Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-09-23
OHIO AND SLAVERY NO. II.

OHIO AND SLAVERY NO. II.
The counsel employed by tho defendants in the
Rains Slave case, postponed the trial from term to
term, to allow The excitement against the accused
in some measure to subsidc. 1t thus happened
that before it bad taken place, another large COM
pany Of emigrants with six slaves passed over the
same road in the fall Of $40. They were noticed,
and the parties interested in the former affair dc
termincd to attempt the release Of The bondmen.
The task seemed Il difficult one when the excited
state Of public sentiment was considered, and the
degree and kind Of opposition which was to be
ANTICIPATED; and VIXEN commenced, it was without
any plan Of action definitely matured. The slave
folders publicly boastcd that having heard of the
Rains difficulties whilst in Virginia, and of the
parties from whence such attempts at rescue were
to be apprchcndod, they had started around, and
prepared, and determined to carry their purpose
through against all opposition. 1t was fna ~ re-
solved to test the power of Ohio law to libcrate
them on the ground that they were free by our Con-
stitution exactly as was decided by the Supreme
court soon after in the Rains case. And this
plan seemed especially more proper, inasmuch as
many prLresscdly anti-slavcry men particularly
Quakers, Joined in the cutlery against the first as
a lawlcss proceeding, and alleged that if II legal
test of tho question had been sought, they would
have promoted the effort. 1t was remembered that
the Black law passed by the legislature of Ohio at
the instance Of Commissioner from Kentucky in
1887 l think,-contuinod in its eleventh clause a
provision against kidnapping, and conveying color
ed persons from Ohio, without their consent, max
ing it q pcnitcntiary offence. This law it was de-
tcrmincd to apply to the shareholders, with no 9th
or expectation Of public sentiment, than to dctain
the parties whilst n writ of h0leas corpus could be
obtained, and the right Of the negroes to their lib
erty under our laws be inquired into. To effect
the object, legal counsel was necessary, and Judge
Smith Of Lebanon was applied to, he being n
prominent counsel for the defendants in the case
then pending in court. The Judge advised strong
ly against the whole proceeding, upon the ground
that it would still further exasperatc public senti-
ment against those Interested He was assured
that this was well understood, but the parties were
prepared to risk all consequences. lie then chan
gcd his objection, and alleged that the law propo-
sed to be enforced had never been intended to bear
=, such a construction, although it was capable Of
it literally construed. 1t happened that Judge
!. Smith had been one of the most prominent of the
! Wig politicians in the State Senate which passed
this iniquitous measure, and he was answered that
no doubt they had supposed they were erecting a
:. gallows for Mordccai, but it was now the purpose
to stretch Haman on it.
Legal assistance having been reluctantly prom.
. iscd the whole party was arrested, and when taken
r before the examining magistrate early in the morn.
? ing, were allowed until the noon of tho next day
n to secure counsel. This interval was employed in
assembling such desperadoes as were thought best
? prepared to conduct a mob, and in the uttcraace Of
n various threats against the friends of freedom
S After hearing the evidence, and argument, the
It magistrate though admitting that according to tao
law, and the testimony the parties were liable to Q
committal, yet as this might prove of some incon
veniencc to the emigrants, and moreover as he
was not convinced the trainers of the law, inter.
IS dcd it to apply to such q case, he discharged them
IS Meantime a writ Of lIa5eas corpus had been al
lowed by Judge Hart and served upon the virgi
mans, who contemptuously ~trampled It under thei
is feet, in the presence, and with the appreciation 0
n the assembled multitude, and instead of enforcin.
their own law and compelling the production o
these negroes before their own judicial officer, tn
le citizens of Wayncsviilc, and vicinity, actually tool
le arms and stood a volunteer body guard over til
%captives, to prevent the enforcement of their ow
laws. And when the Shareholders saw fit to NOV
D. on their journey, this guard marched with then
to the verge Of the county to protect their right
their human property, so long as it was within tn
h limits of the operation Of the writ, as they undel
ia stood the matter.
be The decision Of the magistrate discharging Ill
IT. Nirginians from custody was the signal for a rio
Gus assault upon those who had sought to liberat
as the slaves. Two Of these were particularly obno,
re- ious to the lieges, and one Of them, II youth
is nineteen was designated as "woolly" the other 9Th
r. hyena, " and during the trial these persons ha
lie been carefully pointed out to all new corners VII
ID. were expected ia participate in the evenings Ell
tie tertainment. As soon as the decision was know
re and the company had left the house which ho
it, been occupied by the court, these were surroundc
in by an infuriated rabbie who began with the ci
of bring the ~eggs-bring the rail" and it soon a
,ht vapccd 10 "kill him, kill him" And cowardly
ou cruel, rlr Ilol, when faced Sy the party ASSAULT