Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1841-07-29

racy, the prisoners are charged with the
probable intention Of equipping vessel
for the slave trade and one Of them De.
Putron with having committed perjury.
Mr. Johnson then referred to the char
ges against the prisoners, and asked per-
mission to point out TO The court wha: he
conceived TO be the duty of committing
magistrate. The questson with him to
consider, was not Did the CIV dence show
any degree Of moral guilt on the part Of
the prisoners ?" but was it of such ma.
ture as would ensure their legal convie.
ton BEFORE a jury.
lie then went on TO point out the strange
weak, and lrreleyent nature Of the mass
Of testimony which was offered to the
court by the United States. There we're
first his own casual conversations and adj
msslons-not confessions made at the
promptings OF conscience--and should not
therefore, be offered in evidence against
him. What did his story to Tom amount
to ?-about his uncle being great man
IN the Brazils-havlng a thousand negroes
to walton him, and having made il all by
the slave trade /! Why, it is evident he
took him for sap.head and was stuGag
him, for the mere purpose OF seeing his
mouth cape with surprise and his eyes
roll in wonder Then there was the sto-
ry Of Capt, Taylor. lie told the captain
he was about to engage in the African
! trad l--pnpnnID,F tho tro 10 IF oil nd ha
articles which can be probably carried
on there; but the captain whose mind is
filled with adventure and romance, con =
cIudes and states that he is about TO en-
bark in the slave trade.
| The captain who was in court, rose
and asserted that DePutron did say to
him he intended his top.sail schooner for
the slave trade and he would not suffer
his name 10 be taken in vain.
Mr. Johnson continued, that neither did
his letter TO Mr.. Prieur mention any thing
oil the slave trade, or his design to engage
in 1t, as the public construed his letter to
say. lie then humorously alluded to
the many designs OF an illegal nature
which were attributed to DePutron. He
was aboutto proceed to Africa as SLAYER
going 10 trade to Texas-to smuggle
powder 10 Mexlco-to smuggle watches
to New Orleans to become an i'm.
porter Of liquors from England. Indeed,
to execute all the plans imputed TO HIM,
he would be like the man mentioned so
often by the States attorney in his anec-
dote about the heiter. He was bid to plough
in direct line to the heier but as she
kept running about, there was not a part
OF the field he did not run his plough in.
Now, DePutron would have just a. much
to do as the man ploughing to the red heif-
tnbuted 10 him. But the most singular
charge laid al his door was, that he had
travelled much, was conversant with sew
eral languages, and more apt TO engage
III the slave trade than he would if he had
spent his days in the innocent pork city
Of Cincinnati, where, by the way he ne
yer said ne had resided.
Mr.. }. then called for the discharge of
Abbott and Domlngos, who we're not as
ISOLATED with DePutron in the charge of
piracy and even though it was admitted,
for argument sake, that DePutron had
fitted out vessel to engage in the slave
trade, there is no proof that they were
cognlzant Of his design.
He was certain that if the court kept
in mind the principle of which he had re.
minded lt-that Of not sending them be-
fore higher court, unless he thought
there was evidence to insure conviction
on legal grounds-he would at once dis
charge all three. He would leave the
case, therefore, to his sound Judgment and
calm Consideration.
Mr.. Peylon replied on the part of the
United States. His speech was able, argu-
mentative, and occasionally interspersed
with rich humor. He reviewed the whole |.
evidence, pointed out the contradictions
Of which DePutron the prisoner had been
guilty, which told directly against him, in .
stead Of being favorable 10 his cause, as
his counsel would insnuate. lie dwelt
upon his buying the powder, the firearms,
having the armor, anchorIng his schooner
where he did at the Chandelier Islands,
the pretence assumed Of being fishing,
without any ofthe necessary tackle, and
commented with much ingenuity upon
every incident which bespoke dissmila-
ton on the part of the prisoner-all of
which he conlended, taken concurrently,
proved 10 an absolute certainty that the
prisoner had fitted out and equipped his
schr. with. a view of engaging in the slave
trade.
AT this stage Of his remarks, Mr.. Pey-
ton took up DePutron's will, and declared
from that document alone he could sub.
stantIate the charge of wilful and DELHI
erate perjury against the accused. "This
instrument he said was made under the
most solemn clrcumstanCes--in the pros |
pect Of death--' in the name OF God'--to |
- A., ii a. h; !