The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-12

the ilVuig uiaii, Caslnef ftanaway, ana lNe dead
man. Edward Gorsucil, in the balance, and see
on which side the balance lies.
Mr. Brent now reviewed the testimony des-
crlbing the occurrences ut Chrlstiana on the
fatal llth lie went over the whole evidence,
from the visit OF Williams to Christisna, TO mott
fy of the coming Of the officers, up to the hold
ing of the inquest over the body of Edward Cor
such. The part taken by Hanaway was partic-
ularly dwelt upon considerable portion of
Brent's argument was upon the subject of pre-
concert. This he commended was shown by the
visit of Wliams--the blowing Of horns, on the
morning Of the occurrence, at an early hour, be-
fore day break, and the early presence of Hama
way at Parker's house, on horseback, and the
presence OF Scarlet, on a sweating horse, whose
business 1t was to give notice to all the blacks
around the country.
With regard to the witness Kline, the gentle
men held that he was corroborated on every
material point. The witness for the defence
had corroborated hlm-even Lewis, one of the
participants, had shown that he was entirely
worihyof belief The jury were not there to try
whether Kline acted cowardly or not, as an at.
tempt had been made to show.
Mr.. Brent commended that the testimony Of
Elijah Lewis, had had the effect to break down
the defense. He then went over il and showed
its discrepancies Lewis was on the ground at
the time of the outrage He had witnessed the
shooting down of Edward Gorsueh. Yet when
the coroner'a jury was called to sit upon the
body, he had no Testimony to give upon the oc
currence. He had been asked to identity sew
eral of the blacks active at the scene, but gave
no information of il to he authorities, that they
might be punished He, an officer Of the United
States, (for he has told us that he is a post
MASTERY sworn to support the Constitution and
the laws, he is present, and witne sses this great
outrage and made no effort to check it, or to
cause the arrest of the offenders.
Mr.. Brent alluded to his pc ,iiion, and that Of
the State Of Maryland. She does not desire the
blood of the prisoner. She desires to see jus
tce done ami nothing more. 1t had been said
by the counsel for the defense the other day,
that Maryland ihrsting for the blood of an Abo-
Itionist, WIS willing to have that of any Penn
sylvanian. He did not expect to hear his State
insulted in that manner, and he could not let the
opportunity pass without denouncing the accu-
sation az utterly and entirely false. The people
of Maryland would be satisfied with the verdict.
whatever that verdict might DO. They would
read the evidence, and take such course after
wards AS they deemed proper.
Mr. Brent now addressed himself to the court
and referred to numerous decisions on the law
points of the case. He cited from the decisions
of the courts that had tried the Western insur-
gents, the Southampton consprators, Burr and
Bl.nnerhasset, &c.
FOR THE DEFENSE
He was followed by Mr., John NJ Reed for
the prisoner who begin by congratulating the
Jury at the progrts SIS of the case; its near APP
proach to close. The gentleman who had
Just taken his seat, had made a long and an elab
crate speech Much of it had surprised him, but
no part of it more than the position assumed by
him in regard to the Fugitive slave law. The
gentleman had pronounced the Fugitive slave
law unconstitutional.
Mr. Brent here arose and said that he could
not consent TINT his position be nIsrepresented.
never said that it was unconstitu iona, but
that the master had right to recover his prop
erty in Northern Stats.
Mr.. Read Il understood that the learned gen.
tleman said, that the party who invaded the
house of Mr.. Chamberlain and took the man by
the throat put the pistol to his head, aud vic.
lated the sanctty of the house of Pennsylva-
MIA citizen. acted in conformity with constitu-
lional right. We hold ourselves bound by the
Constitution and the law of the land. We
don't 90 to the jury upon such principle as that,
but we do intend to go to the jury for an inno-
cent man. whose fortune is bankrupt, and who
has been torn from his family. If we are bound
to observe the Fugitive slave law, the Southern
master is bound To do the same.
If the Southern master seiZes his slave he is
bound TO take him before a commissioner to
prove his identity What was the object of that
law? 1t was to protect the South, and also the
rights of the North. IT had been in that house
| would have taken the liberty of doing that
which is frequently done in the South--shot one
of those 'seoundrels. Why were not Perry,
Marsh, and Bill Bear examined here! They
would have shown you that they were not the
owners, neither had they the authority to carry
poor man beyond the lines. Ii you don't turn
negro.catcher, we will indict you for treason.
Is this the doctrine | have held two public
of1ices-one, the United States District Attor.
ney, and the other, Attorney General of this
State, but never thought it necessary or proper
to press case like the present, without proof OF
/ identity Il have never thought it proper to
spread facts before a jury without giving the
other side an opportunity of answering. What
is the object OF prosecution! IL is not revenge
or qualification. No 1t is simply justice. The
argument is, that an innocent man must be sacri.
feed on the altar Of the Union. was first going
TO discuss the law-secondy, the application OF
the law to the evidence. The State of Maryland
IL represented az KIM, humane state 10 TIE Tree
blacks | never have been in favor Of slavery,
and hope never shall. The question is not
whether the Union will stand--of that have
no doubt IL does not depend on few poll
ticians, few shareholders, or few capitalists.
| have lived long enough TO distelieve such
things.
We will not permit any Southern master to
come into the State of Pennsylvania, in violation
of law, and tear man awav, without proving bis
identity In the State Of Virginia house can't
be searched without a warrant under oath How
many free negroes are there in Maryland TO-
! 600 some Of whom come into our State and
are transmitted into fugitive slaves. There are
10000 slaves in the State of Maryland. In
Pennsylvania every man is presumed to be q
free man until he is proved to be a slave. We
have 1000 free colcred people, and we are more
str ngy bound to give them protection than the
whites, because we have the courts, the juries
and make the laws
In Maryland every colored man, Of the IF
teenih part Of black shade, is presumed TO be
a slave. ! understand that the State Of Mary
! land has no law against freedom. II free black