Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-11-19
Sclerted Sflistellanu.
Col z. D. Bakers Contest with a eIave
Catcher

Gates the following to the y. y. Erea nq
Post:
Nor was it only as politician that Col.
Baker cvinced his devotion 10 free lom
and his sympathy for the oppressed
About four years since a great excitement
was produced in San Francisco bv the
rescue from the custody Of his master Of
4 slave named Archy Lee. The case had
previously been before the Supreme Court
at Sacramento and in a self-stultifving
decision the Chief Justice had given the
custody Of the slave to his master, bv
whose act, in bringing him into the State
the slave unquestionably became free
This consequence was admitted in the
judges published opinion, which, after
several dozen pages o. ffoolscap proving that
the master had no right to Archy concluded
by saying that, notwithstanding all the
preceding dictt the judgment of the court
was that the slave should be given into
the custody of his master, because the
master was young man and trareling fer
his heult4
With the view of taking Archv east.
his master then brought him to San Fran
cisco. where he was rescued bv a mob Of
negroes and subsequently re-arrcsted and
brought before a United States Commis-
sloner, under an issue growing out Of the
Fugitive Slave law George Penn. John
ston (who subsequently, killed State Scna-
tor Ferguson in duel) was the Commis-
sioner-a man of strong southern svmDa-
thies but who conducted this inyestiea-
ton with candor and impartiality for
which, considering the social pressure
brought to bear on him, he deserves great
credit Baker and Tompzins were en-
,ta@ed Is counsel in behalf of Archv J
\. Hardy (who has since distinguished
himself by presiding over the farce Of
trying Terry for the murder of Brodcrick)
was engaged by the claimant Of Archv-
The extraordinary position was taken hv
the claimants IN the outset that bv the
terms of the Fugitive Slave law, Archv
had no right to be heard by counsel in
his own defence-that the Commissioner
must make his decision on an er pa1te
statement Those who have heard Baker
speak can readily conceive the hot shot
with which this position was assaulted as
wei as the irony and raillery with which
the supreme judges inconsequent opinion
was favored
During the trial Tompkins allowed him
self TO become excited. and on his reDeat-
ing ironically one Of Hardys expressions.
the latter burst forth with You lie. -
TompIins responded in kind, when both
rose from their seats and rushed toward
each other, Hardy stretching lis hand
behind him and exposing revolver under
his coat tail For Il moment all was con
fusion, and the Commissioner in vain 70
clteratcd for order Several southern
ers were seated near Hardy. and from
I'G'r q, movements a conflict was imminent
Baker rose with more co ylness than is ac-
c9f4aH5 Witl ilis temperament, and laying
ms hand on IompElns shoulder, restrained
nun from adXancInS on Hardy. Look
out Colonel shouted bFstandar, the
IN william has got a revolver slung to
ms BACK. baker advanced one stride
forward JacA thfoWin9 back ms coat and
erecting ms head he cried, 90 Let him
shoot desire no better death. y more
noble >I@ht one might not witness IN a life
time. Iaere stood the noble advocate, his
thIn cray haIr IalLmg IN dIsaTrn@ed locks
over his placid brow, beneath which, in
strange contrast with its serenity, fairly
tl2zed his expressive eyes. The bully
paused as Wei he might: for never had
he met foe the peer OF him who now con
ironted Aim- No mere brute courage was
that winch no" dared hlm to his utmost
II was the lnJrepidity OF an intellect that
had measured yet seorned the danger !
q moral courage that c-d not ignore the
flsh' bu5 hcFFed tac man To brave It, II
1t would be no small brlbe that would
tempt the writer to blot that scene from
ms memory.
Inc scene IN the court house ended
bloodlesSIv. But for weeks aftcrward Gas
the investigation resulted in the release of
Archy) the community Of San Francisco
were at intervals excited by rumors Of
personal violence DESIGNED toward Ba-