The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-07-14
The Oberlin Prisoners
Set Free!
The Government Officials Make Every
Sacrifice TO Save the Slave Catch.
ers from the Penitentiary.

On the morning of the 9th inst, the oberin
prisoners were let out OF prison on "nolle.'--
The u s. District Attorney agreed to dismiss
the suits against some twenty Oberin citizens II
the Prosecuting Attorney of Lorain county
would enter nollies in the cases Of Jennings.
Mitchell, Lowe, and Davis, indicted for negro
stealing, or kidnapping The Lorain people
never wished TO fight their battles in Court
House, but only asked for au "open field aud a
fair fight" hence the proposition was accepted.
The Cleveland Leader thus ulludes to this sub
ject:
The attempt to enforce the Fugitive Slave
Act on the Western Reserve BY Government
officials for political effect, has resulted in
most disastrous defeat OF the projectors aud of
the whole scheme.
Never were q set of men worse used than
have been Jennings Bacon, and Mitchell, the
Kentucky slave owner and slave catchers who
tried to seize negro in Oberlin by the Govern
ment officials who sought to make good thing
out of it for themselves and for Democracy.
The prosecutions were commenced without the
knowledge or consent OF those who claimed to
have even a running interest in John and
they have been obliged TO leave their homes re-
peatedy at the call of these officials for the pur-
pose OF working the conviction Of the objects OF
their political hatred and unrelenting persecu.
tion.
We deem it unnecessary to refer now TO the
charges and rulings OF the Jeffreys Court the
packing Of Juries in the trials to secure verdic,s
contrary to well known Law-that has become
a matter of history to be read hereafter with
shame-but we desire TO speak of The manly
and consistent course pursued by the prisoners
: I.oo of ,ha.a Nko IN rnph hap
and their cause, and tho complete triumph they
have achieved.
After the Supreme Court at Columbus had re-
manded Bushnell and Langston to Jail. the boast
ing of Marshal Johnson and Judge Bslden was
very loud aud insolent-they declaring that noio
no quarters should be given to the Oberlin men,
that they should every one of them be tried, and
they should all be convicted and that they
should be taught TO obey the laws, &c, &C.,
which was continued until the return OF their
Kentucky associates for their approaching trials
in Lorain county.
Those chivalrous gentlemen never liked the
appearance of things at Elyria, and it was diff
cult for the Government officials to coax them
into the custody of Sheriff Burr at the time they
surrendered themselves. They seemed to lack
confidence in the protection which had been
promised them, and when they came up here len
days ago, there was evidently no better show fol
them than BEFORE notwithstanding all the bra.
vado uttered for them.
Meantime the prisoners had settled quietly ir
their quarters ready TO spend year If need be
in Jail, rather than to give bail or do any ac'
which they considered a recognition of the valid
ity of the Fugitive Slave Act. They had gone
to work advocating the doctrines in which they
believed, BY the publication Of the Rcscuer, q
paper Of their own getting up. The power OF I
Fress Press from prison is potent.
The people too, were being aroused as they
seldom are on any subject aud were contributing
cheerluly for the support Of the Prisoners--ir
fact. the war had but just begun. Moreover
all attempts at avoiding the trials OF the kid
nappers at Elyra, before an honest jury OF LoraiI
county had utterly failed, and Columbus biz
more fair TO be the place where Anderson Jen
nings would spend next winter than did Frank
fort, Ky.
Next what do we see? Why these same val
orous Government officials who had been t
Washington for otders, and had pledged them
selves to carry them out. are seen the day befor
the Court opens at Elyria, making the PROPOSE
ton to the Loran authorities to "c.y quits !!
Ito take back oil of their threats and ente
nolies against some twenty Lorain citzsns,
by that means they could get their Kentuck
friends out of the scrape, and themselves too
This proposition the Lorain officials magnani
mously agreed to, not wishing to pursue the de
uded Kentuckians--g guilty though they undoub
eddy were-so long as the prime movers in thes
outrages were willing to cease their prosecution
of good men for such an offence as helping
hunted man to get his liberty
So the nollles are entered accordingly, an
the Rescuers Of Oberlin go home in triumph, S
far as they are personally concerned. The
! have made no concessions, esked no Gnvernmer
tavors only the rights of free men. But til
: Infamous law remains upon the statute book
|! disgrace 20 the age in which we live.
To convince our readers that tho locofoco
consider the result OF this case complete tr
umph for the friends Of Freedom, we copy tn
following article from the Cleveland PIai
Dealer. the leading Locofoco, Douglas papC
on the Western Reserve:
Obcrlin Cases NOlIicd-Highcr Law
triumphant.
We learn with astonshmenJ that the Unite
, States District Attorney has nollied the indie
meuts against the Oberlin Rescuers now in ia
on condition that the Oberlinites will nolle ii
indictments against the Kentucky witnesses WI
were under arrest on trumped up charge
kidnapping. This arrangement we understan
, has been made at the solicitation of the fou
Kentucky gentlemen, who, while under recogn
zance of the United States Court to appear ne
and testify in these Rescue cases, were indictt
2 by an Obern Lorain Jury, and arrested while
. the discharge of their duties on false charge
! kidnapping They were thrust into the Lora
v county Jail, but were subsequently released {
bail. A special term Of the Lorain Coun
Court was TO be held on the 9th inst, TO II
: them, and Lorain county Jury was all in rea
! mess to send them TO purgatory or tie Penite
If tiary without any regard to Constitution
\. Courts, or the laws of the land
h An effort was made to get them out of Il
Il hands of the OberIinies by a writ of hs be
ir corpus issued by Judge Mclean, but ,he sher
" Of Lorain hid himself for several days and Il
{. Probate Ju &c ran away, 10 prevent the b.
|. from surrrndering the prisoners up, so that I
$ writ could take effect and in this way nulli
ir the Law and set at defiance that Great WI