Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-11-14
The Last Shrek.


Believing j, necessary to Keep our read.
srs posted on the domestic news of the
day, We intend TO copdense for shein insor-
nation tho last slave case. It occusred in
Boston, where they would rather steal
niger than hesr sermon, and the follow.
ing are the facts aud the result.
Lo1is Sweet, wife and two children, of
Nashville, Tenn, had lbeen travelling in
the north and in Canada for several months
past, with female slave, and for six weeks
had been stepping at Lawrence with his
father. After they had been in Lawrence
short time the story was circulated that
the woman {" Betty" was restrained Of her
liberty, and various efforts were made to
induce her TO leave her master. This she
decliued doing, until at the instance of
Lucy 8. Schuyler, Of Lawrence, writ Of
habeas corpus was issued, returnable before
the supreme court. .s.-
The hearing came on before Chief Jus.
tice Shaw, in the shcrif's room, J. A.
andrews appearing for the petitioner, and
D. +. Watscn, of Lawrence, for respond
ents. .sr r7'7
The writ set forth that colored woman
named Betty, is restrained of her liberty
at No. Atlantic Corporation in Lawrence
by one Sullivan Sweet and his wife, and
commanded that said Betty shall be brought
before the supreme Judicial court or one of
the justices thereof, and that the said Sweet
and wife be summoned to sppear and show
saase il any they have, why the said Betty
should be restrained of her liberty. The
return on the writ was signed by Bailey
Bartlett, deputy sheriff of the county of
Essex. ' a.
Mr.. Watson, for respondents, stated that
he had a suggestion 10 make which wouid
probably obviate the necessity of long
examination. He then stated that MIR.
and Mrs. Sweet had been for some time
travelling in the north, and that the girl
was aware of the fact that she was entitled
to her liberty, and might leave them at
any moment, being under no restraint
More than this, she had not desired to
leave Mr.. and Mrs. Sweet, and The writ of
hsbeas corpus was brought without her
expressing any desire that such thing
should be done. She did not voluntarily
express her desire to be free, nor did she
resist. Under these circumstances he was
instructed that if an arrangement could be
made by which Betty could have her choice
to remain with the respondents or to leave
them, his clients we're willing to abide the
result. They had no disposition to re
strain her against her consent.
Mr.. Andrew assented to the proposition.
upon which the court remarked thas seye.
raj cases Of the kind had been determined
in that manner to the satisfaction of all
parties. In such cases the record was
made mp in accordance with the facts that
the Slsimanss had consented that the per.
son claimed should exercise her free win in
the matter, and that sho had voluntarily
chosen to remain with her claimants, or to
leave them, as The case might be.
Judge Shaw, in accord ance with the
practice in such cases, took the girl into
his own room TO ascertain her wishes in
the matter. On their return, he stated
ahat on free, full and satisfactory priva'e
conversation with her, he had found her to
be fully competent to make her own elec.
ton. She said she was strongly attached
to Mr.. and Mrs. Sweet, and had no hesita-
tion in expressing her wish to remain with
them. Furthermore, she had husband
living 10 Tennessee, from whom she was
not wiling, upon any consideration, to be
separated, as she would be if she rem aimed
in Massachusetts,. Now it was contrary
to all the principles of freedom, which we
SO much love, to say that this or any per-
son should not exercise free choice. In
recording Che proceedings Of the day, he
should certify that this person was brought
before him on writ Of habeas corpus
that she was not fugitive from labor in
the sense of the constitution. He should
also certify the agreement which had been
made between the parties. These facts
wonld be entered OH record, so that one,
ten, or twenty years hence, when most of
those present lad passed away, the party
ihoss interested might have the benefit of
that record. He thought il would entitlc
her to her liberty in Tennessee, for the
rsse was that slavery was local and liberty
general The act was, nc thought, in ef-
feet an emancipation. He had told her
hat he knew it was SO in Louisians, but
without deciding the question of the effect
~ this pvoceadino In Tanpassoo sbo la