Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-12-06
The Chrlsiiana TrCasOn Cases.

OF commencing the trial of the cases OF al
legged Treason arising out of the Christnna
Tragedy. The Jurors, mcmhers of the bar
and officers so nearly filled tile small court
room that space wns le.t for only n small
number of spectators. We believe there
was not single colorcd man present.--Pa.
freeman.
The counsel who appeared f,r The United
States, were, q. $. District Attorney John
w. Ashmead James u. Ludlow, Esq. and
George l.. Ashmcad, Esq. For the State of
Maryland, Robert J. Brent, ESQ, aud the
llon. James Cuopcr-Counsrl ior Casincr
Hanaway-John NJ. Read Esq Thudduus
Stevens, Esq, Joseph $. Lewis, Esq, of
Ches,rr rounty, aud Thoo. Guy Ter, Esq.
Tho list of jurors summoned was called,
nnd cighty-onc answered To their nnmes.-
The Court directed each dcinuIiing Juror To
bc fined SlO0, If they should not answer The
next morning. Judge G.ipr said lac must
compel attendance, or those who answer
cd, considerable number were for one rca.
soE or another excused from appearing either
Tor a limited time or during the term. Deaf
ncss was prominent excuse, aud il was of
frred by so many that Judge Grier remarked
that the dScnse must bc epidemic.
Attorney General AslIuIead nuid hc pro-
posed to procned with tic irn of CnSfucr
llnnawoy on Tuesday morning. lie mtimat.
cd, however, that hc might lIud il necessary
in move tn qunsh tho array OF Jurors. Were
they too intelligent and respectable to suit
the counsel for the Government y II lic
should conclude To proceed lo iiial the pris-
nncr would he brought into court to plead in
the morning The other prisoners would
not he nrraigned till they were put upon
their trial
I,Jyo Er;nr "a ,l,,s e., c,r, e en- ,,,ttct
importance, he did not wish TO hurry them
but lo wanted TO get through one case IN
two weeks, so that hc could be in Washing
ton by that time
Thah. Stevens, Esq, replied, TINT one
ease lo hoped would be finished in half HAT
time. Up in his county they hang man ia |
three days, and he trusted that tho gentle
men here would not ask for longer time.
TUESDAY MoRNlNG 10 o'cLocK.-The list
of Jurors was called aud several who were
not present were fined SlO0.
The District Attorney said he would ar.
raign Castner Hanawny.
The Clerk of the Court read from the bill
of indictment the offence charged, 10 which
the prisoner pleaded not guilty. The pri-
soncr was accompanied 10 the place where
he stood TO plead, by his wife, who clung to |
his arm.
The clerk asked HIM how he would he
tried, stating at the same time That it was II
matter OF life and death.
llanaway replied that he would he tried
by God and his coun,ry-irom which the
clerk wished him u suie deivcrance.
The first Juror called was Solomnn New
man. The prisoner was told to look upon
lin and say whether hc challenged him rr
not. His counsel uiter consultation, said
not challenged.
Mr. Ludlow, for The United States, said
lie had series OF questions he wished To
mt to each Juror, after he had hcen passed
upon, and accepted hy the prisoner. They
nre Us follows:
/. HIVE you any conscientious scrupcs
upon the subject of capital punishment. so
that yon would not hecntiSe you couScien.
tiously could not find verdict of treason,
death being the punishment, though the
evidence required such n verdict?
2. Have you expressed or formed my
opinion relative TO the matter now To he
tried? Are you sensible of amy prejudice
or bins therein?
3. Have you formed IN opinion that the
law of the United States known ms the
Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, is umronsiiui.
tiOnal so that YOU cannot convict u person
indicted under il for that renson if The facts
nllcdged in the indictment ure proved, nrh
the Court hold the statue TO I've constitution
al?
4. Have you formed or expressed amy
opinion ms 10 the guilt or innoccnce of the
accused, or of tie other persons alleged to
hhye participated with him in tho offence
charged against him in the indictment?
These questions gave rise To n long argu-
nacnt. J. NJ. Read said there appeared 10 he
,.f rh s,'t,l,t ,.,tl
bc composed in one general question. lie
took them up one Ivy one and commented
upon ihcm. To the Que in reference to the
consiitntiOnality of tie fugitive sluve law,
MIR. Rend said he Bor his colleagues intended
IN nssail It's consliiuiionniity. But rs the
Circuit Court IN Boston decided that jurors
IN cuses of life aud death were not 10 be
Judges of the law aud fact, hut were TO have
nothing to say upon the law-ho wished 10
avoid THE question, as il WINS not in con-
inrmiIy with the laws Of Pennsylvania
According TO The ruling in the Boston case.
it may he the law there, but il is not here
Die therefore objected TO the way in which
the question is put.
Mr.. Ludlow, lor the United States, said
they wished TO preserve the trial by jury IN
its purify, and prevent persons getting into
the, jury-hox whose minds have determined
lhe nature of the offence in advance, from
prejudice and opposition 10 n parlicucr law.
ii a question is nsked juror, whether he
has made up his mnd as to the guilt or
inRoreHee Of prisoner, and he was to re-
ply thar he thought him guilty, he certainly
would not be permitted 10 60 into the jury
box 10 try the case.
Judge Grier said---Tt was the yngucness OF
the question That was objected to; MS il now
stood, il would be difficult for any one to
10 answer it.
Mr. Cooper replied tha, il was the ques-
lion put in the Shadraek ease; hnl they hnd