The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-06-26

Peter E Rowland captain Of ship
from New York, was sued for assault
and battery by Alexander Carpenter, the
colored cook oflhe SHIP. The case was
tried last week before the Superior Cour,,
Judge Vanitrpori presiding. The facts
were tSese:
While the vessel wns lying at New.
porl, III FlorIda, nnl engaged in taking
in cotton, the captain told plaintiff that
he looked or acted as if he WAS stupid -
10 which The plaintiff replied, that "ihe
cotton screw was stt stupid" The Cap.
tain was irrila,ed a, This reply Of plainutf,,
md told him that be would have hin."tix.
ed for it," The Captain then went on
shore and brough; on ari a maa who
said that he was Police officer. aud the
plaintiff VAS tied to post and hoEgc1 BY
this man Oh the naked back, and after an
interim OF a lew minutes, The hogging
was continued some time longer. The
plaintiff was then sen! 10 his work, and on
his refusing 10 work on account of the
state of his arms and back. from the fl @
gIng, the captain had him taken on shore
and placed in the stocks where he re-
manned FIVE or six hours The captain
sen, him bread and water while he was
IN the stocks, and in the afternoon he was
brought back to the vessel.
For all Ibis inhumAnitv, the wrttc h
| 1ad the audacity To make defence, and
argued that The plaintiff insolencc mer,
tied The punishment he had received. -
The court instructed the jny, that thu
rl2at OF a captain TO punish seaman j:
not an arbitrary right, but he is bound to
show Sufficient cause for the chaslise
ment. The authority is confled 10 them
solely as means OF maintaining dl$ci
pine, this beng essential TO the safely oil!
both Shit and crew.
The frs, inquiry Of the jury would
herrtJre be, dld the safety Of the ship or
passengers require the same degree of vi.
oIence TO wards the pIAntif, in the then
situation Of the We ssy, as if she had beer
At seo2 1t sppeared that tho d'fendam
jabored under a great drlusion, by sup.
posing thrt he COO d avoid responsibility
by iuvolviDg The authority Of some Other
person. which ne did. Bat there was
nothing TO show that the person who ir,
iilc'ed the blows Ind any authority 10 do
so, either under the laws Of florida or
any other law; and the captain, by pro
caring him to punish the plaintiff, was De,
cidedly wrong doer. If the jury thought
that the pun;shmen! was disproponioned
to the offence, they were bound TO say so.
Is IL al tae same time, they must not allow
themselves TO be ufllrncrd 10 their dtcis-
ion by passion or excited feeling, bu
should dI$p sion,'e'y consider the whole
case. mol forgetting either the jgh's of the
respective parties or what was due TO pub
lie justice and ex1mpe.
The jury showed their calm nud sober
estimate Of the affair, by umercl' & the
captain in damages TO the tune Of fire
huntrel doilar*. Linle enough, 1t is
true; bur when it is considered that the
plaintiff WAS Of the prescribed race, and
the trial in New York. before a judge
who in public life had b, en- the rnscrupu-
lous supporter ofthe rre.nsiors and usur,
pations Of slavery, the rendition of such a
verdict is highly worthy Of reco'd
We have ihconsidtraely wondered why
colored men would ship themselves on
board Of vessels bouni 10 slavrholdng
pors or places; but why Should we won
der ? What can the poor men do, shut
out as they are from almost every en-
Ploymen, ashore, by cruel and anti
Christian prejudice. LIZ, the employ
mcn,s Of life be opened 10 these men, ac
cordlng 10 th' If abilities and worth, and
they will not be compelled 10 pursue a
calling which brings to them not only the
ordinary peris Of a seafdring life, bit the
dia5oical indsnilies which grow gu, OF
slavery and the bad passions OF such hu-
man brut's as Capt. Peter E. Rowland.
49, Emaneipator.