Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-02-27

Just at this moment circumstance occurred
which was over IN less time than it will take US
to tell 1t, and altered the face of things entirely
There was a." HURRAH !" outside in the pass
age at the head OF the stairs which reminded US
Of the shout which our men used to raise when
they went into battle with the Mexlcans. 1t
wss half "a battle in ITSELF A decided pressure
against the door on the left hand of
the Judges bench. The chlvalric Pat Riley g.
his brave little posse all rushed to it to keep II
shut, holding against it with all their might. In
the meantime there was nobody to guard the
prisoner but our cOored friend aforesaid who
seemed sadly to lack patriotism for that purpose
Shadrach was nuking for the door on Court st.
side. An officer, we think il was Edward J.
Jones, started and headed him off from that, and
he was then making for the door ON the eppo-
site side which was left ungarded. Pat Riley,
putting like porpoISe with his exerton in hold
ing the door, sang out shoot him shoot him !"
to officer Jones.
But officer Jones probably not having any pis-
tol ran and seized the sacred" sword OF justice"
thinking perhaps to shoot bin with that. But
after partly drawing that symbolic weapon, he
dropped 1t, and we saw him raising one of The
eastern windows,lOok towards Parker's, as if
to call for help. He had not time to call, for
just then the door partially opened, and stream
men began to rush H. Pat Riley being snugly
squeezed behind the door, place of semi-con-
cealment and safety, which he seemed 10th to
leave.
The Traveller of last evening speaks of off
GERS at the door being " kicked, cuffeG & knock
ed about in every direction" but we can testify
that nOlhing OF tins sort occurred inside. Not
an officer was struck or menanced there. The
halt dozen men VINO first entered ran up to the
prlsuher and invited him to walk ont He &C
cepted The invitation In less than no time, and
certainly not more than fifteen persons had en-
tered the room before they were all walking out
g Shadrach" in the MESSIAH old cOored man
who had picked up and drawn the sword of JUS
ice bringing up the rear He held i in de-
cent and solemn manner, but as he passed Dep
uiy Larshall Pat Riley, that important function
AIRY seemed to shrink up more closely behind
| the door, lie kept behind that door all the time
from the Eruption 10 the Exodus. Neither did
any officer that we saw offer the least resistance
| to lhe egress of Shadrach and his friends from
| the court room
We think it quite improbable that there was a
knocking down Of ofit ers outside OF the door,
Mr.. DAVIS one of the defendants counsel was
the last person who passed out, and he saw moth
ing of the sort. Moreover, there did not appear
at that time to be any officer outside the door to
De knocked down. The moment the door Of the
tertress was forced, the prisoner walked out
There was not sign of any battle inside, but
aRerely dreadful looking aghast OF not more
at most than half score of officials, who al thai
Esoment seemed thoroughly sick and ashamed Of
ale business.
We have not learned the names of all the off
GERS who composed Marshal Riey's posse in the
citadel. His brother we understand was one
The well known "Auger hole Byrnes" was an
other. There were some there, we believe, II
violation OF their duty as Massachusetts officers
nt whom We can mcntlon Constable Edward
Jones and Constable Alonzo F. Neal brothe
olRev. Rolln Fl. Neal A powerful man, BY
Inc name OF Charles F. Flint OF North Reading
was engaged by Riley as an assistant but wa
| below wrlllng letter 10 his wife, at the time o
the release.
We have no doubt the the few men whom
Marshal Riley WIS able to call to his aid did al
they dared to for their slavehodng employers
but they could not wholly conquer the hlghe
law either in or out Of themselves.
Riley had taken the precautlon to send to tn
Navy Yard TO request Commodore Downes t
take he y alleged slave into custody, but the Com
turn the United States Navy into an accomno
dation tor kidnappers.
| 1t Is melancholy to add that the patriotic off
GERS who have been engaged IN tins case hav,
not only lost all their fees, but Marshal RiIe,
has made himself liable by the law tr the mar
ket price of the slave. No wonder he was SC
ready to sell
The above described proceedings having
been telegrapned to Washington, Cabinet
Council was instantly called, and resulted in
bringing forth from our doughty. slave catching
President the following dignlfed illumination: i
Proclamation by the President.
Whereas, information has been received that
sundry lawless persons, PRINCIPALLY persons of
color, combined and confederated together for
the purpose of opposing by force the execution
of the laws Of the United States, did, at Boston.
Mass, on the 18Th day Of this month, make a
violent assault on the marshal or deputy mar.
shall of the United States for the district of
massachusetts,, in the court house, and did over.
come the said officers, and Gid by force take
from thelr custody person arrested as fugi-
i've slave, and there and then prisoner lawful
ly holden by the marshall of the United States.
and. other scandulous outrages did commit IN Vi.
olation OF the law.
Now, therefore, to the end that the authority
OF the laws may be maintained, and those con-
cerned IN violating them brought to Immediate
and condlgn punishment, have issued this. nv
proclamation, calling on all well disposed clt-
ZenS to the support of the laws of their country.
and commanding all officers, civil and military,
VINO snail be found IN the vicinity of this out
rage, by aiding and assisting by all means in
their power IN quelling this and other such com
Diiiatons, and assisting the marshals and his
depunea in recapturlng the above named per-
son.
And do emphaticalIy direct, That prosecu-
lions be commenced against all persons who
shall have made themselves alders or abettors in
this faglnous offence. And do further COM
mand that the district attorney of the Uuited
States, and all other persons concerned IN the
ADMINISTRATION or execution of the laws of the
y hIted States, tn cause the foregoing offenders,
anu al, soch Sa aided, abetted or assisted them .
~ Silail De 'ouna to have have harbored or con-
cealed such fugitive Contrary to law. Ia be i'm.
nedlately arrested and proceeded with aceord-
ng to law. 4
Given under my hand and the seal of the u
llted States, this 18th day of February, 1851.
H. 8. WILLARD FILLMORE.
DANIEL WEBSTER, Sec'y of State, ..
AS a sequel to the above momentous proceed
ngs which have put all Hunkerdom in such
omnlOtion, we may add that Elizur Wright, ed
tor Of the Commonwealth, who, as he states a.
ove, was present as reporter, part of the time,
nd Chas. G. DAVIS, counsel for the fugitive, to.
ether with one or two blacks, have been arrest
d as abetiors, and bound over.
so endeth the first Iesscn' of this affair and |
esson it may Prove indeed to more than one
arty in this negro hunting era, in the history of
be American Government,
Slavery Among the Mormons.
We feel 1t to be our duty to define our posi-