Anderson to the jail of Brantford Until he shall be discharged according to law;' whereas, the judges decide, he should have been committed 'Until surrender be made, or until he shall be discharged according to law.'

"We heartily congratulate the people of Canada on the narrow escape we have thus made from what would have been a deep and indelible stain on the fair fame of our country. For ourselves, we deeply regret that Anderson's discharge has not been ordered on broader and nobler grounds; but at least we can all heartily rejoice that the poor fugitive to our shores, who dared to strike a freeman's blow for liberty, will not be surrendered by Canadian hands to be burnt at the stake by exulting traffickers in human blood!

"Anderson is now among his friends; but he is still liable to re-arrest on documents prepared more carefully than the last. The danger, however, is by no means what it was. It is to be hoped that no second Mathews is to be found in the magistracy of Canada, and if, unhappily, there was another such, good care will, we fancy, be taken that Anderson shall not be found until the intent and meaning of the Extradition Treaty in regard to slaves has been authoritatively determined.

"By the discharge of Anderson, the writ of Habeas Corpus, issued by the Court of Queen's Bench of England, has been rendered unnecessary and inoperative. Anderson is no longer in the custody of any of the parties to whom the writ was directed, and therefore

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they cannot carry him to England. Moreover, the parties who applied for the intervention of the English Court have obtained the immediate end they sought, by the discharge of the prisoner. We confess that we are glad that this is so. We entirely sympathise with the feeling which induced the application for, and the granting of the writ. The peculiarity of this case of Anderson would have justified a great stretch of authority that tended to save the unfortunate man from the vengeance of his enemies; but it would be neither convenient nor consistent with the independence of the Canadian people that English judges should have the power to ignore our courts, and issue their writs to our sheriffs and jailers as if we had no provincial judges. We presume the legality of the proceeding in the view of an English lawyer is not doubtful, but assuredly it is not in harmony with the right of self-government claimed by Canada, and fully conceded to her.

"All the proceedings connected with Anderson's case show clearly that there is an urgent necessity not only for an immediate explanation between the British and American Governments as to the applicability of the Extradition Treaty to fugitives from slavery, but also for a revisal of the Canadian statutes giving effect to the treaty. It will be seen from Chief Justice Draper's decision, that a doubt is expressed whether the Court has any power to look into the depositions on which a prisoner is demanded under the treaty—whether it has any authority at all to examine the evidence so as to

judge if it sustain the charge preferred? It is unnecessary to argue whether Mr. Draper is right or wrong in this view; if a doubt exists on such a point it should be settled at once. Not one of the thousands of fugitives who have sought refuge in our country would be safe for a week were this affirmed to be the law. The slave hunter would be on the track of his victims, and affidavits of murder, perjury, arson, or anything else, concocted by the hundred, the moment it was ascertained that the facts alleged could not be enquired into, but the oath of the slave catcher held as final. We trust the friends of freedom in Great Britain will press this matter at once on the attention of the Home Government. The amendment of the Canadian statute will unquestionably be demanded immediately on the assembling of Parliament.

'Apart from the great principles at stake in this case, we confess to a feeling of no ordinary gratification at the manner in which it has terminated. But for the firm and prompt intervention of the press, it is certain that Anderson would have been given up to the slaveholders, and Canada disgraced for ever. We can afford now to recall with contempt the abuse poured upon us, because, forsooth, we dared to call in question the propriety of Chief Justice Robinson's decision. The course we took has not only been thoroughly sustained by public opinion in our own country and in Great Britain, but the continued discussion of the case has. secured Anderson's discharge by Chief Justice Robin

son's brother judges. Nay, the very case-the Besset case-on which Mr. Draper mainly rests his decision was first brought into the discussion through the columns of the Globe."

Canada is not sufficiently removed from the United States to be free from that vile, unchristian prejudice against colour which is the reproach and crime of the majority of the people of the American Republic, and, consequently, there was to be found a paper in Toronto base enough to prostitute its columns to the work of villifying the Negro race, and of resisting their claims to the rights which the laws of Canada guarantee to all who seek a dwelling under their protection. This paper had its supporters or it could not have existed. Its patrons, we are compelled to believe, were in favour of the rendition of Anderson, but the people in their masses demanded his release, as did also the larger portion of the more elevated classes, who heartily wished success to the means employed for his deliverance from the meshes his enemies had cast around him.

CHAPTER XI.

JOHN ANDERSON IN ENGLAND.

Anderson leaves Canada for England.-Arrives in London.--Great reception meeting at Exeter Hall.-Speeches of Mr. Harper Twelvetrees; the Rev. Hugh Allen, D.D.; the Rev. Jabez Burns, D.D.; the Rev. W. H. Bonner; John Anderson; the Rev. T. M. Kinnaird ; the Rev. J. G. Hewlett, D.D.; Mr. William Craft; the Rev. Edward Mathews, &c.

There were many friends of John Anderson in Canada who would have been happy to have promoted his future interests in that country, if he had been disposed to continue there; but he felt a strong inclination to visit England. He was not free from an apprehension of being again annoyed by proceedings for his extradition, for well he knew the perseverance and implacability of his enemies, and how ready to forward their designs were numerous base persons both in Upper and Lower Canada. In England, he would not only be free but secure, and might enjoy his liberty without the fear of persecution, and the ultimate loss of the blessing he had for the present obtained.

During the three months following his liberation, he received from the friends of freedom in Toronto and Montreal the utmost possible kindness. Bidding them