Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1802-07-17
To the Public.

" III - a ~ - H.
TT has been reported in various ways,
a that have been concerned in promot-
ing on instruction OF the slaves; and IS the
pubic are IN possession oFthose reports,
it IS deemed unnecessary therefore to re-
Peatthem; whenIwssiniormed how stood
charged abroad, and thas there was more
than one warrant cut 70 take me, | was on
4 visitto some ofmy 6iends in the county
OF Cumberland. Immediately returned
home 10 the county ofLunenburg, and up-
on { aquiry, was told tia. no warrant had
issued but as | was info med, that was
charged in very serious manner, con-
ceived tito be duty TO the conlnonwearh.
as well asto myself to invite public and
legal examination into my conduct: and
tor thatpurpose, ceused anadvertisement
to be put up at Lunenhurg courthouse.
stating that on the Sth day of this instant.
l should attend enc or more of the ,nasei-
srrates OF my county, al the store of MIR.
orydie, and requesting al persons who
could IN any manner ? 8 information Z
gainst me 10 attend FOR nat purpose T: pre-
vlous to the exanlinatio i, was Informed
by one o. the magistrates, that he badis-
sued warrant agaiustrae winch VAS 500,
afterwards serTed. to which / appeared, NJ
the above time and place, before Mr.. Peter
EPPs one of the magistrates Of the coun-
ty ofLmenburg- Mr.. Epps upon IN CO.
minauon, thought proper TO commit me,
under the ACT Of 1877, i9r qduiainr qlares
20 7ctes and 70 narderthe e. ms CT ..,is COM
"io7lgoe0lih- 4 serious clarge II uqle.
The following state of the case viii
shew what The facts were, and YOU win We
ry much oblige me byirser'ing il in your
very useful paper.
RoBERz'Dz GR.lIRENREzlJ.
Lnenburg, June 90, 1902.
Lis.en6u';g ciot4-.:y, riz,
"Wednesday the 10th June. BOZ, be:n~
appointed for the examination Of Robert
&c Grahenreid, who had been previously
committed 10 the jail Of this county, upon
charge of having advised slaves 10 rebel,
and murder the citizens Of this common
wealth court was fov-. &C 60 y.ry
dS9snterested Justices; and the prisoner
being called for, came in ana seated him
sell at the bar. The charge was read to
which ne answered ne was not guilty; and
then the lst section ofthe act under which
he was prosecuted, was read The words
are, j" Be it enacted, thar every free per-
" son who shall hereafter advise, or CON
aspire with slave, to rebel, or make IN
surrection, or who shall advise or assist
"such slave in the murder OF any person
" whatsoever shall be adiudged fcIon.
" without benefit Of clergy" And the les.
tirnony appeared in substance as fnr-
lows: That on Saturday after March Luz
nenburg court the prisoner, DR.. de Graf
ienreid, was at the court house, drinking
very freely, and late in the cyenjuo 40
peared to be very much intoxicated. aud
said &c Capt Vaddy Street. that the ne
groes were by nature rs free rs he was,
aud 1t could be proved by scripture, lazy.
and reason; thai on leaving Capt. Streets
room, IN which there was nero bov.
who probably heard him, Capt. Street snlt
the doors and went 20 bed. The DcEtor
stopped in the piazza, and after some idle
expressions, which Showed he was not IN
his right reason, called out you negroes,
do you hear, you are entitled oyour free.
dom, viii carry you tarcugh and let them
hang me; that he was alone and rot a ne
gro nearer than the boy, in Capt. Sreet's
room, and Mr.. Smiths negroes about for
/ ~ yards OF in his Kitchen that Mr. Smith
/ went out and told his negroes to shut The
| door, go TO sleep, and not 90 where the
Doctor was, and one SAID he believed The
| Octtcr had drank so much he WIS ? fool
thatthe Doctor then went of 10 Mr. Kings,
where he staid all nigh; IN the morning
/ he was asked TO breakfast, but refused.
! and said be was very sick and unhappy
He was asacd By Mrs. King what was the
matter, he answered, that # there was no
one IN the room ne would tell her; on
which two yourg ladies' who were present
| Lett IT; he then observed, It was the SER
{ want girl he wished 10 leave The room. on
{ which she was sent out He then said he
had been drinking at the court house, and
talking about The right OF negroes 10 free
! dom, and was very inuchafraid Nh. smith $
! negroes had heard hirn for although he
thought the negroes by nature as free as
the white people, yet he would not say so
30 them for five hundred pounds that
some time after this, he was gt Mr.. Jor-
! dams, where also ne got intoxicated, and
! Showed 70 several who were there, some
papers which he bad written 10 set up in
The county, in order to justify himself g
sainst the slandeTous reports which had
gone forth that altho' the papers which
ne showed al Mr.. Jordan's contained some
e 2.