New-York daily tribune., 1855-08-28

" the act, devlsfc or knowingly fdrlisned tue
"mesns for carrying ii into effect or instigated
" others TO perform it, be shared their guilt
I" In treason there ere no sccessories." From
all this the Grand Jury were to understand that
Anti. Slavery men, BY their doctrines Of human
rights aud their denuncistions Of the Fugitive
Act. instgated fugitive slaves to defend them
seves; hence, "a, in treason, all are principals,
however remotely and indirectly concerned;
these Abolition instisatOrs had als' levied war,
were traitors, and might be legally hung. To
strengthen this intended impression on the minds
of the Jury, the Judge launched out into an in-
yectiye against the Abolitionists, concluding
with the very significant and smart sdmcniton,
" While he (the Aboltionis,) remains within
"our borders be is to remember that success
"fulIy to instigate treason is to commit it,
Ard now let us confront this quibbling, petit
Jogging Judge with another, whose authority is
at least equal to his OVID:
"To prevent the possibility" said Chef-Jusice
Marshall "of those calamities which result from the
extension of treason to oenses of minor importance
that great fundamental law which defines and limits
the various departments of our Government has given
a rule on this subject both to the Legislature aud
Courts Of America which neither can be permitted to
transcend.
Treason sssn,t the United State. sh, consist only in
levynE against them in sdherns TO the enemies CIV
IN them aid and comfort.
"To constitute that specific crime, must be
Actually hried against thc UmIcf States"
[Ballmsn's case, cranch
Not single Judge in the United States beside
Judge Ksne ia known to have held fugitive
slave riot to be an act of war, and involving
therefore the guilt Of treason; while several OF
the federal judges have officially repudiated the
ridiculous doctrine. A Grand Jury selected by
Northern United States Marshal, and convened
in the City of Philadelphia, would naturally
rejoice in an opportunity for saving the Uot'n,
mapifesting their own patriotism, aud concilia-
tirg Southern trade. OF course, these gentle-
men listened with profound interest and patri-
otic indignation to the intelligence they received
from the Judge that war had been levied against
their country. They retired to consult how
they might best save the Union in this awful
emergency, and in due time returned into the
presence of the Judge and presented him with a
document Gntended for the newspapers) en-
riched with their several autographs.
In this document they state "that their at
"teBtion being drawn to the subject (the Chris
" tsna riot) by the very able and interesting
" charge of the District Judge, the Hon. John
"K Kane, they entered into its careful aud dis
passionate investigation. Their labors have
resulted in the finding Of indictments against
thirty persons for the crime of high treason
"oQGinst the Government of the United States
and they add that "they felt no hesitation in
"performing the duty imposed on them by the
claw of the United States in presenting these
serious accusations mo hesitation =" in de-
{" claring on their oaths that thirty men had
traitorously levied war against the United
estates |" no hesitation in attempting judi
cial massacre, unparalleled since the days of
Jeffries with the exception of the wholesale
murders perpetrated by Marat, Danton aud
Robespierre under color of law These unhes-
itating and unmi.ig,ted Doughfaces then pro-
ceeded in their precious document to address
homily to the Aboltionists, particularly refer
ring to certain individuals among them who pos
sessed "social and public position and intellect
"ual culture" of whom they declare, better
things might have been expected" Messrs.
Seward, Sumner Giddings and others have
shown but little gratitude to the GrandJury, for
emitting their names on the long roll of traitors,
and have needed but little their impertinens ad-
mOniti0ns.
But never wos there more miserable litter
of indictments than that brought forth by this
undertaking Grand Jury, under the professional
care and attendance of John K Kane. The first
and the only one of the thirty that was ever
brought to trial, was against Caspar Hanway.
TIE only acts proved against this man, in sup
port of the charge ofhsying traitorously levied
"war against the United States" were l. hav-
ing declined to assist the marshal in arresting
the fugitiyes; aud 2. in calling to the negroes
and urging them not to FIRE.
Judge Grier presided on the trial, and not.
wi.hstsndiDg his vulgar invectives against the
Abolitonists, found himself compelled to charge
the Jury even in the presence of Judge Kane,
that-"a number of fugitive slaves may infest
" neighborhood and may be encouraged by their
" neishbors In combining to resist with force
and arms their master, or the public officer
" who may come to arrest them; they may MUIR
" der or rob them; they are guilty Of felony and
liable to punishment, but not as traitors"
The prisoner was Of course acquitted, and all
the other indictments abandoned, and thus ended
in shame and ridicule Judge Kane's ingenious
device for hanging all who resisted the Fugitive
Slave Law and aided the wretched slave in
breaking his chains. Ye. this same man, at
Kossuth meeting at Philadelphis, made ram
pant fllibusteripg speech in behalf of oppressed
nations, quoting with exultatiOn the words Of
ysttel, "When people from good reasons take