The southern press., 1852-02-05
Maryland and rennsyIyanIa.

people, evidently feel the necessity ofvindlcatlng
the outraged dignity of the State and the rights
of her citizens, with regard to the Christiana
murders Even those presses hitherto the
most forbearing in this matter, are assuming a
sterner tone in relation 10 il, as the facts are
more fully developed. The Attorney Generals
report shows how gross and monstrous the out
rage has been in all its parts, from the commits
sion of the act down to the discharge of the
prisoners, and must enkindle feeling of bitter
Indignation in the bosoms of those who live on
the border, and may hereafter be subjected to
the same losses and the same useless perils. We
suppose nobody imagines that any further ac-
ton will be taken in the premises by the legis
lature than the passage of resolutions. OF cen
sure, or warning, or protest, which will produce
about the same effect that all similar resou-
tons and warnings have done.
When any community is bent on resisting
the faithful execution OF a law; and after iorci-
bic and bloody resistance the offenders go un
whipt Of justice to boast over their triumph
how idle wonld it be to expect that a repetition
of the same course would not occur on the first
favorable opportunity. We regard the posture
of affairs on that border as one of the most
omnous signs of the times--for the exaspera.
| ton of the public mind in Maryland, we have
reason to know, is far greater than any one
would imagine. ..4
The Baltimore Clipper extracts from the At
torney Generals report the following interest
ing details, which prove what a hollow mockery
of Justice these treason trials were
! REPORT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL BREHT.-
! This report does not present in favorable light
the conduct pursued by the judge and others in
the Christiana trials and, from the statement OF
| MIR. Brent, we should infer that there is little
chance of having justice administered in Phila
delphia, in the of the owner of a slave
being killed in the effort to recover his property
The whole of the persons concerned in the
murder of Mr.. Gorsuch, of Baltimore county
! have escaped punishment, and there is no pros
pect that any of them will ever be brought to
justice We wish that every citizen Of Mary.
land could he put in possession of Attorney
General Brent's report of the Christiana treason
trial; for its perusal would assist in bringing
the public mind to the conclusion that some ac-
ton should be taken on the course pursued to-
wards owners in pursui. of fugitive slaves in
Pennsylvania.
A large portion Of the report consists in a
legal argument in opposition to the rulng'of
the court in relation to what constituted trea.
son. But the following. paragraph shows that
two principal witnesses were designedly per-
mitted to escape, whilst third was induced to
perjure himself 1t also exhibits the disgusting
spectacle of white females associating with, and
encouraging the negro men charged with being
concerned in the murder:
In this connection | will also state, that a
few weeks before the trial, Peter Washington
and John Clark, two important witnesses fol
. the prosecution, escaped from prison without
br, aking lock or using any force, as proved OF
the trial by witness; and thought cheerfuy
aequit the marshall of all privity with their es.
cape, yet the fact remains, that there was treach
cry on the part of some officer within the wall,
of the prison. Another remarkable fact was the
corruption of government witness, by the
name Of Harvey Scott free negro, who hac
thrice testifed--onee at Christiana, once at Ian
caster, and once at Philadelphia, to the fact O
being an eyewitness 10 the murder Of Mr.. Cor
such; and now on this trial, influenced by bribe
or some other corrupt consideration, whel
" placed on the stand by the United States, open
i Nv confessed that he had thrice committed per
II jut End then swore on this trial that he was no
v present and knew nothing about the afiair, whcI
: perjury was received with open applause in tn
court room. Again: the counsel for the defcnc,
applied 10 the court for an order 10 bring GU
i some twenty-four Of the negroes, TO see which
= of them could be identified as participants il
. the treason, by Henry II. Kline, ma erial wit
= ness for the prosecution
A. al. n al. Al.
;. these negroes were seen sitting in row, sup
a ported on each side by white females, who, Il
the disgust ofaIl respectable citizens, gave then
open sympathy and countenance; each Of thu
$ negroes appeared with new comforts arounc
I their nccks--their hair carefully parted, anc
their clothing in every respect alike so as (,
present one uniform appearance 10 the eye, Al
far as possible--all done, doubtless for a.,
double purpose Of giving |" aid and comfor. I,
the accused mnrderers Of white man, aud o
, confusing and perpexing 80 important n witness
as Kline, in respect 10 their identity And hi,
WAS manifesily done with the priyity, sufTeranc
: and consent OF the officers having charge Of Tn
prisoners, and passed unrebuked."
IL also appears that the marshal, (Mr. Rob
erts) not only summoned confirmed Abolition
lists rs jurors but dined with the accused par
> ties on Thanksgiving day How can Justice b,
: expected, where judge, marshal and jury are thu
opposed to the impartial administration of III,
i law! II would seem, from the result Of th
E trial, that negroes may commit murder with i'm
) punity in particular sections Of Peunsy lyania
, provided the murdered individual is a slave
} holder, or be in pursuit Of fugitive slave
! Hereafter when Southern men seek their slave
! in Pennsylvania, We hope that they will TAX,
with them sufficient force TO enforce the laU
, against all opposition. If not, they had bette
abandon tie effort TO recover their property.
~ The Boston Posi- gives the following
account Of the proceedings of tho