Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-09-28
From the Columbus { 0. J Columbian
A SAD STORY.

The following extraordinary case occurred
in Mississippi under the slave laws OF that
State:
"a planter was afflicted with loathsome
disease. So offensive we're his ulcers that he
was deserted by his white friends; and while
thus afflicted and iorsaken, girl, whom he
owned as slave, kindly and patiently waited
upon him, dressed his ulcers cleansed his
person, and watched over him until he event.
ually recovered. With gratitude and affec-
ton to his beneiactor, he took her to Cincn-
natl, o., executed to her deed of manumis-
sion, had it recorded. and returned to Missis-
sppi, and there married her in legal form.
They lived together affectionately for many
years, reared family of children, and, as he
lay upon his death bed, by will he divided his
property between his vile and children. His
brothers, hearing of bis death, came forward
and demanded the property. The widow and
children were indignant at the demand. They,
too, where seized, and the validity OF the
marriage and will were tried before Judge
Sharkey, of that State, who decided that
the whole matter wasa fraud upon the law
of slavery-that the property belonged to the
collateral heirs. His widow was sold by his
surviving brothers, the children were bid OFT
at public auction, and both mother and chill
dren now toll in chains, or sleep in servlle
graves"
The foregoing sad story" in all its par
ticulars, was published at the time in the
anti-slavery papers of the country, but it
failed, at that time, to excite any interest IN
the papers of the great National parties. y
Times have somewhat changed, and the above
seems to be going the rounds of the anti Ne
braska press pretty generally
There was one point OF the decision OF
Judge Sharkey, in the case we well remember
not stated in the above brief notice. The
emancipation of the faithful woman to whom
he owed his life, who mnistered to him when
all others torsook him, was decided to be not
only " fraud upon the law Of slavery but
AN IMMORTALITY, and there ore void, because
no act involving an immortality could be
voidi (O
And now we would like to inquire of some
Of our Wing brethren of the press, if they
are aware Of what beca-.e of this Judge
5harkey, the author Of that most absurd,
inhuman, and harbarous decision Was he
hurled from the bench, as disgrace to the
name Of Justice, and society, as one who
had disgracelth name OF humanity? Was
he even disowned by the party to which he
belonged And did that party, in its conven-
tions, discam its sympathy in, and respon-
sibility for. such an abominable decision
Surely, no party would think OF elevatlng
him to higher post, after such dlsgracetul
exercise of the attribute Of Justice What,
for example, was the relation of the Wing
administration of Willard Fillmore to this
execrabIe Judge and dispenser of fendsh
Inhumanitys Who, of all the great and
good men, in this great nation OF soveregns;
should be chosen by Fillmore, as our Con-
sui at Havana, but this veritable Judge Shark
ey, two years after this decision had been
made and published, to the shame of Justice
and the disgrace of the American name.
1t Is even so. Soon after the promulga-
ton of that decision, Judge Sharkey was
called to preside at the Nashville Convention
of Southern Disunionists; and not long after
that, Millard Fillmore appointed and accred-
tied him as our Consul at Havana, to settle
among other duties devolving upon him, the
d;stnrha noes that anruno out of the affair o