Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-13

|
The Colonel went back to the Judge
| Have you found him -
have found a little yellow boy, who says
that he belongs to a man in Lexington. Come
AID see him.'
This man claims you as his property, Joe ;
ne says Il at you ran away and left him, said
the Colonel.
! Yes sab, belongs to him." said Joe, who
told his story again in plain, straigh forward
manner, showing mack Scared and cut by the
whip.
You can talk with Joe, sir, If you wish" q"
said the Colonel.
- Have not L always treated you well P ' the
Judge asked.
No, m4ssa, you has n't," was the square,
! plump reply.
MT stand it any longer, you said, Go back, you
| dog -"
- Did not tell you that would take you
away?"
Yes, massa, but you never did it."
The soldiers me round and listened. Joe
saw that they were friends. The Judge stood
speechless moment.
:. Jce," said the Colonel, d" are you willing
to 90 home with your master -
No, sab, is Mt"
Judge Robertson, | don't think you can
get that boy If you think you can, there he
| is, try it. shall have nothing to do with it,
said the Colonel, casting significant glance
around to the soldiers VINO had gathered about
them.
| The Judge saw that be could not lay hands
upon Joe. III whether there is any viz
tue in the laws of Kentucky" he said with
great emphasis.
Perhaps, Judge, it viii be as well for you
to leave the camp Some OF my men 3 lit
tie exclt4ble on the subject of slavery
| ou are a set of nIgger-s callers" said the
/ Jud.e, losing ms temper.
Allow me to say, Judge, that it does not
| become you TO call US nlgger-stsalers. You talk
about nlgger-steahng-you VINO live the
sweat aud blood OF such creatures as Joe. Your
! dwellings,, your churches, built from the
I earnings of slaves, beaten out of hem by bru-
tai overseers. You hire little children out to
brutes you ciothe them In rags-you hunt
| them with hounds-yOu chain them down TO
toll and suffering. VOC call US thieves because
We have given your Joe food and protection.
Sir, would rather b- IN The place oil Joe than
IN hat Of bis oppressor,' was the ind xnant
outburst of the Colonel.
- eli, sir, If that is the way you men Of
the North feel. the Union never can be saved
never. You must give up our property"
Judge, allow me TO tell you what sort Of
UnIonlsm have found in Kentucky. | have
not seen halt-d zen who did not damn the
President You may put ali the pure UnIonism
10 hen'ucky IN one scale, and ten-poung mig
ger baby 10 the other, aud the Unlonlsm Will
kick the beam Allow me to say, further, that
If the perpetuity restoration of the Union
depends upon my delivering TO you with my
own b nds that little haif-starved dwarf of d
slave, the Union may be cast into hell with all
the nsti1n S that forget God
The Presidents Proc .amation is unconstitu-
| tiOral II has 10 bearing kentucky. | see
that It Is your intention 10 set at naught the
laws, said The Judge, t1rning away, and walk
ing to Gen. Gilmore, headquarters.
You wanted at the Generals head
quarters" said - aid, soon after, to Colonel Ut
ley.
The Colonel obeyed the summons and found
here not only Jndge Robertson, but several
tae old kentucky gentle men also Col. Coburn,
the commander of the brigade, who agreed
with Gen. Gilmore in the policy then current.
| Col Coburn said
The policy OF the commanding general, as
| understand 1t, is simply this tat persons
who have lost slaves have right TO hunt for
Il em anywhere IN the State. II slave gets in
side OF the lines OF regiment, the owner has a
right to enter those lines, just as il no regiment
was there,ahd take away the fugitive At his own
pleasure.
Precisely so. The Proclamation has no.
!
| 8 l regret that | am under the necessity o
differing in opinion from my commanding offi-
GERS, TO whom am ready al all times to render
strict military obedience. but he Colonel raised
MS voice Il reUerse the kentucky policy. | hold
| that the regiment STANDS precisely as though
| there we're no slavery in Kentucky. We came
here as tree men, from free ) ale, at the cali
of the President TO uphold free govern me nj.
| We have nothing 10 do with slavery. The
| nc
| honor 10 command it, will never be reglms nj
of nigger-catchers. | will not allow civilians to
enter my lines at pleasure it is unmitary.
Were to permit it, should be justly amena-
| bic to court martial. Were | - do ii, spies
might enter my lines at all times and depart at
| pleasure"
There was silence. But Judge Robertson
was 10th to 60 away without his flesh and blood.
He made one more effort.
Colonel did not come to your lines a
spy, but with an order from your General.
Are you willing that should go and get my
boy ?"
r The Colonel reflected a moment.
Yes, sir, and will remain her. | told you
before that should have nothing to do with
it,"
do you think the men will permit me to
take him ? -
have no orders to issue to them in the
matter; they will do just as they please
w Ill you send the boy into some other
regiment y
This was too much for the Colonel. He could
no longer restrain his indignation. Looking
the Judge squarely in the face he vented his
anger in scathng words
The Judge departed, and at the next session
of the Court, Colonel Utiey was indicted for
man stealing but be has not yet been brought
to trial. The case is postponed till the day of
judgment, when rig eous verdict will be rem
dered.
The Judge returned to Lexington, called a
public meetIn at which he made speech, de-
bouncing the 22d Wisconsin abolition
| regiment. aud introducing resolutions declaring
| that the Union never could be restored If the
laws of the State OF Kentucky we're thus set al
defiance. This from the Judge while his son
was in The rebel service fighting against the
| Union.
But the matter was not yet over. A few
days later, the division containing The 22d Wis
consin, commanded by Gen. Baird, u,ce Gill
more, was ordered down the river. 1t went tc
Louisville, followed by the slave hunters, who
we're determined to have their negroes.
Ordere were issued to the colonels not to tax.
ny contrabands on board the boats, and mos
them obeysd. Colonel Utley issoed no or
| ers.