Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-10-31
INDIANA STATE SENTINEL
AboIition Thunder.


John Street. New York, pamphlet entitled; .'The Flu
gtve Slave BILL history and uneonsiuiionality with
an account the seizure capture Of James Hamlet
and his subsequent RESTORATION Annexed TO the pam
phlet is the following request:
ssSrR-Wisoi be 50 goosiss notice this pamphlet
edtoriaIEv aud to that Il be had in any quantity
if immeaiate application be made, at s. hundred, for
''It is not printed fs profit, bat do good at this
crisis.
A'''' L. TAPPAN,
oeronEn 10. 1850. NelO York. CITY
The following preface explains the object of the publ
cation:
PREFACE. =
oFrIcE AxEzcAx FoRseS SociET1l
No 81 John Street, Nsr YOak, October 2, 1850.
This Review Of the Infamous bill recently passed by
the Congress Of Uaited States has been hastily pre-
pared. with a view meet the present cxlgeney, and
fhs author has freely availed himself of helps
hand. A wide circulation should be gfsen to the
pamphlet. To enable the friends OF freedom to accom-
plisi this obc.t it will h. sold by tie thousand or hun
dred the bare cost. They earnestly entreafed
have copy pl ino the hands of every citizen in the
Free States, and to have eopous extracts made or The
public press.
The Executive Committee Of the Society believe that
the heart OF antslaycry lndiyIduai Will deeply
sympathiz with the painting fugitive. They trust that
the drellinr OF every citizen viii he asylum place
OF protection and that in view Of his extraordinary CIR
cunstances AID the approaching cold weather. coling
e-al hand. They would not recommend that iusves go
10 Canada at least the approach OF winter: bat il
any GO that they he men without families it Is well
for every ave avoid large cities aud public houses
The free people of color advised to remain at
their posts uamoved and 'unawed and each one to
sder his dwelling his castle. In OF assault
lestati0n they NAV b. assured that they will he eectu-
ally aided v their white friends The opposition to the
wicked Bill general and strong; and if those exposed
10 be its victims c-eunspeet and fearless the oppo-
s0n vii Increase and the sympathy viii be deeper and
more general until the law is Indignantly ard Tor
swept from the statute book.
CHOSE who aid the fugitive and defend the free people
of color from being Kidnapped contentious and
OF them from Christian principles The admins
tralon OF the inquitoas and unconstitutional law Is
therefore matter OF persecution. In every way IN
which be viewed, IL disgrace to the nation, an
Of extreme cruelty and can he viewed as an expert
the part Of the Slave Power see how much
the Free States will bear with reference future expe
rments upon their rights aud feelings.
LEWIS TAPPAN. Cor. Sec
Lewis Tappan has LONG hecn the leader of tkeAb-
oltoa party in the United States He is the Cores
pondng Secretary Of the American Ant-Slavery Soci
ety. and by the sale Of his abolition he has
ed large fortune The case of Hamlet, of which
he would conure tragedy equal to'the Hamlet of
Shakespeare, was simply this: He the slave of
Mrs. Mary Brown, of Baltimore. who time since
had absconded and residing in New York. His
whereabouts known but in consequence Of the IN
efficiency Of the law attempt made to reclaim
him. well knowing that the mob would rescue him from
the hands Of Justice After the passage Of the present
law Mrs Brown, by power of attorney authorized her
agent procure the and of the slave Ham
let. The agent went New York, procured warrant,
upon the necessary evidences which placed in the
hands of the Deputy Marshall who arrested the fugitive
He was taken before the Commissioner and by two wit
proved to be the property Of Mrs. Brown The
Commissioner under the law, delivered him to the
custody Of the Marshall who removed him Baltimore
aad handed him to his owner. The free negroes
anl aboon>ts, seeing that resistance useless in
the time made up sufficient purchase the
freedom of Hamlet and it paid over by agent TO
Mrs. Brown, and in this way his freedom Obtained
and he returned to New York.
Thus ended the tragedy of Hamlet, which has been
paradel through the public prints evidence of the
injustice Of this law. 1t is pretended by any
that Hamlet free He absconding
slave and under the law he was returned to his owner
The law gave Mrs. Brown rights that she did not
possess under the Constitution. 1t merely provided the
means to enforce these rights Yet we called by
Mr. Tappan and his associates to the execution
of the law and to excite public prejudice to force Con-
gress repeal it. The object of this pamphlet is to
sow broadcast the free States the seeds of slavery
agitation which il permitted germnate and grow will
rpen into harvest of disunon The object of the pub
LEGATION is clearly indicated in the preface 1t holds
the strongest inducements slaves to away from
their masters and calls upon the people of the free States
to gse them shelter and protection. 1t recommends
negroes the north themselves for resistance
and promises them tie aid of their white brethren This
be the great issue, and meet it in
its inception. We ask the people of Indiana, 0
unite with the aboltionists hue and cry against the
law unless 1t shall operate oppressivcly the free
of color. OF this there is no danger. Kidnapping
der its sanction is impossible The slave must be idea
titled and proved, before certificate of ownership
be granted II the negro slave he should be return
ed to his If he is free man, be should be pro-
tected The law Dies this and no more. And we now
pledge ourselves advocate it, repeal the very mo-
shall appear that single free person. under its
color, has been carried off and enslaycd.
The worst feature in this excitement is the attempt
to make it religions question So long as it is purely
political we can meet it with reason and argument
We can point 10 tue Constitution with its obligations
and com promises; but when it is taken from the po-
cal arena and dragged into the pulpit, thrown by
the religious press, It becomes dangerous and
alarming question When the minister of God shall
peat his CATION higher law than the Consti-
tation by which they are to be bound when religious
sentiments and the preudices Of the church invoked
against Ihe law aad the Constitutions all civil govern
end We have been led to these reflections
by reading letter om the New York spondent of
the "Westcrn Christian Advocate" giving Of
the Hamlet tragedy. The writer after denouncing Mr.
Clay the great eOHVrOmiser, avhOe chOe life has