Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-02-20
hoes slavery yet Exist in Delaware

Upon further inquiry into the facts of the
case OF tic young colored child who was
discharged from scryitude by Judge Hall,
on Tuesday last, we have obtained the fol
lowing interesting details e.
Sometime in the month of March, 1852,
William l.. Srman, of Dclmar, Sussex coun-
ty, Delaware, came TO the house of Henry
Z, Morris, respectable colored man, near
Laurel, and With the assistance Of two white
men, William Elliott and Thomas liearn,
| made an attempt TO enter the house and take
| away Morris child, then an infant nearly
\ two years Of acc Norris closed and fastened
| the doors and hid the child. Sirman seized
| an axe broke open the door, threatened
| Morris life, and afterwards seized the child
and took her to his own house. From that
time lie never permitted the cllild TO see its
father. Its mother, lletty Morris, wife OF
Henry T.. was free nj The time Of the child
birth, and died shortly aiierward
These facts having recently come to the
knowledge Of some gentlemen who are warm
friends Of liberty and justice to the coloretl
race il was resolved BY them 10 place the
matter in The hands Of COUNSEL and to adopt
such measures as would not only secure
right in this case but also destroy any Kind
Of involuntary seryitude that may now exist
where colorel persons are held to an invol-
untary servitude different from the appren-
ticeship OF white persons under the laws Of
our State, the holding is Illegal and the in
aeAtures void Such is the decision of CLiei
Justice Chase, and Of Judge Giles, d
Baltimore.
Under the laws Of Congress enacted ID
give u remedy in precisely such cases, Morri,
applied for 4 writ Of llabeas Corpus. Upor
us return, the respondent answered that Ii,
iOok the child without authority. and tina
he had no lawful cause for OBTAINING her.
: Silnan stated verbally that he held linden
lures Of unlored child under diferen
name, and lie in conversation, alleged tia
i was the same person as the petitioner
Upon being questioned about these linden
: lures. it appeared that they were execute,
: | BY Two magistrates, without notice 10 III
/ | father, and that Tor four years they had re
manned uhrecurded, and also, that they d
moi identify Or describe the petitioner
Sirman refused to claim under their all
5 horily, Or % put their legality in issue.
Ii Is Il singular circumstance that whc
the child was brought up in the cars, sh
made efforts 10 20 to her father who was i
E the same car, although she had been take
o from him in early infancy, and had not, SAY
= on one or TWO occasions, previously mt
him Sirman restrained her in these cilor
and maintained a strict watch over her
9 The poor little glrl was almost bewderc
il By the strange sights and noises Of the cit,
. Every street car and every wagon rattlin
over the pavement startled her. She W;
\ unable TO understand the struggle bctwcc
! her supposed master and her father In II
il excitement and fear Of the moment, 81
n made loud ouicres, which gave place to Il
greatest joy when she fully realized thai 81
6 had been returned 10 her father. G Non
O She said, " | shall get 10 20 to school. M
learn 10 read and write.
Much has been said of the short-comin
: of Congress during the last few years. b
s. one thing they have accomplishment,
h. have extended American citizenship by Ia
il to all persons of color they have iOrey
established freedom as the birthright and u
y alicuahle possession Of all, and they ha
cd provided such complete, simple, and ec
he tual redress and remedies, that the humble
ve person may ask for justice, and may seek
even before the highest tribunal of the lal
tile supreme Court Of the United Stat,
nj By reference to the laws Of Congress
i'd appears That amy person who, under color
i, any law, statute, custom, etc, is dcpriv
Gt any right, secured by The act Of Februa
9Th, 1867, on is subjected TO different pai
Or penalties from white persons, on accou
~ of color or race, may bring civil action u
t6t recover damages, and the person SO offer
lie lng SHALL on conviction, be fined not eXcel
, y ing one Thousand dollars, on imprsonmC
not exceeding one year, or d0th, in the Il
ny erection Of the Court.
nat Thus with Law and Justice and Human
els on their side, we trust that the friends of
colured race will eradicate every trace
slavery from this State, punish all oilende
and secure 10 all persons the rights a
ep privileges and the opportunities for lmpro-
mo ment that the laws Of the country guaran
to them.
ro- The Civil Rights Bill then is operat
ISL and constitutional. One more step in
ON grand march of Liberty and Progress |
been taken-a step that cannot be retrac
if any were base enough to desire it. {
for more of the old landmarks of barbarc s
we very sci up by State law has been sw
,me away. Another Of the odous distinctit
M of our Delwarc laws is left high and dry
- the tide Of barbarism recedes from our lal
~ One more unjust law is erased from
statute book, leaving our Legislature to
ork peal it and our whole Slave Code at til
Gus leisure. s'Let him laugh that WINS
d il -------------A-----------
roit "A recent issue of the omaha Herr
,in. had on one page a special telegram, hea,
r.. democratic victory in Chcyenne-an
~ citing charter clection-the Democri
me- sweep the field" On the third page; 81
ing est and worst from Cheyenne reign
a of terror-two more desperadoes shot, ct