Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-08-18
Law vs.. FQU1TY IA HARD CASE.

Al coloured man ut Madison, Indiana, named
John Simmons. was distinguished, some years ago.
for his active sympathy with his oppressed breth Z
rem on the Southern side Of the Ohio. His repu
tation as n philanthropist pervaded the Who'll
country for miles, and It seems from suhsequene
iudicious Investigations. he was resorted to for
"aid and comfort' by all fleeing victims of pairi-
archa tenderness, in their efforts to escape the ha
Icyon influences Of the 'pecular" institution To
the Christian grace Of charity, honest John su
peradded the worldly advantage Of q sleek and
comely person, which he was studious to alorn
with gay apparel and gaudy tripkets. Int word,
our hero found himself elevated to that dangerous
position in which "all men spoke we'll Of him
Tho godly, the gny and the philonthropic. united
E.n sounding his praises; and no one could have
predicted with any chance of being attended toi
that one so marked as fortunes favourite could BE
subjected to the vcissitudes and dangers Of ordi
nary men.
But the ancients had a maxim, that "no man
can be reckoned happy until he is dead; and we
fear that friend John has no very brilliant pros
poets, even in the land of departed spirits for,
like Judas, in an evil hour, he was tempted to be-
tray the innocent bood-nuy, he is said to have
driven a thriving trade in the lawful and Union
saving business of catching fugitive slaves, by lu-
ring them to his house as q place of refuge, and
then betraying them to their chiyalrous pursuers,
for thirty pieces Of silver, moro or less. This
the secret of Johns thrift and ill-gotten revenue
out OF which he clothed himself IN fine apparel
and tared sumptuously every day,
Unlike Judas, he had not the grace, self-convic-
ted, to go and hang himself for the first offence,
but persisted in the diabolical work, for we know
not how long, until he was fairly caught. OF
course detection sufficient to ruin the business
in which he was engaged, since the fugitiyes were
thereby warned to avoid his treacherous roof
John was "a confidence man"-lived AID thrived
on "confdence"-and when that destroyed,
his Occupation" was gone. But this was not all,
and not the worst. John was seized, an midnight
by some of his coloured brethren, who vindicated
the "higher law" by violating the lower. Fired
by generous indignation at the betrayer of their
kind they inflicted upon him such n drubbing rs
some warning, that if he should ever repeat his
lawless villany upon another fugitive, his life
would pay the forfeit. Though not himself be-
lever in the "higher law" John began to feel the
necessity Of obeyng the behests of its Instruments;
and, so far as is known, he has strictly refrained
from their violation in the matter of betraying fu
gitives.
But John has not been left wholly without con-
ISOLATION. He is q friend of the Union, and of the
compromise of the Constitution" lie is backed
by the conservative portion of society-by the
men of property and standing" who feel bound
by their allegiance to the laws, to assist in bring
ing to.condign punishment the reckless vindica
tors of the "higher law" Black traitor though
he was to his race, John was true to the great
tional panacea tho Fugitive Slave Law, and one
of the necessary instruments Of its enforcement.-
His case was calculated to awaken sympathy in
conservative breasts--to touch the tender conscen
ces of the doughfaces-apd he was, with their ala
and counsel, induced to bring suit against the mid
night executoners of summary justice. lie insti-
tuted an action for damages in the Circuit Court of
Jefferson county, in lS47, against Elijah Anderson
a coloured man, resident in Madison--a person, it
seems, of good character, and possessed of little
property. OF course, judgment went against him.
lie appealed, and protracted the case down to Oc-
tober 1854 but to no effect, except great accu-
mutation of cost. A coloured person name Clap
man Harris was prosecuted in company with An
derson; but it seems that the latter has had to sus
tain the pocuniary burden, amounting 10 some sew
en- hundred dollars, as we informed on credible
authority His house and lot in Madison has been
sold to satisfy the Judgment, and only small bal
ance of his little alp is left in the hands of the
Sheriff, as the overplus. He is ruined man, and
makes an appeal to the benevolent for aid in re-
of home. We trust that he may receive it. His
offence hath this extent, no more-that his love
for the Union is not commensurate with his abhor-
renee Of treachery-he was not sufficiently impress
sed with the sanctty of the law which employs
Judas for its executoner, and, acting upon the
honorable and generous instincts of his nature,
| he violated it. What man with spark of chyal.
ry in his breast will not sympathze with him p
Has he not vindicated his race2 Has he not pro-
ven true man, IN nhcting merited, though not
the due measure of punishment upon the base be-
trayer of his kind ?
We are informed that Mr.. David Pollock, Supe-
ror street, Cleveland, Ohio, is authorized to re-
ceive subscription for the benefit of Anderson; and
We trust that the appeal to the generous and hu
name will not be in yain.-Nat. Era.