The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-10-22
The NSnb Supren,es

! last week, eliminated on Thursday in an
act which in its consequences threatens to
put some Of the patients under n course of
treatment in one OF Uncle Sam $ hospitals.
The facts of the case from beginning to
end, we understand to be as follows
On the 4th of September last, three ne
gro slaves made their escape from Richard
Phillips, wealthy planter living near New
Madrid No One OF them named jim,
a ietS jim Gray, while on his way north.
was seized in Union county, in this State,
and imprisoned under our negro statute
The Supreme Court of this State having
declared our statute unconstitutional, on
the ground that it was fugitive slave
law. which Congress alone could pass. 4
benevolent gentleman in Union county,
named Root, interested himself in his be
half, and applied to Judge in that region
for a writ Of kaJcas corpus, but failed to Oh
tain it. Nothing daunted. he jumped up
on the cars and came all the WAY to Otta-
wa, and sued out writ before Judge Ca
ton, of the Supreme Court. The writ was
served on the sheriff of Union county, who
at first returned an insolent answer, but
subsequently thought better of the matter
and started the negro northward in charge
of his jailor Ny. Isaac y. Albright. On
the way, the negro was oyertaken and
claimed as fugitive By his owner, who
had obtained a writ from |. s Commits
sioner Corneau, at Springfield, under the
fugitive slave law. and demanded bis pos
session. The .iailor was in doubt bat the
L. s Marshal for the southern district Of
Illinois doputiz;ng MI iailor Albright as
|. : Marshal so that he held the negro
under both wr!ts. and the arrangement
Cation, if not set at Liberty. he should then
be brought before Commissioner Corneau.
Thus the negro was brought to ottawa on
"Wednesday evening. On Thursday morn.
ing he had hearing before Judge Cation.
in the presence OF a large crowd Of specta-
tors + 5 Leland. B. C. Cook, o {. Gray,
and J. q. Glover Esqs.. appeared rs volun-
teer counsel fox tie negro; Julius Avery.
Esq in behalf OF Tie .jailor. After hearing
the case rro and con.. jude Cation decided
that the arrest of the nero under the sta
TUE Of this State was Illegal. and he dis
CHARGED him from that arrest; but that, as
the nero was also held under a writ is
sued Ly /. :. Commissioner, and was in
the custody Of q regularly dsrUtized /. :
Marshal. he must remand the prisoner
back into the Marshals custody. tob he tax
maze an order to that eject Judge C.
also tool, occasion to state, after making
known his decision, that he believed he
lived in Il law-atidng community: in this
belief ne had ordered this negro TO be
brought 10 Ottawa; but if any attempt
should h,. made to set the law at defiance
lie should not only infinitely regret it. but
gave notice that III no similar case Lereat-
ter would lac hear such a case in this city.
lie would rather incur the trouble and e;
tense Of having the hearing at JOnesboro
or Cairo
On the announcement of the .Jud yes de
ci-.ou. however, James Stout. ESD, rabid
aboiiiioni-t. jumped upon stool and IN an
excited manner said J. move, gentlemen
that this meeting resolve itself into com
luittee to carry out the law (meaning
doubtless, in the abolition way Another
said 'Darkey. if you want Your liberty,
run Mr. Albright siezed the negro ly
the hand The negro made towards the
door Several persons tore the marshal
hand from its grasp. while others siezed
the negro and drew and pushed Inn VIC
lentlv on. OF the door into the hall, and
the court house, vociieratin9, come along
this way This is the road 10 freedom
&c Outside Of the fence, near the back
door Of the court house stood carriage III
C. Goodin"s livery stable) III front of it
several persons appeared To be engaged IN
an attempt to crowd Il somewhat darilly
tinted citizel, of this county into it, who
the niger As the darkey reached the
platform at the back door, the carriage WAS
pointed out 10 him, and in about three
bounds he cleared the court house steps,
last sight we lad Of him, being the soles
OF his boots disappearing over the shout
terS of the suspected citizen aforesaid
Charley Campbell, who was the driver Sc
lected Tor the carriage, now stood up and
BEGAN to lay on the whip. Meantime Pete
Meyer had seized the horses 10y the Bride
AID for moment the vehicle seemed in
danger Of going over, but it was soon re-
leased and went at about 30 rate up La
Sale 81. to Superior, thence up Superior,
and was last seen passing the aqueduct.-
Thus the negro had escaped
The whole affair occurred in q minute
and we mus, give the abolitionists credit
for having managed the affair admirably
Nothing. certainly, short of deliberate pre-
paration beforehand, and a judicious dispo-
sition Of pretty strong armed force, could
have prevented the denouemcnt. Nr.
! Guodiug carriage, we understand went but
! three or four miles where il was relieved
/ lv another III waiting. which in its turn
would again he relieved in : or 10 niles,
such relays beng regularly organized all
the way TO Canada.
We nave III another article made what
we conceive - be appropriate comments
and reflections on this affair.
PERu WEEKLY UN,oS-We were quite
surprised. on overiiauling our exchanges q
few days ago, to find among them quite &
handsome eight column sheet from Peru
d.. IL. Ill. - -.