Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-11-10

Pro-Slavery Democracy. To the working
men he appealed, to put New York where
she stood in le56-committed to the In
terests of free labor. This was the spirit
of the age. But when Alexander of Rus
sia devised the plan for the emancipation
Of the serfs, did the Democratic party say
a word in commendation of the act? II
was their duty then TO overthrow party
which ruled one half of the country and
] held the other to perpetuate wrong.
From the the ottowa tIr.) Republican, Oct. Is.
A Kidnapped Negro Returns
with Compound Interest.
We have several times referred to the
case of the negro Berkley, who last spring
started from Ottawa for Pixies Peak, in
the employ of Aaron Daniels, and was ar
rested at St. Joseph, Missouri, there shock
ingly whipped for the purpose of making
him say that he was slave, afterwards
sold to the highest bidder. The accounts
of the outrage published at the time were
denied by the Douglasite press in this and
other States, but these denials were fast
falling before the testimony of witnesses
who saw the negro whipped, when the Ot-
tawa Free Troder, probably by the ad-
vice from headquarters, came out with a
statement under the head of "a Canard," :"
saying that the editor had made diligent
inquiry, and could not find that any such
negro had left Otto~a. Of course, the
Chicago Times, State Register, and other
Pro-Slavery organs, enlarged upon this
voucher for the non-existence of the negro
from Ottcwa, and no doubt many honest
Democrats believed that the story of the
arrest and whipping was Republican roor-
back. But the return of the negro to this
city on Monday evening last, aud the reci-
tai of the story from his own lips, un-
hoodwinked all in this vicinity who before
thought there was some truth in the denial
of the facts made by the Free Trader
and several prominent Douglasites. Some
of the latter swore terribly when they saw
the negro back again, and wished him
among the rice fields; but the better dis
posed of them were inclined to listen to
his recital Of the treatment he suffered at
the hands of the Missourians, and his sub
sequent escape.
He says, that soon after his arrest by
the Sheriff, at ST. Joseph, he was tied up
and whipped in an unmerciful ner,with
the object of making him tell that be was
slave. This persistently refused to do,
but stated to his prosecutors that he had
been liberated by his master in Virginia
several years ago. Doctor Doy was in the
Jail at the same time, and he says, if any
doubt his story they can ask Doct. Doy.-
He probably did not know that Doy had
already published the fact.
While lying in Jail at St. Joseph, he en-
ployed an attorney to manage the case for
him. The attorney, by Berkley's request,
wrote to one or two persons in Ottawa,
and obtained from them assurance that
Berkley had lived in this vicinity six or
seven years. But this, the lawyer wrote
made no difference. By the laws of Mis-
souri,, he would have to be sold for his Jail
fees, and that probably he would sell for
about what he was worth in a Southern
market. This ended the correspondence,
and Berkley was left to his fate. He states
that be was soon after sold to the highest
bidder, being struck off to Missouri farm
er for $1,045. The farmer soon became
satisfied that be was not safe property, and
he took him down to the St. Louis slave
market, where he was sold TO Southern
trader, and put upon steamboat bound
for New Orleans, stoutly handcuffed and
chained to another negro. When within
few miles of Memphis the two managed to
slip their handouts; whereupon they took
leave of ther keeper, jumped into the Mis-
sissippi, swan ashore, and started toward
the North star, Berkley leading the way.
They travelled nights, and hid themselves
in the day time, and in that manner made
their way as far as Decatur, in this State,
where they thought it would be safe to
travel openly. On their way though Ten
nessee and Kentucky, they lived on pota-
toes, corn, DC, which they found in the
fields on their way, portion Of the time
being compelled 10 eat them raw. Some
where below Decatur they were discovered,
and four men gave them chase with guns,
wherenpon they ran inte a thicket of bushes
and the men passed within few feet of
where they lay, without discovering them.
Some of the men were so eager to catch
two live "niggers," that they left their hats
at home. They were undoubtedly good
Douglas men, who expected to- reap fat
reward by delivering the negroes back to
the slave-driyers. The negroes came all
the way on foot, until they reached La
Sale, where their wants were better pro-
vided for. The loss to the slave trader is
something over two thousand dollars worth |
of human muscle aud blood, as it is valued |
in southern market, and his gain, an
amount of sympathy of leading Douglas
ties about here, who appear much displeas-
ed at Berkley's escape from being pressed
into Slavery. We imagine that this SYM
pathy is all that the Missouri trader will
ever get, for his chattels will probably take
care of themselves hereafter.
PENNSYLVANIA OFFIcIAL.-The Official
returns of the State election in Pennsylva-
i