Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-21

| ance, January tn, 1871. Inc elevated an
high literary character OF its correspondents
and contributors could not fall to comm and
the respect Of intelligent men OF all parties,
| while the mob element In society failed to mud
In 1t the impassioned appeals AID denuncia-
| tons which are better calculated to arouse
anger and resentment than to convince the
reason; The regular corresponding editor was
John g. Whittier. Other brilliant and able
| writer's were occasional contributors, among
them DR.. James Houston, an accomplished
sketches OF men and things about Washing
| ton; Il. B. Stanton whose Modern Reformers"
attracted much attention and were widely
copied. The mastery hand OF Theodore Par.
ker was occasionally seen In the columns of
the Era, while Alice and Pheoe Carey, DR..
PierpOnt, William d. Gallagher and Nc. Whit
poetical effuslons, which have taken their per-
| manent place In American literature. TleSe
| were among the Era's earlier contributors.
| SPLITS IN TIE. ANTI-sLAvERY PARTY
The fact needs to be explained that during the
whole period of the great controversy regarding
slavery, the anti-slavery men or aboltionists
| differed widely among Themselves Or more
properly, radical differences sprang up among
them at an early stage Of the controversy.
which caused a wide divergence Of views as to
the proper methoos OF opposition to or aggres-
sion against the system. The liberty party
stood upon the constitutional ground, viz: that
the general government had no power to inter-
fere with the institution In the tates; that the
states were sovereign within their own limits,
and were responsible for their institutions and
1or the administration OF justice between man
and man; but that slavery was strictly local
institution and had no right or claim to be ex-
tended into new territories. Being a gross in
fringement of the rig hts OF man. the liberty
party held 1t to be the duty OF Congress to pro-
h1bit the extension Of slavery into the terrific
ries to abolish it In the District Of Columbia,
and that the act of Congress providing for the
recapture of "fugiuves from labor" was usur.
patton OF power. and therefore null and void.
That party held that the clause Of the Fourth
Article OF the Constitution on which the fugi-
tive slave act was predicated was only q com,
pact between the states which carried with 1t
no power OF legislation on the part OF Congress-;
and this was the opinion OF Mr. Webster which
he only surrendered In Difference to the decision
OF the Supreme Court. In one word, the liberty
party was an avowed and rigid states rights
party; and II was on states rights principles
that eight or ten Of the northern states enacted
what were known as the personal Liberty
Bills, which nullified the fugitive slave acts OF
Congress. 1t may be added, though not alto
gether germane to this narrative, that the
liberty party was free trade party. But the
immense accession of northern wings who
joined the liberty men or free sellers after the
repeal OF the Missouri compromise, with Mr..
Seward at their head completely submerged
these fundamental principles Of the party OF
freedom. So that, from having been the cham.
pioDS OF states rights and free trade the party
now re-baptized as republican became strongly
'1ederaist1c' In principle and policy, with
predominant element favorable TO protection"
ANOTHER CLASS
of abol!tionists represented by Messrs. Carl
son and Phillips, held that the Constitution
was thoroughly pro-slavery In spirit and pur-
pose; and, therefore, that 1t was "a covenant
With death and league with hell" With such
views OF that instrument, they could not con.
sent to vote or to hold Office under 1t. nor under
the state governments, since 1t would be neces-
sa aI ;, TO swear allegance to the league with
ists, and Mr.. Phillips wrote an elaborate Urea
tise In support OF the secession theory.
STILL ANOTHER PORTION
OF the abolitionists, of which Mr.. Gerritt Smith
was the representative man, and Mr. Lysander
Spooner, the ablest expounder, held that slavery
was unconstitutional In all the states, and that
Congress had the right ''to proclaim liberty
throughout the land" Both these classes of
abolition1sts were the bitter foes OF the liberty
party and OF the republicans. But the events
OF the war gradually blended them altogether
THE PEARL
ON Sunday morning, April 16, 1S4S, seventy
seven slaves, consisting OF 80 men and boys, 2s
women and girls, and 1s children, made
desperate effort to.escape from the service
Of their masters in this city, in a sloop
called the Pearl, OF 50 tons, OF Whitehill.
New jersey. IL was owned by Edward Savers
the master, Caleb AaronSon and another. The
sloop left the steamboat wharf, below the Long
Bridge, at O'Clock a. m. on the day named, and
III.
They were pursued by a party of volunteers for
the occs sion In the steamer Salem. Capt. Baker,
with about thirty volunteers beside the crew
The steamer grounded before reaching Alex
anC11a, and did not pass that place until ABOUT
sunrise About O'Clock Monday morning the
steamer came In siSnt or the Pearl, which, in
consequences OF the high wind and heavy sea,
had anchored In "Cornfield harOor," a cove on
the Maryland shore near Point Lookout,
Baker being confident that the sloop In sight was
the Pearl, closed in upon and boarded it. They
found no one on deck. the ha,c;les being closed
The editorial account In the Warrington Jnion
OF the following Wednesday,, from which
the hatchesl were guarded and Daniel
Drayton, the supposed master and ringleader
OF the thieves. was ordered to come up. After
some time: and very reluctantly, he did 80, and
was placed under guard. He confessed he was
one OF the guilty men who had received and
concealed the slaves on board the vessel; ad-
who had undertaken to send the slaves on
board. but he would not give their Names
saying. II he did not, and should be convicted
me real Of the as FaRy
Sayers, was then called up and put under
guard. his answers being evasive and unsatis-
Chester English, said he had been duped aud
imposed upon by the other two. He wept BIT
terly, and protested he had no part In the
to ten ali be knew. The chief Kidnappers'
themselves, had admitted he knew nothing OF
their plans, and had been directed after night
ID I6C6lV6 LIE slaves, VINO, tleY SAID to HIM
were going down the river on an excursion Of
pleasure"
The sloop was lowed back to Washington,
and II. c. Williams, magistrate Of the city,
who accompanied the purSIers, summoned the
parties before him, committed the slaves as
runaways. and temporarily committed Sayers
and Drayton for further examination.
Like the Union. the National InteVigeneeJ
contained no notice OF these stirring events
which aroused the deepest interest In the com.
munity. until the following Wednesday, three
days after the sailing OF the Pearl, and the pur.
suit OF the steamer. Indeed, neither of those
journals had local department. The Htteili.
JenceT seems to have had "city reporter and
the account OF the escape and capture of the
fug1ttveS given by that new gatherer. appears
under the editorial head. The following fact,
In connection with the affair, furnished by him,
is only limited az by the Union report The re-
porter says ron the arrival OF the Salem and
the schooner at the steamboat wharf yesterday
a large number OF persons were assembled,
some OF whom used very threatening Ian
brought up. prisoners, and If the lat
injury, It was owing to the prudence and frn.
ness OF the guard by whom they were attended.
and their being quickly conveyed to iaiI an q
hack, which was pressed into Immediate re-
| QUESTION" 1t seems that English as well as
Drayton and Sayers, was committed
for future hearing. which is not to
| be inferred from the Union's
account. Thursday. the Inteui0efce, says the
case was postponed owing to the absence of
| witnesses; and on Friday the same paper states
! that the three men were fnaliy com rnito1 ond