The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-03-23
Gen. Meredith and the Fugitive Slaves

The Julian organs OF this country IN their extreme
eaerness 70 discover souaehing calculated niere
Gen Asdish IN public estimation. have bit upon the
fact that he was some fifteen wears ago the L =
Marshall for tais State and presuminr upoa the
forgetulness o the pusie, as % events which trans
psred 50 long aso, tley have with most reckless and
criminal disregard TO TRUTH charged him with having
rEAias Marshal, osea engaged IN returning fugitive
slaves to their Masters. These wouldhe opponents Of
public sentiment have ReTer taken the trouble asoer-
saia whether or not there fact. justify the charge
Sufficient fer them is it. If they can, bv making il
succeed N a.scting injury upon the object Of their
uai,ce-
Now it turns cut, the public records VIII show.
that there was but fugitive slave case with which
Gen Nsreiith had thing DO, during his entire
term of o5ce- We from late number Of the
IrG statement Of the facts Of that case, they
can be abundantly substantiated 70 which we invite
the careful attention of every candid reader:
IN 1851 Mr.. Tramnlen. Of Arkansas. cam, 70 New
Albany and arrested nlsIlatto wOmenene of them
quite Ggei-and small chili. claiming them as his
slaves. The came before Judge Huntingdon. AZ
indianapolis, and after legal investigation It appeared
that iram1ei was the legal owner Of the slaves, and
entitled under the Fugitive Slave Act: then Just passed.
% carry them back 10 his ho;ne IN Arkansas TEey
were confined in the Jail New Albany, and there
had arisen doubts 10 their belonging TramGsea,
much excitement caused when he prepared 10 take
them into his possession, end remove them South.
This excitement carried = such that
lralIlel became SATISFIED thai he attempt tle5r
removal FRI the i4il they would ta forCblv liberated
by the citizens Of New Albany, and he made affidavit
that stats OF facts before Judge Huntington, who i'm
Ineately issued writ of stIuton, commanding that
they be taken possession of by the Marshal Of the STATE
ami delivered 10 their owner, IN Louisville by This
writ placed into the hands OF Gen. Meredith, and
the Judge recommended that strong guard should b
provided to suppress any attempt the Of the
slaves. Gen. Meredith proceeded however, without
any assistance except small boy "a perform tie an
pleasant duty assigned him. Arriving At New Albany,
the street adjoining the prison filed with large
collection of persons. evidently determined that the
slaves should not be removed Gen Meredith present
eli himself before the crowd informed them of his bust
and said. that although tine duty imposed him
exceedingly unpleasant one Vet in view Of the
circumstances that surrounded him, he was necessri-
" compelled to obey the writ in his hands. He then
entered the prison, conversed with the futye, heard
the story OF the hardships that they had undergone,
and their desire escape the doom that awaited them
ii restored u the man who had pursued, overaken,
and now hal them in his power The recital aroused
in the General the sentiments of humanity that wei
up from every noble heart aul his instantly
determined upon From the prison he went to the
of tie slaves and asked him the value he placed
upon them and learned that the three could be bought
for six hundred and fifty dollars. TrammeU insisted
that they should Immediately, III accordance with the
terms OF the writ OF restitution be removed to LouS-
Vile, and there placed IN prison for safe keeping Gen
era Meredith told him that he would remove them,
in obedience his orders. but that they should not be
placed in prison. He tlen unlocked the doors ani
took them to the paroT Of the Gait House, Louisville,
sent out for few of his acquaintances in city.
Guiding among others Gov. Poindc .ter OF Miss. AMI
Randall Crawford, Lieut.. Gov. Willard, John :.
Davis and Gen. Burnett Of New Albany and having
explained them the circumstances Of the case, be
headed subscription paper WIKI Hyty doitrTs his
contribution, and in few minutes the whole sum
demanded fer them made up, and the slaves were
purchased taken back TO New Albany, set at liberty
and informed they are still living IN that city
For the truth of the above statement, we are author
lied refer Geo. ID. Prentice Editor of the Louis
VILE Journal and Judge Randall Crawford, AMI
John s Davis Esq. Of New Albany; who, with many
Others were fully conversant with the fact