Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-01-22

.NEssRs. EDIToRs.-.Nr. Phelps has just called my
attention to a clause in my letter to Gov. Owsey, which
speaks of my having been indicted for aiding negroes
to escape. 1t may be a little surprising to some when
I say that | never before noticed that this phraseology
differed from that in the indictment. Such, %nevcrthe-
less, is the fact. And | will now give the reader the
only explanation | have to offer.
After the verdict was rendered against me, | was
strongly urged by my father, my %attornics, and all my
friends in that region to solicit the Governor for u par
don without delay. But ! refused, on the ground that
| had not been guilty of crime. At length, when my
father and counsel were about going to the Governor
with the letters Of the jury, lr. Clay, and Others, pray
ing an immediate pardon, they came in and entreated
me to enclose my petition also, lest my silence should
have the appearance of indifference and ~displease
the Governor. still, however, persisted IN my refusal
saying, that, from the beginning, | had only asked
for Justice; and as that was still all that ! desired, |
should not now change my plea and cry for mercy.
My father and friends were panied at my decision, and
my enemies imputed it 10 incorrigible haughtiness.
All these things were extremely trying to my feelings,
coming as they did before | had time to recover from
the shock occasioned by the verdict. One Of my
friends, however, stepped out and hastily wrote the
letter to which Mr.. Phelps has called my attention, and
then returning, said to me, 4 have here written a short
note to Gov. Owsely, to which, if not for the sake Of
your own liberty, at least for the sake of your parents
1t is no plea for mercy, and only asks for justice at the
hand of the executive Exceedingly annoyed by the
continued solicitations Of my father, and others, and in
a state of high excitement, | cast a hasty glance over
It's note, and not discovering, at the time, that the
word aiding was used in it, instead of the term seduc-
ing, which is given in the indictment, I gave it my
signature; and had any individual said to me, two days
ago, that5the word aiding was there, | should have con-
fdently denied it.
But another query may arise in the minds Of some
in relation to this matter; and that is, how that letter
could be introduced into my book without my discov
ering it. To this | reply, LIST, That the letter, when
copied for the press, was not copied by myself, but, il
connection with other papers, was put into the hand Of
the proof-sheet was examined, | was on a sick bed ant
unable to attend to it, so that it passed into the book
without being discovered. This is the only %explana.
ton l have to give of this thing, and | trust it will be
satisfactory.
Now for the use MI, Phelps can make of this matter
First, then, | remark that when he brought his charge
of falsehood against me, he did not do it in view of the
fact that this word was in my letter to Gov. Owsely, be-
cause he did not himself know it at the time. This is
evident, LIST, from the fact that he quoted from the let
ter, but did not quote from that part of it, which, doubt
less, he would have done had he known it was there.
2nd. This will appear from an extract from a lette,
he wrote dated Dec. 18th, in which he thus calls my
attention to this word. II write now to call your at
t%ention to something that has just fallen under my eye
confrmatory of the general views of my letter, and thu
articles in the reporter" In this extract he says ex
pressly, that it had just fallen under his eye. Ofcoursc
it had not fallen under his eye when he brought hi
charge of falsehood.
2. Moreover, | supposed at the time, that I wa.
only denying the act of Seducing. that being the tern
used in the indictment, and, of course, the one which
should have been used in the letter, instead of thu
word aiding. And had I known that the word adm!
was there, | would have served out my time in thu
penitontiary before l would have signed that petition
Now, with the explanation given above, the worst h
can make Of it, is, that it was a mistake, or an uninten
tional denial, which, certainly does not amount tt
lalsehood,
Respectfully Yours,
n 4 WEpGTFR