State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-26
From The National Inquirer.
THE CASE OF SEVERN MARTIr

place who had long resided there. The
case was an aggravated one; and the sym
pAthy of tie good citizens of Burlington
was deeply felt aud strongly expressed.
The following, extracted from all article
in the Burlington Gazette of the 2Oth inst.
will give correct idea of the transaction,
as far as it goes:
"StGtemem Of facts in relation to The Sic>ure
and carrying of Of the colored man on
Sunday last.
coored man, known in this vicinity
for the last sixteen years, by the name OF
Severn Martin, respected for his industry,
economy, and uniform integrity, as appears
by the certificate below, signed by his near
neighbors and employers, persons of the
first responsibility, was on the forenoon OF
Saturday last decoyed from his home, dis
tant from this about seven miles, bv Isaac
Hancock, II constable of this city, and some
other persons unknown, on the prcteXt that
the Mayor wished to see him on business.
arrived ut WethereIl's tavern, before
his Honor, John LarZalere, Esq, who ac-
ted as county magistrate under the Uni
ted States law and coordinate enactments
of this State, Martin was claimed ms Il run
away slave by Il person there present, re-
presenting himSeifto he certain Colonel
Christian, a respectable citizen of Virginia;
of which, however, there was no other
proof, than an unauthcnticated letter pur-
porting to he from the Hon. Mr.. Wise TO
the Hon. MIR lngersoll, and perhaps some
other papers ola like character, This per-
son swore 10 Martin as his slave, and if
there was other testimony in the case, the
secrecy Oft the trial prevents its precise ma
tire from being known.
Whereupon, iCithom one moments OPP
portuniiy for the unfortunate man to call
upon his friends, or seek eridence in his f,-
cor; pith0M euen the knowledge Of ana one
perhaps, the tavern keeper the magistrate
pronounced him n slave, and furnished Il
certificate to that effect to the claimant,
thus rendering it impossible for himself or
any one else legally to deiain the prisoner
for one moment, except by writ Of lla-
bcas Corpus, from one of the Judges of the
supreme Court of New Jersey, which, on
account of the distance of their residence
from this place, could not be Obtained.
Thus, in less than two hours and t. half
from his leaving home, he was manacIed
MS slave.
lie WIS IUGIl tIINSl mo lllG tHl uNH-
geon 10 await the arrival of the afternoon
steamboats,, when he was led or dragged,
bleeding through the street, claimed to II
person who was employed to carry him
AWAY; but was refused atlnttance on board
The boats, and soon after was carried off in
n Dearborn Wagon, without any illegal
opposition; the colored people, perhaps,
being inundated by the threats of The
Mayor, and our citizens, generally, having
no relish for the too popular system OF
practice under Lyncli's law.
alt may be truly said that the commu-
nifty have been agitated and even saddened
by this among MS, unprecedented case ;
and thoughts are entertained Of redeeming
the unfortunate man Ivy purchase.
"Et- Since the above was prepared and
in type, we are graitied 10 learn that there
hns at length been an attempt To rescue,
which has fully succeeded and Severn
Martin is now free man, by the acknowl-
edgment even of the CHRISTIAN who
claimed him. A number OF our citizens,
feeling interested in his behalf, raised the
sum demanded for him, eight hundred
dollars, and purchased his freedom. We
saw him Yesterday afternoon, and heard
him rive an account of his capture and
trial, and of the harsh and unjusttiahle
treatment lie received from the officers
An affidavit of all the circumstances Of the
case was made by Martin, before Justice
Archer, which will probably be publishcd
hereafter.
"We have said That the above was an
'apgrayated' case. The most outrageous
cruelty was practsed, that was, perhaps
ever Witnessed here, III circumstances OF
the kind. And after his arrival in Philndel-
phin, his captors exhibited the fell spirit OF
demons. in his treatment. We have been
informed from unquestionaLle SQUIRE =,
that the man WAS heulen severely with IA
heavy stick, on the head and in the face
and. while he was suffering from the
wounds inflicted, the monsters of slavlle
depravity performed the operation of
PULLING OUT HIS GREY HAIRS !!
His whisIlrrs were all shaved of, to give
Younger appearance, that he might sell
10 a better advantage ! He was kept in irons
about n week, and his limbs were much
swollen by the friction OF his manacles
These are some ofthe 'tlceds OF darkness
connected with the helish system of slave
~ If such ahoninable outrages can he
perpctratcd in the free states, where it may
he presumed the public sentiment is some
what purified with respect 10 that system,
what may be supposed to be the slat' OF
things where the human heart is thorough
" corrupted by education, and the habitual
exercise of the tyrannical passions? These
things should he deeply pondered by every
lover of freedom and Justice.
awe learn that the person who had
charge of the man, while in this city, en-
tertained strong fears TINT he would lose
him by some means. lie represented nj
one time that the slave was NJ New Castle;
at another, that he was in the vicinity ct
the city, lie would not ncccpt check
from substantial persons for til" amount OF
his redemption, aud When The cash was