The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-10-21
CHAPTER III.

!
paratively short experience i'll the Slave
States. could realize the dismal and scanda
| ious nature of the case; but BoaZ Bingley
! from his long residence among q people
whose whole code of morals had come tC
be insensibly nodded on tho peculiar in
stitution," possessed key TO the mystery
which the English surveyor was forced tC
grope for in the dark.
What do you mean by slavc.catchcrs!
cried ], addressing myself as much to the
weeping women as to the hoSpitable Quaker
himself, whose excessive agitation rendered
him different person from the calm Friend
| was used to converse with. What have
slave-catchers to do with the natter" ask
ed |. ELLEN Ncalc an Irish girl was nc
slave, nor of African descent; she was not
, even American born. No perversion of law
however tyrannical, could work such an out
rage as you hint at. Some dark villainy
must
"Ah. friend, thou little know'st the land
we dwell in, land accurSed for the sir
wherewith it is defled," exclaimed the Qua,
ker sadly. "The men of these parts are
not wholly evil; but when any matter that
relates to African bondage is in question
their hearts are hard as the neither mill.
s.one."
"Ay, hard rs Pharaoh's heart" sobbed
Mrs Bingley from her armchair; land they
heed the prayers of the afflicted no more
than the wolf heeds the bleatings of the
sheep he is rending."
But on what pretext." demanded ], "can
a British subject-for such she still is, never
having been naturalized in the United States
be claimed as slave? Such proceeding
is too monstrOus to be legal. No one shall
persuade me that
Friend" cried Miss Ruth, turning her
fearful eyes on me- and speaking in a tone
utterly unlike her usual lively rattle, " be-
fore thou canst know the truth, thou must
remember where thou art sojourner. In
this land the faint of African blood is enough
to deprive the most innocent of the laws
protection. 1t has been sworn before the
tribunals, by lying tongues and men of Ne
lial that our dear Ellen, the young stran-
ger whose face was grown beloved and fa-
milar in our poor dwelling-place, that she
was"--
"What? Not of African blood? Surely
perjury itself would shrink from such q
falsehood," interrupted |, and | felt my
brow knit and my blood rush to my head
like fire.
"Not only of colored race; not only of
the unhappy people-hear me, fricnd-not
only that, but an escaped slave /"
A bitter execration which broke from nv
lips was rebuked. even then, by the sturdy
Quaker, who lifted his hand, and said
sternly: " Blaspheme not. neither do thou
curse them, for behold, they shall be
judged"
when was this ?" asked Of the mistress
of the house.
Scarcely an hour ago." answered Mrs,
Bingley.
Who were the persons engaged in it?
Were they townsmen or strangers ?"
To this query it was Ruth who replied:
" Friend, the only citizen Of this pace-ex.
cept the officers of justice, so called-who
intruded himself into our dwelling to-day
was the scribe named Williams"
"Cressett Williams, the lawyer of Joel
Mathcwson, that hoary sinner" cried / !;
then it is evident from whose hidden hand
this foul blow has been dealt. But speak
pray forgive my rudeness-but what was
done and saidt" continued /, beating an
angry tattoo on the wall with my hOrsewhip.
Then the good folks told me, with many
exelaraations and quotations from Scripture,
that the intruders had been headed by Cres-
sett Williams, attorney-at-law, who pro-
duced warrants regularly signed by the au-
thorltes OF the State, and who was backed
by several policemen, III addition TO couple
OF professional "negro-catchers;" or kid
nappers Of runaway slaves, The lawyer
never mentioned Mr.. Mathewrnn's name,
bu! n-o.essed 20 act for q client there pres