New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-28
AUSTRIAN DESPOTBM IN AMERICA.


We are 20 sseus toned to speak of 0nrselveA "a
the only free nation the face Of the earth that
il may be well occasionally TO have orr eyes opened
to csss Cf facts which are con 't.ntlJ aud ln-
creasiDely trabspiring in our own c0'1ntry. We
therefore beg leave to call tue at. yoton Of our
readers to most extraordinary mar fstv, detailed
in the fclo~iDg letter addres-cd BY Mise Della
Webster 70 the rev Dr.. Cheevtr:
WoRcEsIEs, F.fis7. Oct. 49, 1855.
Rev. DIR. CHELvER-Dlar Sar: Agrees d, 10 yoas
rtquest send yon ibe following surnmsry OF ta:A:
In the year 1912 by the advice Of p'ysirsls' nrst
went ~ mink for TIE imorDveu-nt Of ny health
in CO rnp.p, with @ erey and hi- 81 tfo " 'rt-
hn Ono az viseo dIferen; portions o the sac, aId
nj .ppta vent N I%1in ton. Being abort OF fdlfe
ons ned pantnp cag in that city 20 de'rsy current
er,e,ss II ~ss not ny purpose N utiu there
merry weeks, but oeiog repeatedly aud Urgently So
rcited by ci-rpyueo AID other pronn-nt mn Ia the
city to establish permanent scnoo for yonng ioi-a,
| at lsrgth founded the Lexiug on Aca 'emy voicl
soen became Of the most INTEREST," aud A,dri-h
ing iDs .ituno1s IN the S.sie-brnging inco Of
shout $oC0 per year.
The climate being adapted to my constitution my
health had very greatly imp owed; and 10 1874 my
scho0 numbered from so ~ 100 pupils, ard mad he
entire COL foetce If he people, st'stsnding It II
bfen understood from the beginning that vas thor
oughly ADt-Slavery.
No fuspicors we're entertained against until after
the arrest of Mr.. Fairbars in September, 1874 w7en
81 aDony nous letter found uOOn hls p-r-On AL
dressed il would seem 70 some friend at distance,
and commencing dear Brother aud signed
"Erater"
In this letter an al'usisn was made 20 q Miss W.
This use Of the hi als of my name entirely with
ont my ccpsent knowledge, ner hid kcO1 suent Of
The existence Of any suco letter. YET 1t Resulted 10 my
immediate apprehension a. TIE midoght nour without
any form or va raLt Of law, and w4s cons itte1 70
close i.l. SOcle time ssierwar1 | VS. secretly
cbsreeo 9Th being accessory to the escape Of the
Hay den family.
In Dect mber folio wing this indictment vas thrown
aotO f ipAt4b "a raa nab
sepsrate one for each member of the family-snt the
fourth FOR another man Who escaped zone tina pre-
vious IL these last was charged principal instead
of sccomD ce. | ried only on one i1tictGnent,
for ire escspe of the man Lewis
Such the excitement and pr-julce vhi;h pre-
vailed in tire community, that whole DAY " % Goa
sumec inpaI belipP Jury. Inc hla conuaued nVe
dave curing which time he JGry were at large Ot idE
ling and tskng cd Hbitum with the excited pc Julace
On the fourth day Of the trial the Letter abo "a re-
erred TO- contrary sl Law, gss introduced sgsDst
NE. The Court Tad repeatedly ruled II out ~ leg al
testimony bat al lsst tee Common seath openly de-
clsrirg they cOui make out no Gaze without il, the
Cour admitted il TO the Jury and they ret red
suit Of their yer ict taking The said letter with hem.
But falling to agree, trey adjourned h the next day,
when they compromised, and the foreman drsv up \
stror peti ion 10 ths Govraor pray ing for my i'm
diste release, which petition was signed By every
memter Of the Jury ard presented me OY the fore
ss they returned with the verdict bu' before 1t VA
presen Cd to tbs Governor De receiver s'roug
Several gentlemen then came forward and made
strong effdsvits 10 my oenslf, upon winch asket
rev al but the life Of tie Court being threatened il
be granted il, the motion was ovefTuled and vas
sentenced 10 two Yeas confinement IN the neoary.
