The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-11
ANOTHER NEGRO WITNESS CASE

south that Mr.. Van Buren, has been from The ha
ginning of his administration feeling for The
South, and has relied confidently upon the sun-
port OF that section of the Union, upon The
ground assumed by his friends there. thai he l.
. a northern man with southern princ,nles j.,
But we take Il for granted that every inteIoen,
ana honest man IN both extremes Of the Union
has seen enough, if his eyes have been omen. 10
indicate that no trust whatever is 10 be renosed
IN his professions for either or any particular
section, or even for the public interests generally
The Hooe case, the vote for negro suffrage and
the tariff of 2s, however they may be regarded
AT the north, have been examples most unfayora.
Die and fatal TO MIR. Van Buren's pretensions 10
exclusive partiality for the south, while his vote
against the suffrage of poor men, his specie ex
actions, Sub-treasury scheme involving the adj
mtted reduction of the value of property, far
mers prices and laborers wages, and his charge
upon the people Of his native state Of being un
der bank influence because they presumed 10 re-
buke her recreant son, his war upon canals and
ra roads,and the credit system, were arguments
equally strong TO satisfy the people of the north
that he had no honest principles or sympathies in
common with them.
II is probably well known every where that
the testimony OF negroes is not admitted i'm the
courts of the slave states in prosecutions against
white persons. The consequences OF making
such testimony competent in such cases, and
where the institution of slavery exists, can be
easily imagined by any person of common sense
II the Hooe case was a strong one for The south
against Mr. Van Buren,, we have now TO pre-
sent one which seems 10 us still stronger, and
which seems to have been attended with other
circumstances not AT all creditable to Mr. Van
Burens abstract sense of Justice The letter
below detailing the circumstances of the case
was transmitted to US by gentleman well
known in the councils of the nation, whose
name, if published we are sure would be sufl-
Client warrant for reposing in the statement en-
tire credit. We do not as at present advised.
feel at liberty to append the name which is
signed TO the manuscript, although we have no
doubt the author would, if necessary, permit his
name TO be made public or do whatever else
should be required to establish the facts briefly
stated in the following letter.
New CASTLE COUNTY, Del, Aug 8 1910
Dear Sir That the South may be informed cor
rectly, in regard to Mr. Van Buren, send YOU for
publication certain facts in relation his approval of
negro testimony, in the trial of officer in the Re
venue service before the Collector of this District in
June, 1889
Attlattime charges and specifications of them
preferred by certain Henry D. Noncs, Captain in
the Revenue Cutter service, against Josiah Murcn
thcn tirstI. in ha ha n al
ector Of the District Henry WHITLEY, Esq, was or
dered by the Secretary of the Treasury conduct the
examination Mr. Murch was defended by counsel
and the prosecution in behalf of the Captain carried
by counsel employed by himself The character Of
the testimony, on the part Of the complainant gene
rally such, that the counsel for Mr. Murch
deemed il unnecessary to enter upon any deence-it
was composed entirely of the and officers under
the immediate command Of the complainant Nones--
| and of negroes his own servants, employed in the
ward room--fvc negroes if am correctly informed,
were brought forward to testify the moment the first
called to the stand Mr. Murch and his counsel
protesting against such evidence il being rope
tent IN the courts of this State for negroes TO testify
against white persons,) left the room-the Collector
proceeded, however to take the testimony and after
closing the same, forwarded it TO Washngton-the
whole of which presume you can find in the office
of the Secretary of the Treasury copy of one of
the negro dispositions | now have before nc Mr.
| Murch had his commission taken from him-the tes-
tmony having been laid before the President and zap
proved by him" So unexpected was this decision to
Mr.. Murch, and indeed 10 every who knew the
character of the testimony adduced against him, that
Mr. Murch thought it proper to appeal directly to the
President for reinstotcment-he did so both personal
y and by letter To impress fully upon the minds
Of the powers that he at Washington the injustice
done to him, Mr.. Murch forwarded to the Secretary
of the Treasury deposition of of the negroes
taken at the negros own request after his discharge
from the Gutter by Magistrate OF the town of New
Castle-in which he states that what he testified to
before Col whitley the Collector was false" that
he compelled by threats made by Capt Nones to
give such testimony &c &c. Upon the receipt of
this deposition by Mr. Woodbury., the Secretary of
the Treasury, he informed Mr. Murch in substance
nv letter that this testimony of the negro could not
20 TO rebut his first deposition but might be made the
| ground work of proceedings against Captain
Nones ~ have not the letter before me- and there
fore, merely give the substance) To which Mr.
| Murch under date Of September 10, 1889, made the
following reply after acknowledging the receipt of Mr.
Woodburys letter OF the 9TH Instant--hc says, /" ]
have to say that the affidavit of VIM koIk NEGRO
was sent to the Department, moi for the purpose of
commencing new proceedings against Capt Noncs,
any other person, but with the object of showing
to the Department the character of the evidence on
which my dismissal has been founded Several let
tiers were written to the Department and the Prcs
dent by the friends of Mr.. Murch, and think a for
NAL rcmonstrance by his counsel the Treasury