St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-04-05
A Methodist Clergyman Impris-
oned for Speaking against 6la-
very. ~.

We have to-day to add another to the
already long catalogue of outrages on the
liberty Of speech, committed in behalf Of
slavery. ,- ~
Rev. MIR, Howe, Methodist clergyman
In Harrison county Missouri, was challeng-
ed br Kentuckian ncighbor to debate
the slavery question. He accepted the
challenge in good faith, and the debate
took place. with no unusual circumstances,
about six miles from Bethany, the county
seat. Immediately afterwards Mr.. Howe
was arrested. A man owning s. 900 worth
Of slaves had made affidavit that he was an
"abolitionist," and demanded his incarcer-
alton in the pcnitentiary. A prosecution
SO evidently malicious and absurd, did not
alarm MIR. Howe until after his return to
town, when he found that all the lawyers,
with one exception, had combined to re-
fuse to defend him. Out OF this combina-
ton were selected W. G.. Lewis, Circuit
Attorney, and J. W. Wyatt to conduct
the prosecution. The ono exception was
0. l.. Abbott, Esq native of this State
and a graduate Of the Albany Law School
He undertook Mr.. Howe's defensa bnt was
allowed no time for preparation. Notwith-
standing he offered in behalf Of the pris.
oner, any amount Of bail, and asked that
the examination might be postponed; he
was compelled to 20 on Immediately, with
out having had an hours time to ascertain
the nature Of the case, to obtain evidence,
and that too in regard to an offence hither-
to unknown in the records Of crime!
During the examination the court sus-
tanned every objection made by the prose-
cutting attorneys to questions which were
all Important to the interests of the defence.
The defendant was required to produce all
the testimony in his behalf in court at
midnight. At one o'clock however, the
judge, for his own convenience, having
other business coming on in the morning,
consented 70 postpone it for two days. In
the meantime all the influences that could
be eSe::cl to cnlba,:ass t. 6 defence were
resorted to.
When the trial was resumed, the town
was filed with people from all parts Of the
country. The large court room was dense
ly crowded. The evidence closed late in
the afternoon. Mr. Abbott summed up
MS case, assisted, since TO lawyer would
assist him, b. Rev. John S. Allen, who
though shareholder himself, was not will
Ing to see his town disgraced by such tyr
s"ny against free speech. Judge Lewis
followed in fanaticaI, pro-slavery TRADE
against the prisoner, his counsel, "incendi.
aries and "abolitionists' in general, and
the case was submitted for decision.
That decision will be looked for with
interest, even at this distance from the
scene. The crime with which Mr. Howe
is charged is defined as "uttering words,
the tendency Of which is to excite any
slave to incidence and insubordination,
Missouri H. S., vol. l, page $50, although
it was shown on evidence that there was
not negro bond or free, within two miles
Of the place Of debate! The penalty for
this offence is five years. imprisonment at
bard labor in the penitentiary.
During and since the trial, threats have
been freely made ct "tar and feathers"
against the prisoners counsel, and various
attempts made to intimidate and drive him
from the placc.-Albunv .JournoZ,