Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-03

Sherman NJ. Booth who was some months
ago kidnapped by U. 5. Officials and thrust
into the United States Custom House at Mil
waukee and has since been closely kept as a
prisoner in that Bastile of the Fugitive Slave
Act, was rescued on the Ist by party Of ten
armed men, and restored to that freedom to
winch, as citizen of Wisconsin, he was en-
titediby theaction of its Legislature and the
decision of its Supreme Court During his
weary Imprisonment Mr.. B. had suffered
every indignity official insolence could invent
to crafty the malice of his pro-shyery per-
secutors and had even been denied the priv
ileges accorded to felons in the common jail
The presents sent in by friends to make bis
condition comfortable were withheld by his
Z. S. keepers; even newspaper exchanges
were denied him, and on one occasion, his
aged father, who had not seen his son for
over a year, and who came distance of a
hundred miles, was refused the privilege of
seeing the prisoner in the T. 5. Bastilel-
Such was the despotism used TO subdue' an
American citizen in the Free and Sovereign
State of Wisconsin
Mr. Booths connection with the Glover
Rescue Case, his conviction and sentence un-
der the Fugitive Act, and his subsequent dis
charge by the Supreme Court Of Wisconsin,
snd re-arrest by deputy Z. S. MarshalssOme
five months ago, must be familiar to readers.
The Supreme Court of Wisconsin decided
that the act under which he was convicted
was unconstitutional, and discharged Mr. B.
from the sentence of the United States
District Court. That decision stands un-
reversed as the law of the State, for
the Wisconsin Court refused obedience to
the mandate of the Z. s. Supreme Court
requiring it to reverse its decisions land denied
its appellate jurisdiction. Dir. Booth had
also theLegislative action of the Stale in his
favor, declaring slave Judgments void, and
punishing with fine and Imprisonment, all
vino re-cOmmit and re-imprison for thesame
cause, one who has been discharged on a writ
Of Habeas Corpus. As a last resort to en-
force the Fugitive Act penalties, Booth was
kidnapped by stealthy L. S. officials and
thrust into government Bastile
Mr.. Booth had the prospect Of perpetual
imprisonment before him, or discharge on
such unheard of and humiliating terms as no
true American could accept. What those
terms of release were, he thus states in alet-
ter from the Custom House prison, dated June
2sth, 1860:
l. To deny the faith Of Wisconsin, by ac-
knOwledging that the writ Of Habsas Corpus
aud the Right of Trial by Jury may be con-
sitHtiOnally abolished, and that an unconsti-
tutiOnal Act-a nullity-may be a valid law,
strong enough to override the rights and SOW
ereignty of the State, its Courts, its Execu-
tive, It's Legislature, and the liberties Of the
people.
2 TO become a Ayp0eTile. For every one |
knows that ifI should ask pardon for violat-
ing the Fugitive Act and.promise to obey it /
hereafter, would be lying.
And am asked to swear featly to such a 1
law, before can be released-before the ques-
ton Of my release can eyeu be considered |
The petions of leading Democrats in this city, /
asking for my release could not even be |
considered till asked for pardon under oath, /
wrote Attorney General Black in answer to I
the prayer ofthese petitioners.
A. F. Pratt on his way to the Charleston I
Convention, called on the President-as did |
other delegates who felt deep interest in my /
public fnnctionaryn wrote back to the Ne1rs |
speaking by authority, with great apparent |
satisfaction;
f You may sag 70 Ar. Booth that As Prssi-
dent l0iH remit the fine rhen he lriH OVH up /
that h. did 'croRg IL breaking The Ial0s, and |
promise 70 do better hereafter, and not I'LL
then"
And the News, Immediately after its edi-
tors return from Washington declared:--S. |
H. Booth l0iH cOnt1lns 10 suffer the penalties Of
gi0Iated Laps unless he GETS DOWN on HIS KNEES
ASD EEes FOR MERCY. Let hia, do this, and zee
doubt not his prison bars l0ould openg
This is the debasement required Of me as
the condition precedent of my released Nor |
is there any certainty of my release should |
thus hnmiliate myself Does any honorable /
man-any Republican-say ought 10 COM
ply with such requisitiOn If 80, would |
like to know his name. h
m, u ,,--,T,,rfo,, &, rt,a e. - Senate