The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-08-25
From the New York Tribune.
LAW in south Carolina.

| A man named John NJ. Barrett is now in Jail
tsPartansburg. S. C., on suspicion Of being an
AbolitiOnist, and is quite likely to suffer smart
y' under the Code Lynch, if some provision in
the bloody statute book Of Carolina cannot be
stretched 10 reach his case. Yet il is not pre-
tended that he has been engaged In melting the
slaves to instruction or A ght, nor even that he
has approached them in aay manner " hatever.
But he 10 accused of having had an agency in
what is lar more dsngerous-in enlightenine
the Waite non-slaveholdeTs Of South Carolina
with regard to the garing expressions to which
they are subjected by reason Of the dominance Of
siavery-the inequality Of representation be-
tween the strong slavehOIding and compare
lively non-slaveholding portions of the State
the rigid monopoly Of Office by the great slave
holders--the degraded condition and gloomy
prospect Of the white freemen of South Caro-
lina' who do not own slaves, sc. The letters
which fully though briefly exhibit this subject
In its true light were written bya native of
south Carolina, himself formerly stakeholder
and thoroughly acquainted with his subject
There is no such thing as answering him-the
only safety Of the aristocrscy is to be found in
keeping all knowledge of his letters from those
he addresses. OF course the South CAROLYN.
journals are guiltless Of any such fncendia-
rsm as would be involved In their publication.
Somebody out Of the State has strongly desir
ell 10 bring these letters (signed .Brutusl to the
knowledge Of the class to which thew are sd- |
dressed, and, knowing that Mr.. Barrett was
about to travel through the upper part of South
Carolina has requested him to drop packages Of
letters (Printed) into sOus specified offices,
addressed 10 various citizens Of the State. Al,
YET no particle Of evidence has appeared show
ing that Mr.. Barrett knew what was In the lat
tiers, or thar they were obnoxious TO apv marty
In Carolina. Yet The Spartan OF a late dan.
says:
The charge under which he was arrsstsd A.
P'u'shaoie oy Twelve months imprisonment
and one thousand dollars fne. But n. NAV \.
indicted under the ares, for anv crIma Of 80
the State Attorney may think himself able. by
competent testimony, TO convict the prisoner
mere more than possibility that Barrett
may be indicted for an offence the pen.I,v al
winch 70 dsafA, without benefit of clergy, and
assnredy, IL convicted, all the abolitio nat. in
me United States cannot save him."
BUTT Is not so easy to convict a man legally
d crime as to threaten 1t, even in South Caro-
ma and slavery has taken another stem in its
'"n direction at sPartanburg. There is in the
IOs' Ofhee at that place, a letter directed To
John Edward Thompson which the sceu..,.
u MI Barrett assert was intended for him, or
na' ne mas authority to take II from the Office.
ie respectfully declines to have anything to do !
win H. They then summon the Postmaster 10
PPear in court {. witness against Barrett.
ND bring this letter to be broken open and used
evidence against him. The Spartan saws. {
MT. Legs was arrested and brought befor. !
ne Magistrase. He said in his defense thar n. !
vas sworn officer Of the Government. and !
lad given his boad and security for the f.i,hfnI
iscnarge OF his duty; that he was not sutho- a
iseo 10 deliver the letter TO any one but the n.
or ms agents; that before the next Court af p
SESSIONS he was bound to forward the Ie,fe, a. u
ne department in Washingtcn; that he wa. :. Z
shhng as any one to discharge his duty 20 m. :.
ta.e as good Citizen: that with due dsferencs !.
, the distinguished authority under which IN. ;,
aagisIale was acting, he felt himself CONN
aeciine delivering up the letter, or 10 eptsr
40 recosnlsance except for his personal an u
esanee. This defense, though strictly cor. Is
SCI, was not deemed satisfactory bv the N.gi.- %
a'e' VINO thought that the post-offce sss No. y
'.enoeo 10 enable criminals 10 perfect ,heir ~
'nemes Of crime with impunity, and th., ~
pom reasonable showing, IL the post-ofscs | -
'a's'nea evidence Of some crime psroetraeed- n