Upon ihis, the Hoo. Henry Clay, Gen. Le-lls
Coombs and Others of my counsel visited the Cover
ror leid before him he fac and asked results OF
the sentence that isht be tried UPON he other three
indictments TIE Governor was very willing 70 graft
the respite but before the paoers we're completed, my
enemies succeeoed in reilly smuggling me into
PsDleItary un0er the coser OF daikOess
I. ow too la'e for tha respite, ard the Cover
nor went bimsef 10 the warden aud ga orders that
L was OF to be treated rs a comuOn prisoner.
Petitions came in from every part Of the CON-
monwealth for my speedy re ease. Tue Legislature
wss in session aud presented urgent prayer 70 his
TX ,eency in my behalf, signed oy every member of
that honorable body. Mea, Il ne addressed brisf
note TO the Governor asking hin to examine the evil
dence and sdmitster justice. He sent e. thEi.h to
Lexington for copy of the testimony viii h ne care
fully examined, and Immediately thereupon sent me
pardon OIL the ground that was convicted contrary
10 law and ties imony.
AT this date | had been in the Penitendsry six
weeks and in close confinement from the time Of IN
arrest ore hundred aod forty .e sht days.
was now al xious for trial upon the other indct-
ments: but Gov. Ogsley advised me not 70 tHstSt
upon it, saying toat had already oabe enough and
a heavy bill O expense aud he would that these
n6iclments were dismissed, that need have no fur
tber annoyance.
During u e Dexttem of court Ma -ch, 49, the Com
mon veelths at orney mo,iOned tina. all toe remaining
inc ctments az ainst be struck of the Docket
which was done by order of the Court.
After this remained ut the l. 49, pe-loi Of fo1r
years during the whole of which time constantly
beet with e1 trea les and the most urgent soca ions
to return 10 Kentucky a resume nv teaching SO ne
persons Who during the excitement, had been very
bitter n their prejudice assiost me, sokno~e * ID
their error, AND eX pressed desire that honora-
bic reparson be made for the injuries hsd received
and inc eed some went so far as TO offer 70 build al
academy and present me WI b deed of the same, 70
guar sntee a handsome salary for teaching aud to
give me city residence, or if prefe red rura life,
10 present with foe farm, ready stocked and to
assist me in any way that III ght need. Ii ne after
time did they manifest their confidence, to such de-
gree as TO proffer me their servan's by the year.
Others agsin, wished to bling an action against the
SSte for my fslse imprisonment, and protered me
their Pr.tuitOus services
In the Spring Of 1si7, they prevailed upon my
brother insv 70 move with MS family TO Frankfort
Ky. and in 1s4S my brother was s'so induced TO &C.
cept certain propositions to move to Kentucky aud 10
cate with his family near GeorgetoEn. Esrls IN le49
the e1 Lieutenant Governor of Inosns was employed
TO visit and lay before my mind Inducements 70 re
turn to that climate, and very thereafter s1me
Kentucky friends slaveholdersD made trip to YER
mont expressly TO gain the consent OF my parents 10
my returning with them and did return snd located
in Madison Indiana frequently visited different. por
tons Of Kentucky, and was everywhere received vita
the utmost cordially, and the same respect shown me
though had never b<en an inmate Of their State
prison.
In 1852 purchased valuable farm, consisting OF
six hundred acres of superior upland on the fertile
batks Of the beautiful 0aio, south side directly op
posite and overlooking the City of Madison. Hero
my rural home lived in peace until the Winter OF
1854, at which time the prosecutions were renew we'd
with ter fold vgor.
An anti-Webster meeting was appointed 10 be held
at the Bedford Court House on the o h of February
which was attended by large crowd, and flaming and
exciting speeches made and plsns concOc,ei 10
drive me from the State ofresoutions we're drawn