Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-06-02

classes were in Oberlin, trembling
alike for their safety, because they well
knew their fate should those men
hunters get their hands on them.
In the midst Of such excitement, the
18th day Of September was ushcred
ina day ever to be remembered in
the history of that place, and pre-
sume no less in the history of this
Court-on which those men by lying
devices. decoyed into a place where
they could get their hands on him
viii not ssy a slave, for do not know
that-bui man, brother, who had a
right to his liberty under the laws Of
God, under the laws Of Nature, and
under the declaration of American
Independence.
In the midst of all this excitement,
the news came to us like q flash of
lightning that an actual seizure under
and by means of fraudulent pretences
had been made!
Being identified with that man by
color, by race, by manhood, by sym
pathies, such as God has implanted in
us, / felt it my duty to go and do what
| could toward liberating him. | had
been taught by my Revolutionary faith
er-and | say this with all due re-
spcct to him--and by his honored
associates, that the fundamental doc
trinc of this government was that all
men have right, to life and liberty,
and coming from the Old Dominion
| brought into Ohio these sentiments.
deeply impressed upon my heart. |
went to Wellington, and hearing from
the parties themselves by what au-
thority the boy was held in custody, l
conceived from what little knowledge ]
had of law, that they had no right to
hold him. And as your Honor has
repeatedly laid down the law i'll this
Court, man is free until he is proven
to bc legally restrained of his liberty,
and | believed that upon that princi-
pie of law those men were bound to
take their prisoner before the very first
magistrate they found, and there es-
tablsh the facts set forth in their war
rant, anl that until they did this every
man should presume that their claim
was unfoundcd, and to institute such
proceedings for the purpose of secu-
ring an investigation as they mi ght
find warranted by the laws of this
State. Now, sir, if that is not the
plain. common sense and correct vi ew
of the law, then | have been misled
both by your Honor, and by the prev
lent received opinion.
1t is said that they had a warrant
, Why then should they not establish
its validity before the proper officers
: And | stand here to-day, sir, to say
D that with an exception of which
| shall soon speak. to procure such {
lawful investigation of the authority
e under which they claimed to act, was
Il the part | took in that days proceed
i ings, and the only part. supposed
: it to be my duty as citizen of Ohio
t excuse me for saying that, sir--a'
o an outlaw OF the United States, to d,
u what ] could to secure at least thi
: form of Justice to my brother who's,
o liberty was in peril. Whatever more
u than that has been sworn to on thi
d trial, as an act of mine, is false, ridicu
t lously false. When | found thes,
men refusing to go, acc cording to tn
: law, as | apprehcnded it, and subicc
t their claim to an official inspection
S and that nothing short Of habea
= corpus would oblige such an inspee
If tion, was willing to so even thus far
IF supposing in that county Sheriff
It might. perhaps, be found with nerv
n enough to serve it. In this | agail
n failed. Nothing then was left to me
nothing to the boy in custody, but tn
,f confirmation of my first belief that til
n pretended authority was worthless, an
y the employment of those means of lib
t Grafton which belong to us. Wit
o regard to the part i took in the forci
J. ble rescue, which followed, | hav
N nothing to say, further than | hav
D already said. The evidence is befor
N you. 1t is alleged that | said "w
IN will have him anyhow" This | ney
D. er said. | did say to Mr.. Lowe, tha
Sc the crowd were very much excited
at many Of them avcrse to longer della
nt and bent upon rescue at all hazards
t. and that he being an old acquaintanc
is and friend of mine. was anxious I
y extricatc him from the dangerous pc
n sition he occupied, and therefore al
ht vised that he urge Jennings to civ
he the boy up. Further than this / di
~ not say. either to him or any on. els
er The law under which am arraigr
el ed is an unjust one, one made to crus
~ ,ia caioral man anj ona ,ba, o,,r.