The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-25
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.


The Presidential Contest-Ktdnappings into
Baltim0re-The Mdruldnd InStitute-The
Maryland Agricultural Society-CanGdian
Products &c.
BALTIMORE, NoU. 90, 1852
To the Editor of the National Era.
As it is time to have reports of the Free
Democratic vote at the recent election from all
parts of the country, you will probably infer
very naturally, that am about to report the
result in slaveholding Maryland But not SO.
And | fear it will be some time before the
Southern vote particularly will be known The
papers reported a small aggregate Free Soil
VOTE" the morning after the election, which
omitted several wards entirely, while guessing
at others, apparently with no particular anxi-
ety. evidently, to do us justice. The official
vote of the city has never yet been given 1t
has been professedly copied from several coun-
ty papers, but always emitting our vote from
the columns, where given; for | myself have
seen it in one or two of such papers This is
the policy of even our neutral" papers to-
wards our insignificant party" saying moth
ing of our party organs. SO we shall have to
bide our time Meanwhile, it is gratifying to
know that at all the rural points where the
ears of the people were secured by the meet
ings noticed in the Era 80 far as heard from,
there has been an increase in our poll, show
ing that information is what is needed. 1t
will be encouraging also to remark that
those openings for meetings, followed. general
ly, the circulation of the Saturday V,S,ter and
the National Era, as the unfaihng sequence of
the light spread by the Anti-Slavery press.
But this, though an interesting fact is only
confrmatory of the statements of your CORES.
pondents elsewhere Deferring some thing,
which | confess myself moved to say of the
aspects and prospects of the noble cause OF
the Free Democracy until can have the vote
of my own State as text, | pass to some
topics which | designed to notice in this letter
with the single remark that, amid whatever
seeming or actual discouragements presenting
themselves, | detect abundance to encourage
us to perseverance, with Coward and Up
ward " for our motto!
Since, and as the natural result Of that pre-
tended abolition of the slave trade" in your
District which merely gave the monopoly of
the business to your soul-drivers, this city ap-
pears to have been enjoying the distinction of
the centre of not only the Legitimate traffic"
but of the illegitimate too-in other words, it
is becoming the centre of the kidnappers' dia-
bOlical operations. Several victims from the
ranks of the children of defenceless colored
families have been brought here recently.
Among these was boy belonging TO Hartford
county Maryland, who was, in the first place,
nveiged into Pennsylvania, and then brought
from there to Baltimore, and offered for sale
the purpose of which circuity was to evade
the risk of accountability to Maryland laws,
by making the offence against Pennsylvania
f,at e.,
and too frequently successful scheme Of vilany,
has been stimulated and encouraged by the
defiant refusas of Governor Lowe to deliver
fore The friends of humanity here were in
the case Just referred to, unable TO procure
requsition from pennsylvania, through the
encouragement of friends there, or even to get
testimony therefrom to sustain a charge which
could have been successfully made against the
offenders-that Of attempting to swindle, by
obtaining money fraudulently from the sale of
victims Of their scoundrelism Under these
circumstances, the release of the offenders was
advised for the sake of the release of the VIC
tim for the custom, in such cases, is to com
NIT both the slnned against and the shining to
the same prison
The other act of kidnapping, to which
naNC uiIuuCu, WtS iIpbl IHc pun
ties to the transaction are named Samuel
Burns and Patrick Burke; the victim a colored
girl named Jane N, Gray, the daughter of
free colored woman, residing in Alexandria,
but apprenticed to Mr. Zimmerman On
the oath of the latter, the kidnappers were
committed, to await the rcquisition of Governor
johnson, of Virginia, with some hope of sue
cess in making an example Of these miscreants,
-. I he
of others engaged in the same nefarious line
of operations.
To indicate further the plan Of operations
adopted by the bands of kidnapping bandtti
who have been making our city their head
quarters, it may be well to state that both the
victims under notice were bound children"
who, being once separated from immediate
parental care, and "held TO service" by some
one Of the favored race" is thereby prepared
to become the prey Of some one else, under
some pretext or other-showing what would
probably be the fearful increase Of such cases,
did the heartless projects to compel the appren-
tcing of all colored children, mooted in our
own and other Southern Legislatures, become
laws No person will care for child like a
parent. This truth was most emphatcally
illustrated by remark Of Mr.. Zimmerman,
on arriving here, in answer TO letter notify
ing him that his apprentice was in prison I'M
der the painful circumstances Of her case, TO
the effect that he "would not have come at
all, but TO show disposition Of compliance
with the laws" of apprenticeship. He had
previously advertised her, offering reward of
q one dollar ~ Alas! for the friendess lot Of
this class Of people, 1t is lamentable to con-
template.
intellectually our community have promises
If being well provided for this winter Among
he courses Of lectures promised, is lengthy
me by the Maryland Institute. Some twenty
r thirty distinguished persons have been an
bounced as engaged for one or more lectures
The price of season tickets is very low, and the
arrangements well planned. That they will