The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-15
THINGS IN INDIANA.
To tie Editor of the National Era

Guided 10 make out very Driei FoPors VI ~ iur
your paper especially; and ! presume differ
emit conclusion will bS arrived at from most or
any you may have seen. have been an eye
witness TO much Of the proceedings in the case,
and must be allowed to draw my own con-
illusions, however much they may differ from
those who may wish to make Pro-Slavery capt.
tai out of it, or howsoever little it may justly
argue for the character OF our city.
John Freeman was first decoyed into the Of
fee OF Commissioner Sullivan, where he was
Immediately arrested as fugitive slave, be-
longing to Pleasant Ellington, Of Missouri A
writ of habsds corpus was then sued out before
Judge Majors, OF the Circuit Court He deci-
ded that he had no jurisdiction in the case,
farther than to ascertain whether he were In
the proper custody and without deciding
whether Sullivan was q legal commissioner or
not this was point made by Freeman's coun-
SELL he remanded him into the custody of the
United States Marshal, BY whom he was i'm
mediately taken before the commissioner again,
and he gave nine weeks to prepare for trial
This looks clever for commissioner During
this time, Freeman's counsel went to Georgia,
the place of his former residence, to procure
witnesses brought one Patillo with him, who
testified that Freeman was there free man.
Three or four weeks after this Creed Nj. Jen-
nings-the former guardian of Freeman-and
another man, who had been marshal of the
town, came on, and remained to the day of
trial; and by that day some three or four more
came on from Georgia, and were oil ready to
testify that John Freeman was a free man; and
it was told by them that three hundred more
stood upon the platform, when they took the
cars, and declared their readiness to come, If
necessary, and would come, if despatch were
sent. During the interval too, Ellington went
to Kentucky, and brought out some three or
four witnesses, who, after examining the body
of John Freeman, made affidavit before the
commissioner that he was the identical man,
" Sam,n that Ellington had lost After this,
Freeman's counsel got some two or three Of
Ellngton's old neighbors in Kentucky, who
knew Ellington's slave at the time he was lost,
to 60 to Canada, where they found the iden-
teal Sam" and came here and made oath of
the fact As the testimony multiplied, the case
seemed to be turning fast and conclusively, in
favor of Freeman. Finally, to put the case be-
yond all possibility of dispute, Ellington's son
came on, and went into the prison to see his
fathers slave before the trial, and he did not
know him and Freeman was just as ignorant
was no mistake about it. Everything went to
show that they had never before seen each
other This settled the case which was imme-
diately dismissed, and Freeman set at liberty, to
20 home, before the time, to his much afflicted
family-no doubt to his and their immeasura-
BILE Joy.
This is, think, fair statement of the sum
of the case. Many interesting circumstances
have not been mentioned, of course all of
which, if written, might fill q small volume.
As this case had excited much interest in the
country, many persons were present on the day
set for the tral-the discharge Of Freeman on
Saturday not having been heard Of out of the
immediate neighborhOod of indianapolis. A
public meeting, of all parties, was called at the
Masonic Hall-the largest perhaps, in the city.
At the appointed hour the house was well filled,
and, as the counsel for Freeman refused to give
a statement of the case ~ a foundation for pro-
ceedings in the meeting, because, as they aver
red, another suit was pending between Free
man and Ellington suit for damages-a
little embarrassment was OccasiOned in the
opening; but it lasted but few minutes The
Rev. Mr.. Gillet was called to preside, and the
Southern gentlemen who had come US witness
90 for Freeman were invited to take seats upon
the stand which they did, except one Geo.
W. Julian being present, was called to address
the meeting; which, notwithstanding the en-
barrasments attending, he did, in mastery
manner. He is one Of our best speakers; and
MANY conversions, have no doubt are the re-
suit of his speeches. He held back nothing on
account of the Southern gentlemen present,
though a rather sickening compliment had
been paid to some oil them by the lawyer who
had refused to give the information desired "a
above stated, whose principal object seemed TO
be to get Hunker credit for himself, and plory
honor, and immortality, for his Southern breth-
rem | use the term because Judge they are
brethren, not only in the Union saving spirit,
but sin the Lordp He replied to Julian and
defended the Fugitive Slave Law as constitu-
tional Julian replied to him. in which he
showed that the decisions of Judges Mclean
and Conklin were outside of the Fugitive Act
&c. From the applause given to the speakers,
on both sides, it was difficult to tell the sense
of the meeting 1t was mixed multitude
made up of Hunker Wings and Democrats, and
of Free-Soilers.
The following resolution was put, and car
ried without dissenting voice:
"Resoiped, That as the act of Congress, COM
monty called the Fugitive Slave Law has here,
and in many other parts Of the country, been
the occasion of great injustice, wrong, and suf-
lering; and a. these things will be likely to
continue az necessary fruits, so long rs it re-
mains upon the statute-book, and especially as
it requires and justifes wrong, in many of its
provisions, it ought to be Immediately repeal
cd"
This, considering the character of many of
the men composing the meeting, was a remark
able result. Why did not the Hunkers vote ?
They must have a secret sense that the law
which they as partsans are bound to support
is itself an outrage, and ought to be repealed
Why cannot men refuse to vote for Compro-
mise candidates, rs they refused to vote against
the above resolution They seemed to be
ashamed TO vote for the contemplate, ungodly
things, after such an exhibition of its opera
ton Though Freeman was cleared, it was
not due to the mercy Of the law, but to the I'M
precedented delay for the procurement of tes-
timony, which was not contemplated by the
law 1t was not the intention of the law TO
give fair trial. But have not room to argue
this ease.
Resolutions were also passed at the meeting,
giving credit to the men who came from the
South to testify for Freeman, unanimously
One or two remarks now will close this ao-
count The feeling got up here in this case
was mainly because the presumption all the
time was, that the man was free by the laws Of
the land. II was the same feeling had by the
men Of the South. This is lower law sent-
ment that may be entertained by the most
heartless Of men. "That is property which
the law makes property" is the most common
sentiment, and the greatest difficulty in the way
Of the freedom of the slaves. This case, never
theless, has done much good. How much SYM
pathy can we find for the 100000 Of slaves,
who have as much right to freedom as this
man? We must have God and man-loving
sentiment, above the fugitive and all slave laws,
before We can hope for the accomplishment Of
any great good. Policy might lead the devils,
even, or Old Hunkers, to the extent Of tho law,
for the freedom Of freemen
SAM'L w. RITcHnY.