duties by every
petty magistrate who chooses to harass them, or by any
unprincipled interloper who chooses to make complaints
against them--for I know something of the man who makes this
complaint." "If this man Gildersleeve fails to make out the
facts set forth in the warrant of arrest, I will request the
Prosecuting Attorney of Luzerne County to prosecute him
for perjury. * * * If any tuppenny magistrate, or any
unprincipled interloper can come in, and cause to be arrested
the officers of the United States, whenever they please, it
is a sad affair. * * * If _habeas corpuses_ are to be taken
out alter that manner, I will have an indictment sent to the
United States Grand Jury against the person who applies for
the writ, or assists in getting it, the lawyer who defends
it, and the sheriff who serves the writ. * * * I will see
that my officers are protected." On a subsequent day, Judge
Grier gave an elaborate opinion, reciting the facts in the
case, _as stated by the prisoners_, and ordering them to be
_discharged_! He said:--"We are unable to perceive, in this
transaction, anything worthy of blame in the conduct of these
officers in their unsuccessful endeavors to fulfil a most
dangerous and disgusting duty; except, perhaps, a want of
sufficient courage and perseverance in the attempt to execute
the writ!"

Wynkoop and the other were discharged by Judge Kane on the ground that
they did only what their duty, under the Law, required. (May, 1854.)

_A family of colored persons_, at Uniontown, Pa., were
claimed as slaves by a man in Virginia. They admitted that
they had been his slaves, but declared that they had come
into Pennsylvania with their master's consent and knowledge,
on a visit to some friends in Fayette County, and were not,
therefore, _fugitives_. This was overruled, and the negroes
were sent back by a United States Commissioner, name not
given. (September, 1853.)[A]--_Pittsburgh Saturday Visiter_.

[Footnote A: _A correspondent_ of the _New York Evening
Post_, writing from Columbus, Ohio, September 1, 1853, states
that a very large number of fugitive slaves are continually
passing through that State; that they are generally armed;
and that they find increasing sympathy among the people on
the road, and the boatmen on the l