Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-08-25
Correspondence Of the Tribune.
Case of DraytOn---Cruelty and Injustice
TO the boy English.
WASHINGTON, August 5th,

The case of Drayton, found guilty by a
iurv of this District of stealing slaves, is des-
tined vet to make a great noise in the coun-
try, and 10 attract the public attention to a
most earnest scrutiny of the law and practi-
ces of slavery as they exist here.
In no State of this Union has it ever yet
been held that assisting slaves to regain their
liberty is stealing. On the contrary, the Su-
preme Court of Alabama, in a reported case,
after solemn argument, repudiated with in
dignation so atrocious a doctrine. The lnta-
nv Of having first propounded it from the Ju-
dicial Bench belongs to Thomas H. Craw-
| ford, a Pennsylvania, appointed by Tyler
Judge of The Criminal Court of this District.
He first announced this extraordinary law in
the case Of one Smith, a blonde steward,
tried two years ago in Alexandria, then a part
of the District. Smith had assisted in con-
cealing a colored woman on board the ship
to which he belonged, with a view TO help
her escape out Of slavery and he is now a
prisoner in the penitentiary here, convicted
of stealing on the strength of Judge Craw-
! ford's directions 10 the Jury. To the same
law he has adhered in the present case
Contrary to what is laid down in every law
book that treats Of the subject, he instructed
the Jury in Drayton's case, that to constitute
a stealing it was not necessary that the taking
should be with a design to convert the thing
taken 10 the prisoners use, and that the eX'
p~ectation of a money gain or any other an
dtcing advantage to the prisoner, or anybody
else. was sufficient to constitute larceny.
Notwithstanding this tremendous inroad
upon the best settled principles of Crimlna
Law, to which, as well as to many other fals'
rulings, the prisoner has excepted, even upoT
the law as laid down by the Judge, 1t wa
impossible for any fair-minded jury to con
Wet the prisoner. For the Judge declared
, that to make out larceny, it must be proved
that the prisoner seduced and corrupted tn
slaves and induced them to leave the servlc
7 of their master and TO COM on board his yes
D sci. Now of this there was not one parIicl
OF evidence.
S The only thing proved against the prison
er, was, that he transported the slaves out o
E the District, and said that he was going t
. carry them to a Free State, and was to b
paid for 1.-THE very case provided for by
: Special Act Of Maryland, in force In thl
! District, under which se~venty-fonr lndlct
ments for carrying off those very Negroes az
now hanging over Drayton's head. In add
ton TO the transport thus proved, conslltutln
bv the law of this District a separate offence
s an accommodating jury, at the request OF IN
District Attorney, presumed out oil the whol
cloth, a seducing and enticing, and a telon
ous intent; and because the slaves were toun
+ as passengers on hoard the prisoners vesse
on their way to a Free State, they have d,
clsred him on their oaths guilty Of stealing
y Can spy vessel safely visit this District !
May not q slave conceal himself on board ar
vessel Should d slave be found so Co