The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-09-30
THE MINISTER HUNTING His
SLAVE.

1nuIdHopDllS, lHuldHd3 COloIeu ulAh,
named John freeman. He brought with
him some few hundred dollars, part OF
which lie invested in real estate. He
was painter, whitewasher, nnd man OF
all work. He married young woman
who was a servant in our family. His de-
pertinent won for him general respect
and confidence. He rapidly increased
in property, and is now worth about six
thousand dollars, which, for tha. commu,
nifty, is very handsome property No
mau's word was better than FreemAn's.
He was honest, punciual and reliable.--
He became an active member of the col
ored Baptist Church, and conscientiously
discharged his duties as church mem
ber He has family of three chillien
o, The 23rd Of June, a man named Pleas
ant Ellington, formerly from Kentucky,
now Of Missouri, who is, we understand,
a Methodist prencher, appeared in lndI'
annapolis, and found miscreants bPse c.
nough TO assist him in arresting freeman,
upun the claim TIM, he was his slave
freeman claims that lie is free man,
and shows many papers recognizing that
fact. The Judge Inns granted nine weeks
for F'eeman to procure further evidence
OF his freedom.
There are some facts that have come
10 our knowledge which il will be edfy>
ing TO know.
When Freeman's ares, was known,
the whole community was moved, One
hundred men, of all parties, aud OF the
first standing in the place, such rs judy"
Blackford, Judge Wick, N. d. Palmer,
Calvin Fletcher, ESQ.,, and many other
such, signed bond for bni in the sum
Of $1,000. The amount in gold WAS
brough, into Court, 10 he deposited for
the preacher Ellington, in case freeman
proved a slave, should il appear, ar for
his freedom in any event. The bail was
refused. Rev. Mr.. Ellington refused {"
agres to take any price should he get
possession Of him, but determined 10 take
him to Missouri.
Under a pretense that he Gared a
rescue, the Marshal was about 10 remove
Freeman to Madison jill on the Ohio
River, but has consented TO leave him in
the iail al Indianapolis, on condition that
Freeman pays So day fer guard TO
watch over hmsol!
We have some good but dull man in
New York, who have denied that Chris
,ian men aud families we're subjnc, to
separation and sale, under the system of
Slavery. 1t is said that to represent such
scenes as Uncle Toms separation from
his family, and his wife, is slander.
Yet here is preacher of the Gospel,
making a pilgrimage of more than half a
thousand miles, to find and arrest MEM
ber Of a Christian Church, in a Fee
State, and drag him into Slavery! lie
finds him settled down in homo which
his own industry Inns secured, with wife
and three children, a useful and greatly
respected c,,z,n. One would think that
a man with par,iclc Of humanity, even
if Frecmau were his slave, upon seeing
such state Of facts, would refuse l'
break up aud desolate family, and hligh
the prospects cf a mlu and fellnW Ch'ls'
,ian. But so deeply has this fcllow drank
of the spir; Of palrioliem. that he deter
mines TO make the mischief. 3 'nds and
security wero offered him the most am
ple-cor any price that he nigh. demlnl
in case Freem1n should be proved his
slave. lie refused everything. H. de
manded the MN, and declared ,ha, ht
would remove him 10 Slave State ant
TO Slavery!
A man that can read such state u
facts, and no, feel his hear. rising aga'n7
this scoundeel clergvm1n, ought to rrgar'
himself as having sinned away his Gay o
grace, and as sealed over TO reprubaion
And yet, is this man any wsse thai
the law allows! HIS lie done nnylhin
illeg,Ii This American people hav
laws within which men may violate ever
sentiment Of humanity, sm',her ever
breath Of Christianity, ourago the lee
ings Of a whole community, crush all il
nocen, and helpless family, reduce ci
izen of universal respect and proved i
,carity, TO the level of the br .ie; carr
him 10 the shambles, sell him Iorevf
avian from his church, his chi'dren an
wife--all this may be done without viz
lating the laws of the land any, by til
laws, and under the direction Of mngl'
trates!
And so deadening has been the infl'
ence of Slavery upon tho public min'
tina, religious teachers and religious ed
tors will not fnd single word 10 say
gains, this utter abcmina,ion, and mar
pious words will they utter in favor OF III
cxecrable traffic.
Meanwhile. that same God who pc
mi,s the existence OF ,arantuIas, scorF
ons, and other odious vermin, suifprs OILS
the existence OF such creatures as III
Rev. Mr.. Ellington. 1t may serve goo
purpose, in glossing, 'im'd, shuftl
age, to exhibit before the sun how u''
villain man may be, and yet kee
within the pale of the law-withn II
permissions Of the Church, and With
the requirements Of the Christian mini
Il