Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-02
weadeII PbiIIlps' Arlaek on secretary
Chase--Eh9 Margaret Garner Shae.
From the Cincinnati Commercially
EOIroRs CoMMEacIAL:-In your par

EDIfo rs -GOMKEECIAL:-In your paper
Of yesterday, I see an extract from speech
BY Wendell Phillips, In Boston, in which,
speaking Of Secretary Chase, he says
ssThe Governor who sacrificed Margaret
Garner, has no heart" And q communi-
cation in the LiberstOr (Garrison's paper,
attacking Secretary Chase. after speaking
in 9 sneering manner Of his devotion to
freedom; says: "Perhsps il may be 80; but
will some person have the kindness to
answer this question, viz: What was Mr..
Cksse's connection with the moUrnful fate
Of Margaret Garner2"
1 propose to answer this question, not
for any partisan purpose, but that Justice
ney be done to Mr.. Chase. am fully
conversant with the whole case Of Margar-
ct Garner, having been, at that time, Pros
ecuting Attorney Of Hamilton County,
0aio, and the case being under my control
and management And so far from il be-
ing the truth that Mr.. Chase sacrificed
Margaret Garner" or exhibited the fact
therein that she had no heart" 1 unhesi-
tatingly say that no man could have
eVinoed more lively interest in her be-
half The case was one Of peculiar char
seter, and the entire community sympa-
thized deeply in it.
The facts are briefly these: On the 25th
Of January, 1856 oOlored woman, Mar
garet Garner heF four children, two other
eolored women, and two colored men,
claimed to be slaves Of Moses Gaines, of
Boone County, Kentucky, crossed the Ohio
River, on the ice, below Cincinnati, into
this county. The master pursued, in few
hours after, and procured g warrant for
their arrest, from United States Commits
sioner. The Msrshsl with posse, at
tempted TO arrest them, when Margaret
seized her children and attempted to kill
them sl, se she said, 60 prevent them
from being taken into slavery. 0ne she
killed, by cutting her throat from ear to
4 ,aar; two others were severely cut across
the throat sad the skull Of another badly
injured, BY blows from fire shovel. She
and the other negroes we're arrested by the
Marshal, and placed for safety in the Jail
Of this county. The Grand Jury being in
session q few days after, on the Ssh Of
February, brought in an indictment
against her, for murder, in the Court Of
Common Pleas, of this county. The Mar
shal claimed the custody Of her, by virtue
efhis warrant, under the Fugitive Slave
Law, snd the Sheriff claimed her also, un-
der espias issued BY me on the indiot-
ment.
The question Of the ownership Of the
negroes was tried before the Commission
er, for some ten OF more days, the parties
being brought ont from day to day, by the
MHrshArs deputy and the SherifFs depu-
ties, each refusing to yUld separate con-
trol TO the other. The Commissioner final
ly decided to remand them to their own
ers. ] Immediately made motion in
Court that the sheriff make sis return ND
OF the esPias. BE returned that he found
The parties in jail, placed there BY the
Marshal, and did not feel authorized to
take them from his custody. This was
done accordingly. Seeing conflict thus
likely 60 ensue, between the State and the
National authorities, and feeling that the
claim Of the State to punish for crime
was superior to the claim Of the master
over his property, determined and 80
Instructed the Sheriff to keep possession Of