St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-28
A CASE OFSLAVERY.

1t is singular to find negro slavery exist
ing in this country twenty-One years after
the close of the civil war, but still more
singular that there has been no voice raised
in favor of its abolition or single voluntary
effort made to release the victim from the
chains which contin lie to be fastened on
him. Notwithstanding the emancipation
proclamation issued by President LINCOLN
away back in 1868 and the subse-
Quent adoption of an amendment
to the federal constitution forever abolish
ing slavery in the United States, BLIND
Tom, the negro musical prodigy, is as
much of slave in the sense
of chattel property as he was
before the war. Tom is an idiot
whose only value as slave was i'm his
peculiar musical genius. Before the war
TOMS master exhibited him all over the
country and appropriated the receipts, as
he had a right to do under the laws and con-
stitution as they then existed. Since the
war TOMS old master has been exhibiting
him and apprOpriating the receipts just as
he did before the war. Tom is practically
Just as much Nh. BETHUNE's slave to-day
as he was before the war. Tom being an
idiot, is incapable of making a contract, or
of protecting his rights. His only living
relative is his mother, an old negro woman
by the name of CHARITY WIGGINs. For
the last e ght or ten years CHARITY WIG
GINS has been making futile efforts to be-
come guardian for her child. in order that
she may be in position to require an &C
counting from BETHUNE for TOMS equit-
able share of the receipts of his musical per-
formances. From time to time she has ap-
piled to the courts in various states. but
upon one technical ground and another her
petitions have been denied. She was only a
poor old negro wench with neither purse
nor friend to aid her suit, and in conse-
uuence Justice has been blind to the equities
of her case. The man who has successfully
resisted her efforts at litigation is wealthy
and influential. His wealth consists of the
thousands and tens of thousands of
dollars which has been accumulated
by the eccentric genius Of CHARITY
WIGGINs' idiot child. 1t doesn't require a
BLACKSTONE or a STORY to weigh and de-
termine the equities OF case like this. 1t
doesn't take Philadelphia lawyer to dis
pose of the technicalities which are inter-
posed to defeat justice in this instance. The
commonest layman. with the most ordinary
sense of discrimination, can easily discern
the fine points of the case. All there is of
it is that by every principle of written law.
as well as by every consideration of unwrit-
ten equity and every impulse of human in
stinet, if anybody is entitled to the guar
dianship of the unfortunate negro boy, and
if anybody is entitled to be benefited by the
strange freak of genius with which nature
has endowed him. it is the mother who bore
him. But the singular part of it all is
that of the millions of philanthr0pic
Americans who in their adherence of the
system of slavery, were willing to involve
the nation in the bloodiest civil war of
modern history, there has not been voice
raised in behalf of poor CHARITY WIGGINs
nor cent contributed to aid her IN redeem
ing her son from slavery.