Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-11-29
Treason Trials
u, ,. J,


The Pennsylvania Freeman publishes the in
dictmcnt in tho case of the 40 persons, now
awaiting, or undergoing their trial in Phadcl-
pha. The case Of Castnor IIanway is to be
tried FIRST and that of James Jackson, whose
name is inserted in the Indictment is to follow.
mcnccmcnt of the trial. The following remarks
arc from the Editor of the Freeman:
The character of the Court and of the
principal prosecuting officer lenves no
ground for hope Of leniency in their admin
istrnton of The law. All That they can do,
without suhjeIting themselves TO immediate
aud utter execrntion, TO procure n conviction,
will bc done. We npprelIcnd that certain
questions will bo put TO each jmrynan, so
ingeniously worded MS TO keep ont of the
box every man who hates the Fugitive
Slave law or has the least sympathy for the
accused. The following questions, among
others, were put to caclI juryman summoned
10 try the recent rescue cases in Boston.
Have you formed MI opinion that the law
or the United States, known ns the Fugitive
Slnvc Law of 1850, is Unconstitutional, so
That YOU cannot convict n person indicted
under il for that reason, if the facts alleged
in the indictment nre proved and the Court
hold HE statue To be constitutional?
Do you hold any opinion upon the sub
icct of the Fugitive Slwc Law, 50 called,
which will induce you TO refuse to convict u
person indicted under il, it the facts set forth
in. the indictment and constituting the of.
fense nre proved ngninst him, and the Court
direct you that the law is constitutional?
We beg leave to suggest rs an improve
ment upon this cntcchism for Jurors, that
the question hc put in plain and unrqhivo-
tnl terms, thus "Arc You resolved, it pos
sible, to convict the prisoners nt the bar ~
If all who answer this in the negative arc
excluded from the box, the Government
will be enabled 10 60 straight ahead to its oh
irrt and since the Union is in peril il is
hardly worth while for ,nem to suffer them
selves to he trammclcd hy usages which
however they mny answer for ordinary ca
scs, are not fitted to the present crisis.
In Boston the Court claimed mn exclusive
right to interpret the law. The Jury were
not allowed TO Judge for themselves whether
the Fugitive law was constitutional or moi
We expect nothing better than this o
Judges Grier and Kane. They will claiu
the right 10 tell the Jury yauiIoritalively wha
is treason, leaving To the latter only the dul,
chooses to say that il is treason TO spsak dis
respectfully OF the Fugitive law, or pencca
hly to refuse to obey its requisitions, the Jur
will he obliged in case it is proved that et
ihcr of these acts has been committed, I
find the verdict of guilty Is not this mon
slrOus
Having obtained n copy of the indicimen
for treason, we give il below for the inform
aiion of our readers. We have filed I'll
blanks with the name of James Jackson, bt
ave understand that the same form Is ell
poyed in the case of each one of the M
b. cuscd. II is II formidable array of word
and ii we he'd rooaI, some parts of il woul
tempt n commentary.
Gould anything bemore supremoly ride
UlOus than to charge James Jackson,
peuceahle Quaker and Non-Resistant, VIII
could not fnd it in his heart TO make va
aIpon fly, with "levying war against III
United States" and attempting to overture
she Government "with gins, swords n
other warlike weapons.n Flummery I'LL
ahis is too eoutemphbe for grave argument
EAsTERN DISTRICT OF Pennsylvania, IS.
The Grand Inquest of the United States
America, inquiring for The Eastern Dlstrl
of Pennsylvania, on their oaths aud nflrin
lions respectively do present, that Jam'
Jackson, yeoman of the District aforesai
owing allegiance to the United States
America, vickedly devising and intendir
the peace aDd tranquility of said Unite
States to disturb, and to prevent the exec
tion of the laws thereof within the same,
wit, law of the United States, en.ili'
HAn act respecting iugitiyes from jusli'
and persons escaping from the service
their masters" approved February twelit
one thousand seven hundred and ninet
ihree, and also law of tho United State