Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-11-16

my personal history on the attention
Of your readers, but as my name ha,
already, without any desire on my
part. been placed before the public,
avail myself-by advice Of friends-o
my brief sciourn in your city. to Offer
you such a statement Of facts as may
place rue in right position before the
public; and l hope the narrative may
serve toillustrate the bearings Of slave
ry upon the personal security Of the
citizens Of free State, and upon the
civil and religious rights Of the Ameri.
can people.
am n native Of Kentucky, and
was educated there. but to the honor
Of my parents, who werc not slave.
holders. my education was such as tc
incline me against slavery. About
twenty years ago, became a minister
in the Cumberland Presbyterian
church." This ecclesiastical body il
located at the Southwest. and il
members have been. from the begin.
ming, with few exceptions, decidedly IN
favor Of Slavery. Their General As.
semhly refuse to legislate on the sub
jcct. on tho plea that. Ms spiritual
body. they have no cognizance Of civil
matters. Daring the six years Of my
ministerial labors In Kentucky. | was
known to be unfriendly TO Slavery,
though favoring the scheme Of Coloni.
xation. Sometimes preached on the
subject. which made mo an object ol
suspicion, and subjected mo to some
obloquy. but received no serious mo-
lestalion. Yet my removal from my
native State was owing 10 my aversion
to tho practice Of slavc-holding. Du-
ring my fourteen years ministry in
Princeton. Indiana. used my liberty
to preach more freely against Slavery
than Ihad doue previously. Iencoun-
tered no serious opposition from my
bretheren, until tho rise Of the excite
ment growing out Of the Nebraska
question. Then they began to cry
out thatit was a political question,
which ought not TO come into the pull
pit. IL was not until after this time
that the events took place which have
involved me Ia trouble.
In May, 1854. Thomas Brown. ol
Henderson. Kentucky. was arrested
and imprisoned. on suspicion Of aiding
two female slaves. with their children,
to escape from Union CO.. Kentucky.
into Canada. An indignation meet.
ing" was then held. and a committee
appointed TO notify his wife. with her
two little daughters, to leave the State
in Few days. which were specified. OF
abide the consequences. She accord
ingly removed with her children to this
State. and came 10 Princeton, where
resided She was then stranger
10 me but Of cours, | bcfriended her
A knowledge OF this fact was convey.
cd to Union county, where l had for.
merly resided. and where Brown was
imprisoned. This. rs ] soon learned
occasioned a suspicion that l was
some how connected with the escape o.
the slaves.
The arrest of Brown. though oI
course il had taken place in Kentucky
had been effected by a Mr. Gavit, q
sheriff Of Indiana. without any legal
authority to do so. To this person
the following letter was now address
ed
"HESpERsoN, June 9th, 1864.
Mn. GAvrr:-Thc ci!izenshcre have
raised for you. and those who assisted
you, one hundred dollars. for the ap.
prehension and lodging in the Union
county Jail, Brown, charged with steal
ing negroes. The citizens here and
in Morganfeld. authorized Mr.. Harris
to say to you. that for the apprehen-
sion and sending to the penctentiary ol
Brown, who is thus charged. they
would see that i've hundred dollars
would be paid you. Should you pro.
duce against Brown such testimony
as will convict him Of stealing slaves
from this side Of the river. you may
rely upon getting this sum from the
citizens-say five hundred dollars,
less the one hundred dollars now en-
closed to you. Please acknowledge
the one hundred dollars enclosed
Yours. respectfully.
ARCH. DIXON,
A. j. ANDERSON"
This Arch. Dixon was formerly
Governor Of Kentucky. and was after
wards the successor of Henry Clay. il
the Senate of the United States.
This reward for testimony being Of
fered. Mr.. Gavit's associate Jno. Ward
Marshall Of Evansville, Indiana, sue
ceeded in securing a witness, one Jas
Steele. who went to Kentucky. ant
gave the only testimony upon which
Brown was convicted, though his tes
timony. in reality, amonted to nothing
and therefore no oae took the pains L
publish it.
At the request of Mrs. Brown, pre-
vious 10 his (Steele's) going u Ken
lucky on thu business. | waited on bin
and endeavoured to dissuade him frou
going. This was another ground Q
suspicion against me.
Another circumstance was the fol
lowing; Some time in the ensuing au
tumn 1851 citizen Of Evansville
Ind, Eli Briant. a native of Kentucky
being in Henderson. KY, was arrested
and without even the formality Of a
affidavit, was thrown into prison, an
detained there for more than half
year. without right or justice. merel
on suspicion, and then discharge
without trial, on his signing bono
under penalty OF two thousand dollarl
never. during life. to come into tn,
State again. where his relatives resid,
While in confinement he wrote letts
TO his wife, in which he advised her 1
consult with me, in respect TO obtair
ing assistance for the family, as the
were poor. This letter was intercep
cd. broken open and copied. and fu
nisaed the final ground Of proceeding
against me. A reward Of one thou
and dollars was thcreupon immediatcl
ofIared in nrivnfa IN a,v ,.~s., -