Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-03

80 1890 49,
eide what credit is due to "A negro, as to q
white man.
Mr.. Blatherskite rose TO reply, but he was
stopped by the Judge, who regretted to heal
such unworthy and disrespectiul sentiments,
embodied in a grave argument, before the
court, in a case of so much importance. lie
was moi certain that the court, in order to re-
tain its " self-respect, should not treat II
rs a contempt deserving further notice. Tic
should for the present, however, content hun
self by saying that the law complained OF
was based on the soundest policy, and the
testimony offered on behalf OF the Common
wealth was legal and proper.
Mr.. Blackstone was then sworn. He tes'
tilted that Mr.. Whites grandfather was a
mulatto, whose son John was a quddroon.-
This boy was emancipated, and became a
preacher of the gospel. His wife was a white
WOMAN, and was the mother OF Mr.. White
The court said it was all important that the
fountains Of justice should be preserved pure
aud uncontalninated This could not be lone
if persons with negro blood in their veins
could be permitted TO testify. The hardship
experienced in individual cases would moi
authorize the court to disregard the broad
land marks by which they must always be
guided. The witness is clearly incompe-
tent.
MI. Dexter then called William franklin
10 the stand. Mr.. Blatherskite objected. He
could prove him an infidel, and he called on
the Rev. Dudley Dunderpate, who swore that
Mr.. franklin did not believe in the Christian
religion, nor a state of future rel cards and
punishments. He neither believed in the BIZ
BILE, in God, nor the Devil, nor did he give
any thing for the support of the gospel. He
had known Mr.. franklin for 20 years. He
admitted his honesty, his intelligence, and
his unimpeachable veraciiy. Mr.. Dexter de-
MED the propriety and the legality Of all such
testimony. If an honest, intelligent and truth
full man must be excluded because his reli-
glon is wrong, by parity of reason, a liar must
be believed, If his religion Is right. We
have then reached that perfect state of judi
cial excellence; when all honest men mug be
excluded and all dishonest men may be adj
mltted. From such a happy state, good Lord
deliver us.
Mr.. Blatherskite trembled when he saw
such witnesses produced to be sworn. How
could they swear that they would tell the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, when they neither feared to 90 to hell
1t they did not, nor hoped to 90 TO heaven il
they did. There was nothing but the fear Of
the penitentiary to induce them TO speak the
truth, and who would be moved by such Z
paltry consideration.
Judge S~hacklebar decided that the Chris,
tian religion was the law of the land. How
it had been engrafted, or what denomination
was right, he was not exactly prepared TO de.
eide, but he believed that the evangelical
churches which taught the doctrine Of endless
misery, were those on whose creeds the Chris
tian religion was based. The sanctions which
accompanied the law as taught by these secls,
were the most efficient, and this court must
not forget that justice cannot be done without
the aid OF religion. This witness is incom-
petcnt and must be rejected.
Mr.. Dexter then rose and said, that he
should except to the opinion of the court in
rejecting MI. Fairman as a juror, because he
had said that slavery was wrong and ought
to be abolished. He should also except TO
their opinion in rejecting Mr.. Wright, for
having formerly been a subscriber for the Lou
isville EXamineI-for refusing to instruct the
jury that Belpre In Washington county, Ohio,
was not in Wood county, Virginia, and out
Of the jurisdiction of this court-for rejecting
the testimony of Mr.. White, and that also OF
Mr.. franklin. This was accordingly done,
and the bill of exceptions was signed and
sealed by the court. The case then went to
the jury and was argued by counsel. Judge
Shacklebar told the jury that this was an i'm
portant case to the defendant. 1t involved
her dearest rights, and they must not overlook
those rights, nor the merits of her defence,
which had been very ably conducted. He
regretted TO say that her counsel in more than
one instance, had stopped to raise objections,
and had attempted to introduce witnesses in
a manner that must tend to lessen the respec,
the public should have in the administration
Of justice. He would, however, impute it 10
the over-heated zeal of the counsel for the
welfare of his client. If the jury believe that
the defendant taught Black Beck the alpha
bet, or attempted TO teach it, las without such
teaching she could not possibly learn to read
the bibls,) they must find her guilty. They
would also find that Righteous Ridge was in
Wood county, Virginia. Beyond this theiI
authority did not extend. The jury retired,
and after an absence of a few minutes, they re-
turned with a verdict of Guilty of murder in
the first degree" Judge Shacklebar said he
could not receive such a verdict. 1t was moi
a finding upon the issue. They must retire
and correct it. This they would do by mere
ly saying Guilty" or mot Guilty.
They then retired, and Immediately returned
with a general verdict of guilty. The next
morning Mrs. Christian was called up for SEN
tence. Judge Shacklebar dwelt upon the
great favor extended towards her on her trial
the enormity of the offence, and the %necessi'
iy of faithfully administering the law, and
she was sentenced to ten years confinement
in the penitentiary and to pay the costs.
Thus was determined a very important tri'
al. If the case is confirmed by the Court Of
Appeals, the people of Virginia may congrat
ulate themselves that religion and morality,
truth and justice, benevolence and intelligence
have still their temple in that ancient Com.
monweallh.
J. l.. G.
GREEK AND SLAvERy.-A copy fthe New
testament has been found in Mississippi, in tn,
Greek language and characters, which is saiC