The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-09-16

Z
Betlerers Of Jesus Christ-Locers of Impartial
Ldberty-Humane Men and Homen-to uou
ace appeal.
CAzENovIA, Aug. 22d. 1850.
WILLIAM l.. CHAPLIN, native of Mas sa.
chusetts, long resident of the State of New
York-the accomplished gentlemen, the ripe
scholar, the upright statesman, the whole
souled philanihropist, the sincere practical
Christian-William L. Chaplin is imprisoned
at the city of Washington, the Capital of our
Republic, charged
FIRST. With having assisted certain enslaved
tellowmen in their attempt to escape from
bondage; and,
Secondly. With an assault upon those who
arrested him, with an intent to kill them.
For these alleged offences, he is now held
in dnrance vile" by the police of the Dis
drct OF Columbia, and also uuder requisi-
ton of the Governor of Maryland.
Now be it known to all men, that he did
not commit the secoud offence named above
AT the time of his seizure, he had no weapon
of violence about his person, nor does he ever
wear any; neither did he know that his COM
panions were armed much less did he coun-
sci them TO make resistance, All this we
know and do affirm. He was ignorant. too,
OF the character of the persons who seized
him. No warrantlo Tor his arrest was announced.
band of men, like ruffians, came upon him
in the darkness of night on the highway, and
the first salutation he received was savage
yell, and blow that felled him senseless to
the earth. When he recovered from the
shock, he was in the hands of four stout men,
and therefore powerless.
The persons who were with Mr.. Chaplin
| made an effort (unhapply without success) to
save themselves from the monsters who would
return them into slavery. But not one, of
either party, was seriously injured, unless it
were the self-sacricing Chaplin. He was
severely bruised by the ruffians who captured
him.
| The other charge, that he helped me, IN hei,
attempt to escape from slCuery, if true, should
|
crime, unless it he crime to act in obedi
ence to the command of Christ, TO touoc thu
example Of the good Samaritan
Chaplin has the heart of man, quickened
by the spirit of " the Son of Man" He was
in that bad region Of our country which is in
tested by the worst of robbers, where men
and women are often found stripped, not SO
much of their raiment as of all the rights of
human beings; wounded, many of them in
their persons, bnt all of them in their feelings,
in the tenderest relations of life; and left
with not indeed SO much as>half of what con-
stiutes the trae life OF men. Surely, if the
poor traveller between Jerusalem and Jericho
was 10 be pitied, and his relief attempted, not
withstanding the dangers of the place, much
more every Christian must allow, should we
attempt lat any hazards 10 ourselves) the res
cue of tellow-lhan, who is subjected to the
terrible wrongs of American slavery
w. L. Chaplin, if he has done all that the
charge alleges, has done no more than the
God Samaritan would do; and for this we
honor, we love him. To deliver him from
confinement, therefore, as soon as possible,
that he may renew and redouble his gener.
Gus exertions in the cause of suffering hui
manity, we feel ourselves impeled by the
highest sense of duty, and the deepest feelings
of sympathy with him, and brotherly kind
ness to all men. We call upon all, who have
any love of Christian heroism, to help u.s.
The last man who should be kept in confne-
lnent or subjected to any disabilities, in our
country or in our world is the man who is
ever ready to spend his time, his strength, his
all, to break the yoke of the oppressor, and
set the captive free. Such is the man who is
imprisoned in the Jail of the United States !! 1!
We plead, we insist, we demand, that his
prison doors be thrown open, not so much for
his sake flor we know he counts it joy 10 suf-
fer in the cause of humanity as for our own
sakes, that we may quicken our own and each
others love of liberty, by doing honor to his
exalted spirit of self-sacrifcing philanthropy.
We come to the Cazenoyia Convention, lha,
we might congratulate some Of the many in
this region who have escaped from a worse
han Egyptian bondage, and advise with them
and their friends as 10 the obligations that rest
upon US in regard TO the millions of our coun-