Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-05-25

Editorial Correspondence Of the Ohio True Democrat.
Washington, April g. l848.
As an evidence of the manner in which Justice
is administered here Il would state that the three
prisoners who were bound over to appear at
court and answer to the charge of aiding in the
escape of the negroes, are each required to give
bail in the sum of $4,000! This is in coun-
try where the Constitution requires that erceSSiUc
bail shall not be demanded One of the men, as
have already stated in previous letter, was
proved to be innocent on the examination. Still
he was bound over, and bail required to the
amount of the $4,000. He did think some Of
applying for habeaS corpus for the purpose of
having the amount reduced by Judge Cranch.
He could give bail in the sum Of $4,000 But
we were given to understand that if released, he
would not leave the city alive. The Jail is con-
stanty watched by men who have nothing to do
with it. but who are determined that no one of
the prisoners shall ever 60 acquitted. The jailor
has strict orders not to permit any one to have
any conversation with them except in his pres.
ence-not even their counsel The prisoners are
confined in cold cells, with brick floors, and
nothing to sleep on except single blanket As
yet they have not disclosed the names of any per-
sons who were engaged in the enterprise with
them, and they assured me that they never would
do it.
A part of the negroes are still in Jail. Some
of them have not yet been claimed by their
masters, and others are kept there until good
sale can be made of them The question ar
ises-By what authority are they there! The
Jail is the property of the people of the United
States, erected by their money, for the purpose,
e oDd kaoninn cnfa tbosa pharnnd nr
convicted of crimes committed in the District.
By what authority, then, is it used for the keep
ing of the negroes! The Marshal of this Dis
trct is appointed by the President; he is paid
out of the public treasury. Is he thus appointed
and paid to be employed in the capture and safe
keeping of runaway negroes? Do the people of
the United States pay him for this purpose ?
And who pays for the keeping of these negroes
District has applied to Congress to pay him the
sum of IS, 1861 A, for keeping runaway slaves
prior to these, and probably he will soon present
another bill for keeping these. And what IS
worse he has not only applied, but the Judiciary
Committee has sanctioned the application, and
! MIR. TAYLOR of Ohio one ofsthat committee. has
reported in favor of allowing the claim. These
runaways were not committed to Jail by any or
der OF court; there is no law requiring the 1dlloI
to receive them: the Marshal volunteered the
use of the United States Jail, and Mr.. Winthrop's
Committee on the Judiciary reported biNto pay
him for it ! One hundred ane eighty-three coli
ored persons were thus committed No one Of
them were charged with any violation of the law.
Some were confined as "runaways," some for
"safe keeping" some as petitioners for freedom,
all put in prison By the order Of some private per-
son, except in very few instances where bav-
ing been kept for several m onths and some times
for more than year, they were discharged by
order of court. notice that one poor fellow,
put in Jail by order of Moses Graham, renamed
there $40 days or three years and hve months,
and then was discharged by order of F. ). Key;
and for keeping this negro, the marshall chat