The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-12-26
j. F. MCCLELLAN, Printer

statute, am Tree person. Al 6tateS
where the bubbles Of the old common
practice and special pleading prevail,
/ have no doubt the objection is good
one. Massachusetts, most wisely and
justly, set aside all such proceedings, by
that measure ollegal reform which Rob-
ert Rantoul; Jr., carried through the leg
islature. -.
Even should the motion result in my
discharge, it will not change my settled
opinion as to the bad and corrupt tend
ency Of such proceedings | submit to
having themotlon made with the greatest
reluctance; albeit, do not believe the
court viii yield to it, plain as ! am told
the matter is, where such legal technics
have not been abolished by statute.
Notice was also given of a motion for
a new trial. Blu! this my family, and
other friends, urge me not to press.
say, without hesitation, that, as a
mere criminal proceeding, l should have
given the same verdict, had been a ju.,
ror, on the unimpeached evidence Of
those reprobate Regions. Still, 1 know
that the entire evidence they gave, so far
as it related to the charge, was perjured.
as was the whole of the @retched Hatch's
testimony and that of young Heckrotte,
so far as it refers TO me. Some part of
their perjuries could easily be proved
as, for example, all tina: Samuel F. Rig
don said ofseeng me with whole loads
of negroes in April, May and November
1843. when 10 coo people Of New York
and New England, know jusl as well as
they know the existence Of the sun in
heaven, that / was not within 200 miles
of Maryland. ..
The jury did not believe the evidence
of either young Heckrotte or Hatch; but
relied on the identity of the horses and
carriage, the ribbon matter, and the Rig
don's testimony, which, as before said,
is perjured in regardto all that refers to
having seen me with. three negroes; or
their having seen Heckrotte's boy at all
which none ofthem ever dido any man
resembling him in dress, color, stature,
features or age; or in regard to the tooth
Of the cid woman or the dress ofehher
mother or daughter.
In all these items l know they swors
falsely. AS 10 considerable portion of
the other items, do not know whether
or not the witnesses swore truly,as they
are strangers TO me. The entire ribbon
business, I am deeply persuaded, was a
shrewd trick, concocted in this city on
the first visit Of the Rlgdons. ..
My counsel, as convinced ofthe false.
hood Of the testimony ofthese men as |
am, deem il hardly probable that it can
be so entirely destroyed as TO prevent
second conviction. The credibility Of
two of the Rigdons, the old man, Sam,
and Robert, could be easily Destroyed
George has more persons Of reputation,
who, from the character he formerly de-
served; still believe his legal veracity
good. So, on the whole, they advise
Submission tothe vervict, in case their mo
tion in arrest Of judgment fails.
Richardson's plea was abIe, and, or
the whole very fair and manly. The
only exception would make to this is,
that he persisted in sustaining the testi-
mony of the reprobate Hach. do not
think he really put any confidence in it,
He only undertook TO sustain it on dis
ground, viz, that some Of Hateh's state
ments must have been derived from me.
The particular items he referred I'VE
nearly the same that were contained in
the testimony Of the two Regions on my
arrest, and Of which had often spoken.
10 forty people, so they we're already pub
lie matters, I he only exceptions to this
were three. ~ A certain 'old Nick,f
colored blacksmith, was referred to-
know not where he got This; for new
er heard ofsuch man my self; Till Sam
Davis named him, in contessing TO me
Inc scoundrelism Hatch and he, and
Heckrotte and others, had planned for
the purpose Of securing my conviction.-
| set man to work to find il there was
such person, but he could find no such
man!
The next particular related 10 my all
legged meeting negroes ia a graveyard
back Of Greenmount cemetery. new
er was there but once, and tina, in the
! day time, and alone. When we were
planning the attempt TO escape I remem-
bered that solitary place, and fixed on it
as the place we would run for first if we
! got out subsequently spoke Of it to
many persons, TO two of the board of
visitors, and others. Hatch got the i
dca of locating my pretended confession
there from that source.
The third item is Id regard to his
knowing how Heckrotte was in the hah.
, it Of calling Hannah Gooseberry his odd
woman Heckrotte himself called her
so, in conversation with him before the
letter was wrilten-I never did. There
, was no other item OF his confession. his
E knowledge Of which could NOT be account!
|, ed for, without any reference to his
! false confessions. This poor creature
. 40, mod NTH mn hatsnso !, On aII.,;t 80