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Show 388 ATROCIOUS JUDGES. [A. D.l689. of ju tice- the chief object, it has been said, for which man renounces hi natural rights, and submits to the restraints of magi terial rule.* * A similar and alarming reaction tow;uds despotism has exhibited itself in America since the passage of the fugitive slave act of 1850, in the combination of so many distinguished jurist and divines to denounce the doch·ine of a "higher law," and to advocate the ''divine right" of Congress to make enactments according to its own pleasure and judgment, which enactments arc to take precedence as rules of conduct of the individual conscience, which it is attempted to silence by stig matizing it as a prrjudice. Not only does there seem reason to dread that we may soon be under legislators and an executive who, believing in the divine right of those in aulhority, will not only applaud but act upon the principles of arbitrary government, we lately have bern and still are, so far as the federal executive and the federal Senate arc concerned, under precisely such minislers and legislators; and having lately had some such experience of the practical results of such principles in the administration of justice, what more natural than to compare our sufferings with those of our Tiriti h forefathers, and to seck to learn from their experience the natural cure for such evils? -Ed. APPENDIX. No. I. 1'/te case of P assmo're Williamson, as stated by himself in his petition jof a habeas corpus, to the Snp1·enw Court of P ennsylvania. 1o tlte Honorable the J udges of tltc Supnmw Court of Pennsylvania,: The petition of P assmore \Villiamson respectfully sheweth: That your petitioner is a citizen of P en nsylvania, and a resident of Philadelphi<t; that he is a member of "The Pennsylvania Society for promoting the abolition of Slavery, and for the relief of free n egroes unlnwfully held in bonrlagr, nnd for improving the condition of the African race," incorporated by act of Assembly passed the 8th day of December, A. D. 1780, of which Dr. Benjamin }'ranklin was the first president, and that he is secretary of the acting committee of ~aid society. That on Wednesday, the 18th clay of July last past, your petitioner was informed that certain ncgroe::s, held as slaves, were then at Bloodgood's hotel, in the city of Philadelphia, having been brought by their ma ter into the state of Pennsylvania, with the intention of passiug through to other parts. Believing that the persons thus held as slaves were entitled to their freedom by reason of their ha.Yiug been so brought by their nHstcr voluntarily into the tate of Pennsylvania, tho petitioner, in the fulfilment of the official duty imposed upon him by the practice and rrgulation of the said society, went to Bloodgood's hotel for the purpose of apprizing the alleged slaves that they were free, and finding that they 'vith their master had left said hotel, and gone on board the steamboat of the New York line, then lying near \Valnu t Street wharf, your petitioner went on board the same, found the party, con ·isting of a woman namccl J anc, about thirtyfive years of age, and her two son·, Daniel, :-~ged about twelve, and I saiah, aged about SCYen, ancl, in presence of the master, informed the said J ana that she was free by the laws of Penn. ) lvania; upon which she expressed her desire to have her freedom. ancl finally, wilh hrr children, left the boat of her own free will and accord, and witiwut any coercion or compuhiou of any kind; and having sren her in possession of her liberty, with her 33 •* (389) |