The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-05-07
Another Colored Immortality.

Another COlOred Immortality.
/ Reubes Roberts is . name that We now print
for the first time. but which 10 destined to 5ecome
immortal Like the slave Hamlet, and Smm.,
and the unhappy Psreira. Reuben is indebted,
however. TO no particular merit Of bic own for
having become zone Of the individuals We read
Of" He floats 10 the surface like bubble of air
in pond over which an elephant passes. Ruben
is an humble colored seaman, about "a wears Of
age, a native of Nassau. n Providence, an island
Of the Bahama group and was lately cook on
board British schooner the Clyde, which vessel
arrived at Charleston, $. c., on the 10Th of MAY,
1852 On that day the Sheriff of Charleston dis
trict as directed by a law o: South Carolina. pro.
ceeded on board the schooner, arrested the cook
Roberts, and confined him in Jail, until the vessel
was ready for sea. The Clyde was cleared for
Baracoa on the Goth May on which day Roberts
was replaced on board by the Sheriff, making the
I period Of detention and Imprisonment eight days,
and for this he has brought suit in the form Of an
action Of trespass for assault, battery, and false
imprisonment, laying his damages at $4,000. The
case was finally brought up before Judge Gil.
christ, at Charleston on the .l,t ult, where il was
disposed Of IN summary way, the facts being nd
mitted by agreement,and no argument beng en-
tered into The jury according, brought in
general verdict for the defendant the Sheriff and
the plaintiff submitted in due form bill of ex.
ceptions, and the case will go to the Supreme
Court of the Urited States.
The question involved is Of course the Consti
tutionaty Of the law of South Carolina, ny which
all colored seamen arriving in her waters are i'm
prisoned during the stay Of the vessel to which
they belong, in such waters 1t will be remem-
bered few years ago a eolored seaman hcm
Massachusetts, was imprisoned at Charleston IN
der this law, and when Mr. Hoar was sent by
Gov. Briggs to Charleston to try the Constitu.
tionality of The law, he wa. not allowed to land
by mob. The sovereigns of that law abiding
city were more tolerant of John Bulls int difference
with her peculiar regulations, and Charleston law
yers were very ready both 10 prosecute and do.
fend the cause of the British seaman. The case,
no vever elicts the deepes, interest in the south
and has placed the chyary upon decidedly an IN.
easy bed, The writer Of long communication on
the subject in the Charleston Courier saws;
The conduct of this case may involve not only
n question Of peace or war with the North and
South, but with every reasonable prospect Of hav.
ing the horrors OF civil war augmented BY uniting
the fleets and armies of England at least on the
side of the aboltiOnsts.
Again
is England. She uses the name Of a negro cook
from Nassau and thus institutes suit in The Uni
ted States Court She will, of course, prove a
profitable client and who is the subs,an 'ial De.
f,ndantl
Why the slave states, from Mason and Dixon's
Line to the Rio Grande. Well, she ought TO be a
pretty good client too.
The same writer proceeds to depict the cOnse.
quence should the decision OF the Supreme Court
be adverse to the law Of South Carolina
Suppose that court issues its mandate and
orders Nr. Yates to GO to trial. and pay damages
for doing his duty to the state-will South Caro-
lima, proud little South Carolina, tax her people
to pay damages to an English negro; and, per.
haps, England apply TO Congress to pay the cost
and fees Of learning South Carolina not to be saucy
again when her haiesty's negro pleases to look
into our ports II this is the result of the suit,
venture TO predict that this Union lasts no longer
than a Southern Continental army can be mus,
tered, a Southern Continental Congress be or.
ganzed, n Southern Commander ia Chief chosen,
and the troops marched to the frontier Of the
Potomac.