The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-19
From the Baltimore sam

published the statements Of Messrs Knight and
Hughes, the agents who went TO Boston to arrest
the fugitive slaves.
The Boston Advertiser, Of Tuesday morning,
publishes the subjoned letter from Mr. Curtis,
the commissioner, 60 whom reference was made in
Mr.. Hughes letter. We publish it as ''part of
the history ofthe tines" and as necessary to a
full understanding Of the affair. The letter it will
be seen, is addressed to Mr. Webster, as Secreta-
ny Of State
BosroN, Nov. 90, 1850.
Hon. Daniel Uebser-Dear Sir In reply to
your inquiry Will state such facts as are within
my knowledge concerning the proceedings which
took place here for the arrest Of VIM Crafts, an
alleged fugitive slave. On the 22d October Mr..
Seth }. Thomas, counsellor of law of this city,
called on me at my Office, between the hours of
one and two clock and desired to know whe,h-
err, as commissioner Of the United States courts
| would be willing to attend TO a case of a Fuci-
tive slave My reply was that | could not answer
an inquiry whether should be willing to do nv
duty under the law Of the land that when a case
was presented to me it would be for me to decide
on the iacis whether 1t was proper case for a
warrant Mr.. Thomas then LEFT the room, and ,
IN few minutes, returned with two men, one Of
whom he introduced to me as Mr. Hughes and
the other as MIR. Knight
Mr.. Hug eS, was informed, was the agent or
attorney Of some person in Georgia, who wished
TO reclaim fugitive slave supposed to he in Bos-
ION, anu MT. hhlSht was witness Ia the ldenti-
~. | inquired Of Mr.. Thomas if n complaint had
been prepared ard sworn to. He answered that
this had not been done, and that he did not sup
pose 1t to be necessary. | observed that the stat
ute dId not IN terms require it, but that it was the
proper foundation for n warrant Of arrest and
that ! should require 1.-THE parties then left nv
office to prepare complaint and were TO see me
again at o clock. No earlier hour was request
ed by them, and no earlier appointment could
have been made by me, if they had requested it.
AT o'clock met them again a. my office, and
understood that complaint had been prepared and
sworn to. then stated to Mr.. Thomas that. in
my judgment, the best interests ofthis community,
Of the law itself, and Of his clients also required
that THIS warrant should be issued by the circuit
court Of the United States, then in session at the
court house, which is, you famarly know. on
the side OF the street directly opposite my office
My reasons for this opinion must be obvious to
any one who knows the in1ammable material
which existed at that moment in this CITY: for it is
but too true that there were fanatics and mis-
chlevous disposed persons, who had encourag ed
direct re ,isance to the law. Such resistance was
to be anticipated, and, in my opinion, to be pro-
vlded for. Under these circumstances, | knew
perfectly well that no commissioner could give a
proper support TO the marshal, and il was there
fore perfectly clear TO me, that if an arrest was to
be made, 1t ought 10 be made on warrant issued
under the seal Of the court, and the hearing should
be in the circuit court, under all the forms flaw
! know | need not say to you that could have no
other motive for advising an application to the
court than desire for the safe and certain execu.