Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-11-23
The case Of .Ryecraft--1Thats shall be
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| We gave in our yesterdays edition, the
result Of the trial Of Ryecraft, in Judge
Millers' Court at Milwaukee, for alleged
participation in the rescue of Joshua
Glover, claimed fugitive slave. The
general impression was that under the
testimony the prisoner could not and
would not be convicted, but the result
proves this impression to have been at
fault Another impression which has
been more general, is that Judges Oh the
bench administered justice without par
TALLY, and without fear. favor, affection,
or the hope OF reward. This impression
nc are induced to think will receive some
what Of shock in this case. az it is no
torlous that the Judge on the bench, in
this matter has acted throughout, as if
he felt himself the chosen servant of the
slave power, to fulfil its wish and its bid
ding, regardless of all else. Whether
this latter fact, had any thing 10 DO with
a verdict, which is thought neither the
testimony or the law justified, all win
Judge for themselves. - 3.@ ane2 s1s7
At present the question is, what is our
duty under the facts as they exist. Mr..
Ryecraft is convicted and is subject to
penalty of $1,000, Imprisonment for six
months, and liability to civil suits, for in
definite sums. If he is permitted to suf-
fer this penalty in his own person, it will
be an abandonment Of his cause on the
part of the people, and all resistance to
the slave power and to the expressions
Of the fugitive law in this state are at
an end.
/ Now this fugitive law is not only such
a gross violation Of all personal rights as
to justify personal resistance, but it is al
so under the decision of our Supreme
! Court, such violation of State rights as
it seems to US would authorize such legal
measures on the part Of the state as would
render null and void this verdict Of Mil
ler's Court. By what right can citizen
of the State be made to suffer under a
law which our highest state tribunal has
pronounced unconstitutional and void?
And if there is no authority which can
release him forthwith, BY what right, let
us ask, arc our county jails and state pc
ntentiary pressed into service to hold
these victims of law which the people
Of the state repudiatc and scorn. If our
Sherifts and Penitentiary keepers do their
duty they will shut the doors of the pri-
sons in the face or on the backs of those
who would thus use them. But if all
other measures fail through the timidHy
Of those entrusted with power, will the
people sit quietly by and see those suffer
whose offence has been that they have
stood generously forward to do the work
necessary to carry out the peoples wish
and will in the matter.
As conscientious and honorable men
we are bound at any hazard to protect
Ryccraft or any other man great or small
from suffering in this canse; and our
counsel is Chat we hold ourselves ready
to do what the emergencies of the case
may require. We should prefer to fight
this battle peaceably, and trust it may be
so determined but if this central slave
power is determined to force US to ex-
treme measures, let the struggle come.
Our knapsack is slung for the campaign,
be il long or short Are We not all rea-
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