The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-03-23
A Methodist Clergyman Imprisoned for
Speaking Against Slavery Combina
tion of Lawyers against Him.

speaking Against SlaVery-COmDlna
tion of Lawyers against Him.
We have to-day to add another 10 the
already long catalogue of outrages on the
liberty Of speech, committed in behalf OF
Slavery.
Rev. Mr.. Howe, a Methodist clergy
man in Harrison county, Missouri, was
challenged by kentuckian neighbor 10
debate the Slavery question. He accept
ed the challenge in good faith, and the
debate took place, with no unusual cir.
cumstances, about six miles from Bethany,
the County seat. Immediately after
wards Mr.. Howe was arrested. A man
owning $4,000 worth of slaves had made
affidavit that he was an "Aboitionsl, /"
and demanded his incarceration in the
Penitentary. A prosecution so evidently
malicious and absurd, did not alarm Mr.
Howe until his return TO town, when he
found that all the lawyers, with one ex.
cepton, had combined TO refuse 10 defend
him. Out Of this combination were seeo
ted w. G. Lewis. Circuit Attorney, and
J. w. Wyatt 10 conduct the prosecution
The one exception was o. l.. Abbott,
Esq, native of this State, and grad
uate of lhe Albany Law School. lie un-
dertook Mr.. Howe's defence, but was al
lowed no time for preparation. Notwilh.
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 60 on Immediately
without having had an hours time to as
certain the nature OF the case or obtail
evidence, and that too in regard 10 an Of
fence hitherto unknown 10 the record o
crimel
During the examination, the Court sus
tanned every objection made by the Pros
ecuting Attorneys 10 questions which were
all important TO the interests of the de
fence. The defence was required 10 pro.
duce all the testimony in his behalf in
Court at midnight! Az l o'clock, how
ever, the Judge. for his own convenience
having other business coming on in The
morning consented to postponement fol
two days. In the meantime. all the in
Hueuce that could be eXerted to embar
Tass the defence was resorted 10. Wher
the trial was resumed, the town was fillet
with people from all parts Of the county
The large Court Room was densely crow
ded. The evidence closed late in tie aI
sernoon. Mr.. Abbott summed up his case
assisted, since no lawyer could assist hin
by Rev. John S. Allen, who, though
STAKEHOLDER himself was not willing TO sc
his town disgraced by such tyrann
agains! Free Speech. Judge Lewis 70
l., ~, fonnI,col Dr,- -pI, tirn 4
ngainst the prisoner, his counsel, "incer
diaries" and "aboIitionsts" in genera
and the case was submitted for deciso
That decision will be looked for wit
interest, even al this distance from Il
scene. The crime with which Mr.. How
il charged is defined as "ultering word
the tendency of which is to excite al
slave TO insolence and insubordnation
Missouri r, S., vol |, page 536 allhoul
il was shown on evidence that there W
not a negro, bond or free, within ty
miles of the place Of debate! The pc
atty for this offence is i've years impr
onment at hard labor in the Pe-ilenIiar
During and since the trial, threats ha
been freely made OF "tar and feathers
against the prisoners counsel and vario
attempts made TO intimidate and dri
him from the place. The generous and u
flinching manhood with which he stepp
forth TO aid The persecuted Clergyma
in spite OF The hostility Of a parlizan B
and Bench is thing that his friends a
old instructors here may well be proud
A conspiracy between Lawyers, Judg
and Prosecutors against one poor C'erg
man 10 send him TO the Penitentary
words spoken in debate, is no. the HI
'of Law he was brought up under in N
York and instructed in at the Albany Il
6ehooll-Al6Gny Journal.