The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-09-14
n@- There must be sad state of public

a
opinion at Shawneetown, if the represents
tons of the editor of the Hlinoisan be true.
A few weeks ago free negroboy belonging
to Terre Haute in this State, left a steamer,
ON which he had acted as barber, at . ne
point below, and was making his way by
land to Shawneetown, to get on another
boat, when he was seized, on mere suspicion
as fugitive slave, and, in spite of his pre-
testations that he was a free man, and his
appeals to crowd of citizens toprotect him,
his kidnappers were allowed to take him,
by force across the river into KY. He es-
capped from his captors, and in attempting to
swim the river, was probably drowned, as
his body was found some days afterwards
upon sand bar. This most iniquitous out
rage was related in very cautious and inof-
fensiEe. terms-indicating a good deal of
timidity-by the editor of the Shawneetown
paper. Instead of arousing public indigna-
ton, and leading to the arrest and punish
ment of the villains who perpetrated the
fagitious deed, the editors life was threat
ened, and be has been in danger of being
driven from the town for speaking of the
affair. The editor says, "for publishing a
simple statement of the facts, we bave been
denounced as abolitionists, negro thieves,
&C., and have been threatened with personal
violence"
awe arc prepared to prove the truth OF
every word contained in our former publ
cation, and we reiterate the statement for
merly made, that the same boy, who was
arrested here and taken to Kentucky, was
subsequently found dead upon the Ken
lucky shore. The boy, when arrested, stated
that he was a barber-that he had recently
worked at his trade in Cincinnati, with O
man by the name of Towers-that he was
born and raised in Vigo county, Indiana
where his mother still resided, and that his
name was Bond. We would gently and
kindly hint, TO those persons who threaten
to take our lives for speaking the truth ant
refusing to be muzzled, that there is such {
thing as Law in the State of Illinois"
We should doubt the truth of the las
sentence. The decay of Shawneetown il
the midst of all its local, natural advan
tages-whiclI has been a mystery and won
der to those not familiar with her popula
ton, is explained by such indications o
public sentiment as this event affords
Moral elements have more influence on tn,
material prosperity of a community, often
than its material advantages. The lack o
the latter renders the former of no account
Mr.. Charles Perry, of Terre Haute, writes
to Shawneetown that the boy Bond was
native of that city, where he has mother
living, "who is much distressed at the new
of the fate of her son." lie adds, 9th,
boy was free boy, born and raised in thi
town, and known 10y the people generally
He left here in May last, for Cincinnati
where he was barbering at last accounts
about six weeks ago. When he left here h
talked of guing on the river. He ha'
some properly, consisting principally of
farm within seven miles of this town."
II the authorities OF Illinois take no step
to bring the abductors Of this free black O
Indiana to justice, the Executive of tbi
State ought to take some steps to test tn
question whether there is, az intimated b,
the Shawnectown editor, any "such thin
as law in Southern Illinois; Though black
have no political, they have claims for Pre-
lection in their civil rights upon the Gov
eminent of the State"
-r