Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-05-24

w VI. Wv SLE &.
By The Guvcr"nr
G. B. KiNKEAD,
Secretary Of Stale.
TIE AFFIDAVIT OF FRANCIS TRoUTMAS.
This aliianr states that, as the agent an,
attorney of Francis GiItuer, of Carol
county, Kentucky, he proceeded 10 tn
town Of Marshall. in The county of Cal
houn. aud Stale of Michigan. and in com
pany with the deputy sheriff and lhre,
kcntuckians, on The morning Of the 27tl
January. went 10 house in which they
found six fugitive slaves, the property o
Gil:ncr. The slaves were directed 10 ac
company us 10 the Office Of the magistrate
some of them were preparing to obey the
summons, but before alfiant could gel
them started, he was surrounded by mob,
which. by its violent threats, menaccs,
aud assaults, prevented The removal Of the
slaves 10 the office OF The magistrate. AZ
fiant directed the Sheriff. time after time,
20 discharge his duty, aud he as often
made an clfIrt To do 50, but SO great was
the cxci,cmen, aud violence of The mob,
that the officer was afraid to seize the
slaves. Resolutions were offered by some
of the most influential citizens Of the town,
which were calculated greatly 10 excite
aud encourage the negroes and abolition
rabhle, who constituted Il part of the mob.
The negroes engaged in The mob were
estimated AT irom forty 10 fifty. many Of
-. l.
as aiiiani was informed and believes. The
number of persons engaged in the mob
were variuusly estimated AZ from two 10
three hundred. All the resolutions offer.
ed by these engaged in the mob were sus
taincd by general acclanotion; many Of
The mob pledged their lives 10 sustain
Them, and at the same time bad guns,
with which ln execute llciT purposes. Al
fant cnatcnd"d fnr some hours With lhe
mob. and still SISTED on taking the slaves
hefnrc The magistrate fr trial; hu The m
flucnial men of The n,h told a!iilnl thai
there was 40 need of ;!;G', ard i'.:it any
further attempt To remove the slaves would
leopard the lives OF all who might make
the attempt. I'd ihcv wc:e dcteri'inch |"
prevent aliaul from removing The slaves
from removing the slaves from town. even
ifhc proved his right ID ia So; lhey s'a'eu'
further, that public sentiment was nppof-
ed to southerners rcciainin. fugitive slaves;
and that although the law WAS in our Ia.
vor, yet public sentiment must and should
supcrse,e the law in this and similar ca
scs. Atfian' then called upon some o! The
mos, active members Of The mob 10 give
him their names, and inform him If they
considered themselves responsible for their
words and actions on that occasion; they
promptly gave their names to aliIant' and
he vas told to write them in capital letters
and bear them back ~ Kentucky, the land
Of slavery, as an evidence of their de'er'
minarion 10 persist in the dc fierce o!
p!ecedcnce already established. The fol-
lowing resolution was then offered: Re.
solrcet That these Kenluckians shall not
rcmovc from liiis place these (naminS The
slaves by neral, physical or legal Icrcc.
II was carried by general acclamatlon.-
Alliont then directed the sheriff to sum
mon those leading men OF the mob to as
sisl in keeping The peace; he did so, hu,
the refused their aid, an'l ailiant under
STOOD them To say that they would assist in
preventing the arrest of the slaves. i
consultation was then held ly eight or ten
Of The mob, ont somc distance from ilc
main crowd, as 10 whether alllant might
take them hclorc the ma. ;Srralc; The de-
cision was in the negative. anu the follows
inc resolution WIS then offered: Rrsolred,
That these Kcn,uckians shall leave The
! town IN two hours; (somc penalty IN the
event of failure was attached, which a.
fanr does not rrcnl!cct.) 1t was sustained
bv The unanimous vote of The mob.
\ warrant of ttcspasS was then Issnc'
and served upon the sheriff. hiiihnt AM
company; we stood the 'riaI Tie mas's
tratc, who was an ,abolilinnisl, fined IL
| 500. a warrant was then taken on
against attiaut for drawing pistol upon
negro. and telling him to stand back, whe'
said negro was making IN attempt TO fore
himself upnn aI,ian and into The hous
where aliant had The slaves. On 'rial al
lilnt proved his agency. and that The slave
were the property af Gilncr, ("r whom II
WAS acrins as agent, set the court rccoe
nizcd this anian' 10 appear al the next eli
cult court for trial.
Many were :hc insults offered aIilant b
The leading men of the mob, who lniormc
him M the same lime thai it was just sue
treatment as Il kcmtuckian deserves whe
attempting to re capture slave and IN;
they intended TO make al example ni nm
that Others might take warning. Ih;
f there had heen attempts by slaveholders
. reclaim slavos in their town. hut they liza
always been rcpulscd, and always sha
be. The insults offered this atliant, as
private individual, were lrcatcd with "
T. TO of silent contempt, hut such as we
offered him as il Kcnluckian, during II
limc Of tho mob and tho progress oi 'v