The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-08-17

- miserable victims to flee from a whole
= sale system o~frobbery. 1t is not enough
that they once have perverted justice,
violated the rights of conscience, set
aside the commandment of God, for the
sake of sustaining the claims of a sys-
3 TEN which riots ia the overthrow of all
right. The Law opens to them a pros
, pect of further revenge. For every one
of these nine fugitives the law holds
Van Zant responsible in the sum of FIVE
hundred dollars. A suit for every one
may be instituted, for the recovery of
this amount, which is the penalty of the
law. If his prosecutors did not avail
themselves Of the full advantage thus
given them, and rob him of 1854, 500 more,
it was only because they feared the re.
action of public sentiment. 1t was not
mercy which withheld them. Could
they have stripped Van Zant naked, and
turned him, with his wife and little ones,
homeless, and helpless, upon the world,
without exciting too much sympathy,
they would have done it, But, they
thought they could venture on one suit;
they did so; and, they gained it. Five
hundred dollars more, this hard working
farmer had to pay $l700 in all, for sim
ply having had the courage to do a chris
tian charity TO those who could look for
little pity or aid this side of the throne
of their Maker.
But what Of his prosecutors? They
go at large, with the price of blood in
their pockets, and the stamp Of the Pit
upon their foreheads, - doomed, we
doubt not, unless they repent in sack
cloth and ashes, to feel the cravings of
the worm that never dieth, and the
screenings Of the fire that is not quench-
ed. Van Zant was convicted chiefly on
the evidence of men who had committed
kidnapping under the laws of Ohio,
Two of them we stated, were acquitted
after a trial, in which the prosecuting
attorney said he had not prepared him
self for the case! One ofthem forfeited
his recognizance, and a fourth took ref
uge i Kentucky from the pursuit of the
sheriff. On the evidence chiefly of.
these, Van Zant was convicted. Hef-
ermap, the principal actor, who had fed
from the Sheriff, did not appear, but his
affidavit was read. Hargrave his COM
patriot, sharer of the spoils, did appear,
and seemed to glory in his infamy.-
What were the acts of these mem? On
Sabbath morning they were on the
alert Heferman, by means best known
to himself had traced the fugitives, and
was busy in rallying his bloodhound
forces. Van Zant is travelling peace
fully along the highway. AT the very
moment, probably, the mother is telling
her children what happiness awaits them
in another land, where she may press
them to her bosom in security, and her
songs of rejoicing go up that they are
free the harpies are upon them. The
iugitives are violently seized, and the
noon of that day, which had opened to
them with the blooming prospect of lib
erty, sees them and their hopes confined
within the walls Of a Kentucky Jail.
For this trespass on the rights Of Van
Zant-this disturbance of the peace
his PROCLAMATION of the Sabbath-this
atrocious reduction TO slavery of nine
human beings, accused Of no crime
these inlluman wretches could plead no
authority from the master-no warrant
from a magistrate, they acknowledged
on oath, that they acted without author
ity from any claiu ant, in virtue Of no
process of law, without even knowing
who tho claimant or claimants were. =
But they did know, that the law Of Ken
lucky compelled Tie master TO pay Seren-
tg-fre dollars 10 any person, returning O
runamay slape. They did know, (for
Heferman beat up for recruits in this IN
fernal transaction, on the ground that it
would be a fine speculation, which also
was sworn to on the trial. that for these
nine human beings, thus violently taken
back to Kentucky, they would be enti-
tied to receive S675!!! And they got
their reward. For this Sabbath morn
ing's work, and surely never was a more
hellish deed perpetrated in the light of
a Sabbath sun, these men compromised
with the Shareholder, who pal them, ac-
cording to the testimony, $500. On the
evidence chiefly of these men, who re-
ceived four hundred and fifty dollars for
an act which, u%nrepented of, will sink
them to the lowest depths of perdition.-
Van Zant was amerced in the sum of
$170O for doing an act, which God
smiled upon, and will yet crown with his
blessing! But the worst is not told
An Ohio Jury, in their verdict for dam"
ages, included this four hundred and
fifty dollars, paid by a Shareholder of
Kentucky, as tho reward of an act done
without authority or pretence of author
ity, and which our iaws h1re pronounced
Kidnapping. They take money out of
the pocket Of Van Zant, ~cirtuaLly 10 pay
a gang of k~idnappers for oiolating The
lams Of Ohio! If the records of any