The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-08-13
FROM THE MOBILE HERALD AND TRIBUNE.
A SLAVE CASE In MOBILE.

AsLAvE CASE In MOBILE.
The case Of the State VS.. Peter Coleman,
tried IN the City Count yesterday, was moi,
OILY an interesting one, but The facts connec.
ted with the trial ought to satisfy The North,
that our system Of slavery, aud our treatment
OF free negroes, are far preferable To theirs
Whh all their boosted humsniiy aud freedom,
there are slaves at the North, aud macy OF
their free negroes, are ia worse condition
than cur slaves.
Coleman was a free man Of color. He
yes indicted under The statute of lsil,
which provides hat "e,ery free negro who
shall have come 10 this state since the lst
OF FEBRUARY 1892. and shall have been admon.
ished by any sheriff, &c. that he cannot re-.
main IN the siate and shall 10, within thIry
days thereafter depart from the same, shall
on coa'le'ion be punished by Imprisonment IN
the pentenlIafy for two Years.
II was proved that Coleman had been !lv
ing 10 the city since 1896 that he was con
sIdefeG, treated, and acted as free person,
that he had remained 10 the slate, without
having left ii, until the summer Of 1856
tha, under the excitement Iha, then took
place about Tree negroes, he LEFT the city
with his vie and children, aud ueni to Ohio
that he returned TO iha city of Mobile in
the fall of lsj0-leavirg his wife and chill
dren in Ohio-thaf on his rc'urn, he was ad
monished By The sheriff 10 leave the state
aud falling TO do so-ha vas so indicted.
The indictment was prcdicated on The fac,
that bis return TO tho state IN $50 was IN VI
olaIlon OF the statute OF lsil. il was impor.
tsnt then 10 ascertain with what intention be
len the state. There was proof tending 10
show that he left With the intention not 10 70.
turn, and 10 remain in free state. On the
other hand, the defendant showed that he left
his property here, and intended To return
that hls object IN leaving was moro to protect,
his wife aud children, " hom he purchased
lhen himself. This was on this point the
substance Of the testimony, aud under the
charge Of the court, the jury had to deter.
mine from the evidence, whether Coleman
when he left the state Ia 1850 intended to a
bindon hi. residence here or whether or moi
he len WITH the intention of returning. II
he Sas IN The state before ! S32, and left the
state 10 1850. with The intention Of return.
lng--thea he did not come within tho act Of
letl -aui oush, nc, 10 be found guilty. II
he lelt the siaie. With The intention of aban.
scn'ng his residence here, and establishing
himself IN another state ; and II he afterwards
returned to the sla,e-then he came within
the act of lsii and bis residence here be.
ioie 1882 would not protect him.
Osher points we're made ard other charges
given, but this one, under the evidence, con
irolled the verdict Of the jury. The verde,
was not guilty"
An important fact is here disclosed. Cole.
m,n went with his family 10 Ohio, free
state. He remained there three or four
moulhs. According 10 his own statements,
he was not able to get along there. The abo.
lionsls would not give him work to do.
Rather than remain there, he was wiling TO
separate himself from his wife and children,
10 leave free state, and return TO a slave
sac.
Nor was this all. After be was indicted,
he eas kindly told by the Solicitor, that If he
would leave The state the indictment should
be wlihdrawn. lie was advised BY his coun.
sci TO accept the etier, and 10 leave the
state md not TO run the risk of conviction
and an Imprisonment, in the penieniiary for
two years His reply was al have been,
i can't support my wife and children there
---no Que cares for ma lhere-the true friends
OF the slave and the free negro are in the
southland rather Than 90 there aud starve, |
will risk my trial, and risk being seat 10 the
penltenliary.'
How hard must be the 10, Of free negro
ia free states, If he wiIling, not only TO be
separated from his wife and children but
TO rlsk the danger Of trial and conviction,
and two years imprisonment 10 the penilen.
tiafy How strong too must be the free ne
gros confidence IN sou hern court and jury
If when liberty and exemption from trial
are ,ilsred to him, on the condition that he
return TO n free state, he prefers to remain
and 10 have his rights passed upon by such a
court and jury. Here is fact that ough, TO
open the eyes Of the sbolitionlsts. 1t speaks
volumes against the north, and much in favor
of the south.
Ii is well for tho South 10 publish such
cases, and for the North to read the IN. IN
Y. Erpren.