Washington sentinel., 1856-08-02
Correspondsnce OF the Virginia sentinsI.
WAsHINcroN, July 20, 1856.

"AohANSAoNf ouiJ Ao3 Aooo-
On the 10th, nth, and 18th of April. ls4s,
great excitement prevailed in this District,
arising from the fact that a large number of
slaves had been stolen from the neighborhood
by certain white men in command Of a pirate
cal schooner, which had brought wood to this
city.
On Sunday, April l6, the steamboat Salem,
Captain Baker, and about thirty citizens started
in pursuit, and discovered the schooner Pearl,
lying in Corn6eld harbor, at the mouth of the
Potomac, on Monday morning. The slaves,
seyenty.seven in number, were asleep below,
and Edward Sayres, the Captain, Chester Eng
lish, and Daniel Drayton, (white men) were
also below. The Salem rang alongside, boarded
the Pearl, fastened down the matches, and Sc
cured the fugitives and kidnappers, before they
could resist and returned with them TO Wash
ington on Tuesday, the 18th of April. The
fugitiyes consisted of thirty-eight men, twenty
six women, and thirteen children. Seventy
four were from the District, and three from
Virginia.
The excitement was SO great upon the ar
| rival of the parties at the steamboat wharf,
that it was difficult to prevent the enraged
citizens from seizing the culprits and lynching
them on the spot.
In the Union of April Is, l84S, you will
find full statement of the above fact, with
the names of the owners Of most of the slaves.
The following record shows the action of
the Criminal Court in the case:
Criminal Court of the District of Columbia.
for the county of Washington.
March Term, l849.
UNITED STATES, VS.. Daniel Drayton
May 9Th. Convicted of transporting slaves
in 73 cases, and sentenced by the Court in
each case to pay fine of $l4O and costs, one
half Of the fine to the oa0ner Of the slave, ac-
cording to the Act of Assembly Of Maryland,
of 1896, ch. 67.
Ordered to be committed to the Jail of
Washington county, till fines and costs are
paid.
Same number Of cases vs.. Edward Sayers
and fined 500 and cost in each and commit
ted as above.
Test: JOHN A. SMITH, Clerk.
Great efforts were made by the Abo,ionists
to procure the release of the prisoners through
the clemency of the President, Mr.. Fillmore,
but without success, until after General Scott
was nominated. Then, when Mr. Fillmore
had nothing more to expect from the South
the Know-nothing party not having been origi-
nated-you will find the following entry relative
to Drayton and Sayers, viz
18th August, 1852. Discharged from Jail by
the President Of the United States Millard Fill
more.
Test: JOHN A. SMITH, CPk.
1t becomes of importance next to know who
was instrumental in procuring the release of
these wholesale robbers and pirates; and it is
to this want to call the particular attention Of
my Wing friends, who are losing their negroes
by the same means
Ifyou will turn to page 4S of q book published
by Ticknor and fields, Boston, entitled Recent
nhoa C
you will find the following:
"Argument Submitted to the President four
teenth Nay, 1852, on the application for the
pardon OF Drayton and Sayres, detained in
prison at Washington for helping the escape Of
slaves"
The argument occupies fourteen pages of
the book, and is introduced as follows:
"This case excited particular interest.
Messrs. Drayton and Sayres had already been
in prison more than four years, when Mr.. Sum-
ner applied to President Fillmore for their par
don. 10 this application, which was sustained
by petitions from other quarters, the President
interposed doubts of his right to exercise the
pardoning power in their case, but expressed
desire for light on this point. On his inuita-
tiop, Mr.. Sumner laid before him the following
paper. Shortly cfieroards the pardon ,cas
granted.
The application was made on the l4th of
Nay, prerious to the Whig Convention but
the pardon was not granted until the 18th of
august, phich 1as after Mr.. Fillmore had
been set aside and General Scott nominated.
wish my Wing friends to note one other
fact in connexion with this case, viz: That
there was requisition in the hands of the
proper officer, issued by Governor Smith, in
iS4S, for Drayton and Sayres; and that the
criminals were hurried out of the District to
evade the just demands of the outraged laws
of Virginia.
Mr.. Fillmore not only released the prisoners
from the fines and costs due the United States,
but also from that portion of the fines due to
the owners, and for aohich they haze a just and
righteous claim upon the Government
QUANTICO.
Astonishing Enects OF Guano.
Although some people may be inclined to