Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-06-12
IS THIS a CIVILIZED COUNTRY,

4 transaction occurred in Newport
kentucky, on the 4th inst, which, for
COO, diabolical atrocity, cannot be par.
alleled in any country not under the con-
troll Of modern Democracy,
About six months ago, James Wag-
goner, free colored NAH was seized by
two kidnappers in Cincinnati, and carried
to Newport and lodged in Jail as a fugi-
tive slave. The fact that Waggoner was
q free man, born in Ohio, was notorious,
and his kiduappers were arrested and
imprisoned for the crime But it seems
the authorities of Kentucky brought the
villains out for trial under such circum-
stances that the persons who had inter.
ested themselves in procuring their ar.
rost did not know it, or for some cause
did not attend, and the kidnappers were
discharged. But Waggoncr was still in
Jail and the authorities refused to release
him without a large sum of money which
they claimed as '.jail fees" There is q
law in that Democratic State which au.
thorizes the seizure and Imprisonment OF
men and women on Suspicion Of being
slaves. Ifany person will come forward
and claim them, for good round sum
ofmoney they eantakc them away But
if no one can be found to claim the cap.
tive, then he or she is sold as slave, tc
pay the fees of the chivalry for their false
imprisonment.
In this case, no one came forward to
claim tho man known to be free, and the
high minded Democratic officers of Ker
tucky must have their money. So Wag.
goner must be sold as slave foy life, tc
pay his kidnappers for their trouble
The Cincinnati Gazette, few days ago
had an appeal in behalf of Waggoner, in
which it says:
at will require two or three hundred
dollars to get him out of the net that the
avaricious officials of Kentucky have
thrown around him. 1t is hardly posi-
bic that the citizens Of Kentucky will
couutenanee this impending outrage, but
however this may be, the friends of hu,
s,anity should see that Waggoner does
not loose his freedom, if two or three
hundred dollars will save him from the
auction block"
But it seems the Gazette was mistaken
in its estimate of the citizens of Ken,
tucky. Two or three hundred dollars ex
torted from poor negro, or his friend:
would be nice little sum, to be sure, IL
the pockets of these good Democrats
but serea hundred dollars, and the salts
taction of reducing q free man to slaUery
-mas, in-iheir opinion, a better thing
And SO Waggoner was sold as a slave
for life, for $500 to pay his kidnappers
the. two or three hundred, and the bal
anee will go into the State treasury.
he Gazette, of the 5th inst, gives the
proceeding. Waggoner was brough
before the Mayor on writ of habeas cor
pas, and his discharge demanded by hi
attorney. But the very honorable Mayo,
refused to discharge him, and ordered
him back to jail We give the conclu
sion in the Gazette's language.
Hardly had he reached it, when h
was hastened into a buggy and driver
off to Alexandria to the auction block
An injunction, however, which had beer
sued out, was Immediately dispatched
but the party having the negro in charge
were few minutes ahead As the party
neared Alexandria, Col. Smalley, with
one of his fastest horses, drove up, passet
the pursuers and reached the Sheriff
party, informed them of the injunction
On the way, took the negro into his
buggy and reached Alexandria first
No one in that place either saw or heart
of the sale, and when the injunction
party reached it they heard that th'
negro was purchased by DIR. j. Q. A
Foster, Of Newport, for s7G0 on his not
endorsed by man named Nelson, wh'
is pecuniarly irresponsible; but the negr,
had been spirited away, nor could he be
found or heard Of after the strictest searcl
and inquiry"
The Gazette, in an editorial article
speaks of the outrage in the following
just and indignant terms:
"James Waggoner has been sold int
slavery, with what attendant circumstan
ces Of disregard to law, unfairness, ant
cheating generally, full account in ou
local columns will show If any of ou
readers can read that account and be un
moved to anger and detestation, h
possesses temperament which nothing
could excite Here is a free man, a NAL
born of Parents legally freed and resid
ing as free in Ohio, Kidnapped, kept il
jail six months, and finally sold for jai
fees, while his kidnappers were allowe
to escape. Of the disgraceful alacrit
to enslave a human being which certain
individuals in Newport have manifested
we cannot trust ourselves to speak.
Not only has a grieviousand irrepara
bic wrong been done to Waggoner, bu
the honor Of the greatstate of Kentucky y
in whose name the wrong was committed
has been sullied, and the dignity of tn
State of Ohio insulted For an Ohioa
has been made slave by tricks whicl
would disgrace "shyster'' before tha
lowest of human tribunals, the Toomb
Police Court in New York
We trust our readers VIII ose blood Wi
be stirred by the recital Of this wrong
will not forget that the Dem ocratic part
is the champion and defender of tina
system of which this whole business is bu