GEORGE LEONARD, from Massachusetts, appeared, and took his seat. _Manumitted Slaves._ [Mr. SWANWICK presented the petition of Jacob Nicholson and Jupiter Nicholson, Job Albertson and Thomas Pritchet, dated at Philadelphia, stating that they had been the slaves of persons in Perquimans County, North Carolina, who had manumitted them, and whose surname they took--that afterwards they had been seized by other persons and sold into slavery under a law of the State--that to escape from this bondage they had fled to Philadelphia, where they had been seized under the fugitive slave act: and pray relief from Congress.] The petition being read-- Mr. SWANWICK said, he hoped it would be referred to a select committee. Mr. BLOUNT hoped it would not even be received by the House. Agreeably to a law of the State of North Carolina, he said they were slaves, and could, of course, be seized as such. Mr. THATCHER thought the petition ought to be referred to the Committee on the Fugitive Law. He conceived the gentleman much mistaken in asserting these petitioners to be absolute slaves. They state that they were slaves, but that their masters manumitted them, and that their manumissions were sanctioned by a law of that State, but that a subsequent law of the same State, subjected them to slavery; and if even there was a law that allowed them to be taken and sold into slavery again, he could not see any propriety in refusing their petition in that House--THEY CERTAINLY (said Mr. T.) ARE FREE PEOPLE. It appeared they were taken under the fugitive act, which he thought ought not to affect them; they now came and prayed the House so to model that fugitive act, as to prevent its affecting persons of their description. He therefore saw great propriety in referring their petition to the committee appointed to amend that act in another part; they could as well consider its relation to the present case. He could not see how there would be a propriety in rejecting their petition; they had an undoubted right to petition the House, and to be heard.