Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-08-15
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From the Cincinnati Gasettc.
The Captured ohioans-virginia action.

capture of The Ohioans of Washington county is true
And more is true. Besides being dragged from lhei
houses aud families, by foreign force, they have beer
tried by a foreign tribunal, and remarded 10 Jail, there
tn remain until September, when the superior court o.
Virginia shall say whether they are feIons or not.
This is a gross and glarlng outrage, end one which
must not be submitted to, If there be power in the law
70 maintain the rights ofthe state, guaranteed to US by
the constitution Of the union, or TO defend the freedom
If The citizen which the government is bound 10 pro
'ect. Let US first look at The facts, see what s decided
understand the law, and then determine what shall be
done.
Az to the facts.
On the evening of the 9th ult., sfter dark, six slaves
belonging 10 Mr.. Howard of Wood county, Virgins,
attempted to escape from bondage. They succeeded
in reaching the bank on this side of the river, where a
large number of Ohioens we're standing. Seven Of
this number we're sent down towards the river, and
helped the negroes in carrying the baggage up The hill.
At this moment, six VirgiDians, who we're concealed
10 the bushes near by, rushed upoa Tho crowd, disper.
sd them. seized three of the men who aided the slaves,
Messrs. Lorraine. Garner and Thomas, of Washington
county, Ohio, forced them on board of a boat, took
ihem before a magistrate at Parkersburgh, Va, by
whom they were committed to prison.
= As 10 what is decided.
On the 18th Of July the trial Of the three Ohioan IS
vas had before Q special court Of Wood county, Va.
The question before the court was, whether it had iu.
risdictIon over the case? The witnesses, of course
the very men who seized the Ohioans, proved sub
sIGuiially what we have stated. Upon this single
point the issue rested. For The defence il was said
That all the courts sLd all The Judges Of the courts, from
chief justice Marshall down, whenever called upon to
decide the question, had held the doctrine that the law
OF one state wac imperative in another state, and that
low water mark ia The boundary of The north west and
| hes bepD G eattlpd hv la "a, for lha laat a. vsars Tho
counsel for the state wss challenged to produce a dc.
csInn at war with this doctrine. That counsel, III re-
ply, claimed jurisdiction for Virginia 10 the top Of Tho
north west bank that her laws did extend beyond her
territory; and gases were put to illustrate and prove
The necessity Of maints ming this view. And the cal
bd court of Virginia sustained thsse doctrines, refusing
the motion Of the prisoners counsel TO bail them. and
as we before said, remqndcd them to jail, there to re-
main until tried before Me superior court Of Virginia
IN neat September.
b AS 10 the law.
The position assumed by the authorities Of Virginia
is this: That citizens of Ohio. Iiptng here, and neuer
haDing set foot On the soil of Pirginia are yet dnena
Ole TO her lGD. This doctrine is monstrous, nGd its
simple statement is enough to prove it. Its despotism
IS so palpablo that free men, if possessing & knowledge
OF freedom, would reject it everywhere. From the
period of the Magma Charta, when kings ruled with
almost omnipoteat sway, to this time, there is not a
nation, nor a state, which has rot ~rejeciad this doc
trine. Nor is there a civilized people on earth who
would submit to its enforcement.
We omit ID portion of the argument on the legal
question.
The question is narrowed down by Virginia to this
point, her own statute; and if that has power in this
state, IT mas power 10 Indiana, and she may draw our
citizens from their homes at any time, or for any Of
fence, and be IN effect our mistress and the
mistress of tho nation Wa rannl ell sunh
constructions. They are at war with every principle
o! Law and liberty, with every sentimen, Of indepen
dence, and with every notion ofsovereignty. And the
aw and the eXpounders of lew every where SO affirm.
they do not leave the question an open one. 1t is
settled beyond the power Of attack, except by despotIc
means.
4 What shall we do?
Every citizen Of Ohio owes allegiance To the state.
In return for that allegiance the state pledges itself to
Protect him. These Ohioans have been kidnapped
on our and their snil, and while violating no law al
home, by people from a foreign state, and are now
held as feloDs in a foreign Jail. Ohio owes it to her
dlgnlly, her self respect, her sense of right, to break
their bondage and set them free. II will never do 10
tolerate the idea that the people of any state may in.
wade our territory by force aud by force capture and
lmprlson our citizens. We shall be desplsed, and
ought 10 be ~despised, as poltroon 10 spirit, and coward
at heart, It we sluggishly fold our arms and say no.
thing and do nothing. to meet the wrongs of SO out
rageousa character. No man need talk TO us OF the
character of the men seized in this particular case.
None need speak OF what they attempted 10 60 or did
The right to seize the poorest and neanest citizen of
Ohio by force, confers if not resisted, The right to seize
the best citizen of the state. We have no alternative
left then; we must defend these men; and the public
voice should demand that the ablest counsel of the
state be employed for this end. Let US sec whether
there be virtue in the writ of habeas corpus, or the
law, and let US know, too, speedily whether the citi-
zens of Virginia, or of any other state, may invade
our soil, bear away our people, and dsom them as fell
against justice, right, and law, without remedy