been awarded on
the presentation of the facts to Judge Kane or any
other Judge, and the Legality of Colonel Wheeers claim
to his slaves determined Williamson, to gain little
riety and if possible to maryrze himself preferred
their release by violence. He did On the be-
ing presented to Judge Kanethat u.s. that Williamson did
intervene and take the negroes into his custody force
fnnconary issued writ Of habeas corpus
commanding the officers to bring before him the persons
taken from Colonel heelers custody in the
ted Had this writ been executed and the slaves brought
into court they would have been precisely they
in the hands Of Colonel Wheeern the custody the law
they could be found. williamson who had orcby
abducted them, called upon give OF what
had done in the premises He refused and that
REFUSAL before any in the civilized world was con-
tempt 1t something than ordinary contempt
he confessed trcspasser 1t be that first vio-
lated the public peaceha assumed to take the into his
hands. For this contempt Judge cent the ocious
medder to prison but be sent with him. Judge Black
says the keys by which, if he would he could unlock hi.
prison doors and be free. He is required only to tell the
trutha penance which his pernacous habits of invention
would seem, have made him. for he still re-
fuses.
"Ths Ia the CASE ana the whole of it. Wilamsons ap-
picaton to the supreme court of relief was
unsuccessful because there possible ground grant
ing relief"