Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-14
Troubyes at OberIin.

night. Since these last arrests, anotLe assault
has been made upon mis- family, in his absence.
They first had a secret meeting, then on Tues
day night several negroes, armed with clubs,
went to Dayton's house, knocked, and wanted
to see Dayton Mrs. Dayton, who was at home
with her little children, informed them tina: her
husband was not at home. They doubted Mrs
DIS word, and wanted to come In and look for
themselves Mrs. D., knowing she could not
prevent their coming in, finally consented, and
after looking the house over, they left
If the white people of Oberlin do not restrain
these negroes from such lawless acts, there will
be worse trouble than that arising from reseuing
fugitives Cleueland PiaihdeaLer.
What the real facts of the case related by the
Dealer are we know not, but we have no doubt
they are highly eolOrsd in the article quoted
That the citizens of Oberlin have great cause
of provocation towards Deputy Marshal Dayton
is beyond dispute. For ten years previous to
his consenting to demean himself to the char
acter of resident slave-catcher, the peace and
good order of the village had not been disturbed
by fugitive slave case, or an attempt to steal
human being for the purpose of re-enslaving
him. The predecessors of Marshal johnson
required no deputies at Oberlin, and the cO!ored
people residing there, not as numerous as gen
orally supposed by any means, were an indus
trious, well behaved, intelligent, and respecta-
bic class. They educated their children, accu-
mulated property, paid their taxes, and con-
Quoted themselves in all respects as good citi-
zens. They dwelt in peace under their own
vine and fig tree, with none to molest or make
them afraid.
When Marshal Fiteh-who, by the way, in
the final settlement of his accounts at Washing
ton, we understand was voluntarily rendered
letter by Comptroller Elisha Whittlesey, sta
ting that his Marshalship accounts had been
kept in better order and were more promptly
settled than any Deputy Marshals in the Uni
ted States-was succeeded by .. S. Deputy
Marshal johnson, the official war on Oberlin
was commenced. The new U s. Marshal found
a ready and willing tool in this Deputy Dayton,
who was soon commissioned for the dirty and
inhuman work His first exploit in attempting
Co deeoy from his house fugitive at midnight,
and the ignominious flight of himself and negro
catching posse when the black man from his
citadel called for his gun, which unfortunately
was not loaded, and gave chase to them down
the street shouting "Robbers ~ ''Kidnappers!"
"Stop the Scoundrels :" we have before re-
corded. 1t was followed by the abandonment
by the colorcd family of their partially paid for
home-the hunted man, wife and son seeking
a refuge in Canada. Some others similarly
situated also took the alarm and fed, leaving
their all to secure the freedom endangered by
the man-stealing propensity of Deputy Marshal
Dayton Next we hear of his exploit in Lake
county, and his eagerness to escape the justly
excited Indignation of the free men of Pdines
vile, who found him prowling in that village in
company with Southern slave agents after hu-
man prey. Soon after, colored man in Ober-
lin, from North Carolina, learned by letters
from friends in that State, that this Deputy
Dayton had been in correspondence with his
former master, and had promised to return the
man from whom, under the guise of friendship,
he had wormed the secret of his former resi-
dence and ownership, back to hfe-slavery, so
soon as the necessary papers should be for
warded. The betrayed man met Dayton on the
street, upbraided him with HE PerfdJ, and
caned him until he ran crying for help INTO
house and pIaoad the door between himself and
''the thing" his palm had borne an itching for.
The partially avenged negro paid his fine, and
became really free man on a soil where ''slaves
cannot breathe"
Another matter in this connection the public
should know, since the organ of the .. s. Dis
pouse the cause of the Marshal's Deputy at
Oberin We learn that after the unnecessary
excitement there had been created by Dayton,
that Marshal johnson visited Oberlin, and with
honeyed words assured the leading citizens
that they should have no further cause to COM
plain-that all would be right in the future.
To make assurance douby sure, Dayton was
waited upon by some of the citizens who had
been foremost in keeping down excitement
and in preserving his person from getting just
deserts, and advised him to resign his office as
the best way of restoring peace and good neigh
borhood, and maintaining both hereafter. Day
ton at once produced letters from his principal
telling him that he must not resign-that the
Fugitive Slave Law must be enforced at Ober-
lin, &c, &c.
Under this state of facts, is it strange that
Deputy Marshal Dayton is obnoxious to even
the Iaw-loving and law abiding people Of ober-
lin Or that eolored citizens should have no
affection for the man that for the paltry fees
under the Fugitive Act, would consign them
selves or their friends to slavery, and who has
brought terror, distress, and misery upon happy
homes in their midst. Their forbearance is the
greater marvel.