M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-06-07
Governor DennisOn and State
COmity-an Extreme Case.

The following from the Memphis
Appeal 0! Sunday last, May 27, is a
case made up, needing no argument
to show what kind of an Executive is
now scandalizing the people of Ohio.
The facts are as stated; Kennedy hay
ing figured for several days past in
the Cleveland Courts, in the various
characters Of fugitive, adulterer and
thieR deserving the highest penalty of
the law in each, and finally escaping
just punishment in the Penitentiary
by tie fanatical interposition of Gov
ernor DenniSon. We'quote from the
Appeal:
Mr.. Jas. II. Swan, United States
Deputy Marshal for West Tennessee,
has just returned from Columbus, o.,
whittier he went for the purpose Of ex-
ecuting upon the Governor Of Ohio a
requsition from the Governor Of Ten
nessee, for the arrest and delivery to
him Of the person of one Stephen G,
Kennedy, charged with stealing five
negroes from his wife, in this city, du-
ring the past spring. The negroes
(as chargod) were the separate prop.
erty OF Mrs. Kennedy, and we're sto-
len from her by her husband, who
eloped in company with an abandon
ed woman, taking with him these ne
groes, his wite's jewelry and their lit,
tie child. Kennedy took the negroes
to Virgihia and sold them, whence he
went to Ohio in company with bis
Iparamour. A requisition was issued
by Gov. Harris, at the instance of
Mrs. Kennedy, for the arrest and de-
livery Of Kennedy to the Marshal, for
q high crime against the laws OF Ten
nessee.
Mr.. Swan proceeded 10 Columbus,
and delivered to Gov. Dennisun the
requisition Of Gov Harris. Gov.
Dennison asked time to deliberate be.
fore giving his answer, and in halfan
hour returned to the hotel and advised
Mr.. Swan that property in slaves was
Lot recognized by the laws of Ohio,
and therefore 1t was no crime, by said
laws to steal them. Mr.. Swan then
proceeded in company with Mrs. Ken.
nedy, to Cleveland, where Kennedy
and his paramour were stopping, and
arraigned Kennedy for stealing his
wife's jewe!ry. Kennedy was tried
by q magistrate, and held to bail,
which lie readily gave by depositing
intho hands of the lawyers the same
money which he had received for the
etOlen slaves. We are glad to learn
that Mrs. Kennedy succeeded in get
ting possession of her child, which
she seized at the domicil of Kenneny.
Kennedy, unquestionably, is a gen.
uino rascal. He married a widow for
her property; he made an alliance
; with an infamous woman and eloped,
taking with him in his fight the chat.
tells of his wife; not to give liberty to
slaves, but to get money for base uses,
at the same time ahducting little
child, not his own, but the daughter
of tue woman en- whom he had so vii,
laiuously imposed. lie took the
slaves from kind mistress with WHOM
they had always lived, and sold them
to strangers for money, and came to
Ohio to enjoy it with his prostitute.
Lie was followed, caught, prosecuted
and released, the Republican Cover
nor OF Ohio refusing to perform that
simple and proper act, comply with
the requisition, which would have
sent home, for proper punishment, a
bold rascal, who deserves the utmost
limits Of the law.
The excuse of Governor Dennison
is that. as property in slaves was not
recognized by the laws ofOhio, it was,
therefore, no crime by said laws to
steal them. This is q most pitiful and
contemplate evasion of a plain pro,
vision Of the United States Constitu-
ton. 1t is a "dol lge' uaworthy
white man; and, while it may COM
mend Governor Dennison to the Alb.
clifton fanatics of the State, must earn
for him the condemnation of all citi-
zens who value the UDio ofthe States
and respect the Constitution Of their
country. Suppose a slave III Ken
lucky were to murder his master or
his mistress and escape to Ohio, and
a requisition were made by the Gov.
ernor of that State on the Governor of
Ohio, who should refuse for the rea-
sen that as slavery was inhuman to
the laws OF Ohio, and as each slave
might use force even to death to Sc
cure his liberty, he had committed no
crime known as such in Ohio, what
would be thought of such a GoYernorl
This case does not afford to the Gov.
ernor the excuse that Kennedy simply
aided the slaves to escape from servti-
tude and to obtain freedom. He stole
them and sold them and pocketed t 10
proceeds. 1t shows, however, what
may be expected of an Abolition Be-
publican Governor and of an Ab;li.
ton Republican President. y