Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-11-29

In
repy To attempt TO keep Lalimer in the cty ~ any
other place than the Jail, was 10 RAISE al orce
far riot If not blood 5hed On the morning OF tie ."
November no order Of the kind anticipated mao oee"
received by the jaor, but II was msoe KNOW" ma
counsel of La,imer who also counsel Tor cefta,
pcrsnns charged with the rotons proceedings, iothe
spoken OF, had moved for writ OF habeas corpus 20
br,o atimer into Court, TO testify at tue trial, ana
then il announced BY the lai'of' 'ias - II ~
mer came ont OF The JAIL he should not receive nun
back again. | waited on The sheriff and asked MN
# he was about issue order to DIR. Cooidse 10
relation 20 Is;;iner. lie replied substantially Una,
on all future occasions he should NOT aiio" t"e .a'
Ia he used 10 coniue fugitive slaves unless committed
bv virtue of legal process but that as to Tue ease
Of Latimer he should give no order TO DIR. Cooioge.
Satisfied with this statement, addressed mole 10 me
counsel of La,lmer, and proposed 10 lake le sum o.
$500 for his emanciralion that being about The sum
tbev ,bopobt on previous occasion would be offered
verbal answer was returned, that they thought mat
sum might be raised. Nothing however was heara by
me from either of them during the day. but Mr.. Coolidge
stated to me, that certain persons would pay ,he sun, OF
$500 This offer accepted, and O'Clock ana lne
al Office were appointed The time and place 10 close me
business At o'clock l repaired to the jail ofhce
with proper paper and was there informed oy certain
persons that this being test case ana seveai save
owners being now in the city awaiting decision, u!
| had been determined not 10 pay Mr. Gray any mo-
new At the time, one OF the persons present a.
nouuced that he had seen order signed by The sheriff.
directed to the iailor commanding him 10 uscna'ss
lalimer from jail Somewhat astonisned al inns al,
nonncemept and il being apparent that Mr. Gray could
not expect to have his claim decided according TO the
provisions of law, left the papers with Mr. Coolidge,
with the request that he should obtain as much money
for Mr. GRAY as possible. What took place alter lett
the Office know only from report but in short time,
note Of which the following IS copy, was delivered 10
the jaor:
Boston, Nov l7ih, 1912. )
In conformity TO advice given me by distinguished
1 l.. ,,d in ralaf ionf n h.
li.c and in accordance with the views which have
,Iways maintained in conversations with you, touch
ling The confinement of George Latimer in The jail in
th; county BY you, the agent OF one james D. 1fay
fgao claims said latimer fugitive slave,) ana mol
n, nv deputy keeper Of the JAIL and without any legal
warrant or mtmus emanating from competent judicial
authority, | do direct you to remove sait LatImer
from said Jail at before IL clock, noon, tomorrow
And further order and direct you not 10 receive and
confne in said Jail any person claimed as slave, "or
person held service in another State, without
warrant mittimus from competent judicial authority
of this Common wealth or Of the U. S.
This order you will place on file in the Office OF the
isil and consider it is applicable all future of
'"'' ''3'''N'~' JOSEPH ErELETn,
Sher # If the county oil Suffolk.
Mr.. NA1HAyrrL CooLIpor,
Deputy Keeper Of Suffolk Jail.
| Al about 10 o'clock that night $500 was paid TO
! Mr. Coolidge, and Lalimer was made free man.
There are several suggestions which naturally arise
| on this statement Of the facts.
The first is that, By the order Of the sheriff to the
il or no fugitive slave be detained in and re.
moved from this city under the present provisions OF
the laws of the IT, S. So far then, this case 10 highly
important in lis results.
Ii has been asserted frequently, that Mr. Gray had
refused from time 10 time, various sums OF money Tor
ILa,imer. can only say, that direct, positive offer
has ever tu my knowledge, been made to Mr.. Gray,
except tina, made at South Boston, being check for
5000 In the next place. Mr. Gray did not come here
% sell this man. He came here under the mlstaken
elicf that The laws Of the IT, s. were sufficiently ex
Ecit 10 enable him 10 obtain in legal manner that
which by the Constitution of The l. States, is made
property.
In regard to the standing and character OF Mr. Gray,
G, this statement is prepared without s knowledge,
feel that have right 10 say something Mr.. Gray
sa young man who, by his own e1ertions, has earned
ina legitimate mercantile business, competence lie
is married man, with family Of children, and he
enpys the respect and esteem Of the citizens Of Nor
folk He is no ,sslave breeder slave dealer, has
lee, basely asserted, but under the laws OF his native
STATE, he holds his service and labor, come three or
four persons 10 assist him IN carrying on his business
lie here stranger, 10 prosecute claim, made
ega by the Constitution and Statutes Of the T. S. he
has conducted all his proceedings strictly according 10
law ind he has not mered nor deserved the oppobrl.
Gus epithets aud abuse hch have been caped on him
through of the presses and by some OF the citi.
zens i this place.
Neither ia il true that Dir Gray has been the repre-
sentative of any portion of the Southern population
He has prosecuted this claim solely his account,
and without the pecuniary assistance OF any one.
canot close this statement without u single remark
in my ,Hn behalf.
haze acted in this matter throughout, in my pro-
fcssionl capacity. have no more favorable opinion
of the institution CT slavery, than the most ardent o.
those w,o seek its immediate abolishment-hut have
vet TO larn, that the counseing and advising OF
stranger the exercise OF his constitutional privileges,
is a crime. have no feeling in This matter. No III
feeling those who, under The shield Of anonymous
newspaper communications, misrepresent my motives
, and condct-and feeling Of regret that LameNis
free MAJ. | could have wished, however, that his
emancipation had been fected in different manner
1t may or may not, be the duty Of the citizens OF the
North TO bserve the compact entered into by their an
cesors With the inhabitants of the South, in regard to
savery-ht bad as is this institution, and great is the
curse il brings the nation, am one of those who
, think that he ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Union would not
accomplishing end proposed, or fovorably affect any
, portion of he country-and that, as long
united peo,e the citizens of The South, whenever they
seek 10 enrce their rights entitled to the services
Of those PERSONS, who, by education, are qualIhed to
advise then how observe the provisions Of the Con-
''''''''" - -" " $3.50 E. G. AUSTIN.
10, Couris,reet, November 2lst, 1912.
(CoTespondtnce Of the y. Y Tri6uns)
, Bosros, Nov, lS, 1912.
, Since my asst notice Of the Slave Latmer, the ex-
citement which grew out Of his arrest and imprson-
ment ,riihoa ,rarrdnt other legal process, so far
from abanglhas been continually on the increase a
penny pa entitled the "Lalimer Journal and North
Star" was sar,ed few days ago, under the manage
ment (amongohers) Of VIM. F. Claiming, son Of the
late lamente cDr. Claiming the object of which was,
to use its owtanguag e to give utlerance to the alarm
and ndgnalIn of Massachusetts, at The entertainments
Of Slavery onher SOIL II published at the office
Of the Bostn Courier and circulated by thousands
both in the ,ity and country. Under this and other
kindred ;nauaces the excitement had become ex-
ensive that pobaLy no, less than 5000 people would
have come either to await the result Of the trial on
Monday nexi il the had not been taken out of
Court by the voluntary act Of the claimant and his
] arents [ believe it would have been imposs BILE 10
carry Lalimerout of the city slave, il would be
to pluck agel out Of Heaven! Not less than 500
people had nsde arrangements 10 come from Lynn