The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims: Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18May, Samuel
History
The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims: Anti-Slavery Tracts No. 18
May, Samuel
Fugitive slaves -- United States; United States -- Fugitive slave law (1850)
_Three Slaves_ taken by _Habeas Corpus_, from steamboat
Tropic, and brought before Judge Flinn, at Cincinnati,
August, 1853. The woman Hannah expressed a wish to return to
her master in the boat. Judge Flinn ordered her into the
custody of the claimants without investigation. Judge F.
asked Hannah if she had the custody of the child Susan, to
which she answered that she had. Whereupon the Judge also
ordered her back into the custody of the claimants, without
examination. Mr. Jolliffe protested against ordering the
child back without examination. The Court said they would
take the responsibility. The examination then proceeded in
the case of the man Edward. It appeared that they were
purchased in Virginia, to be conveyed to Mississippi. The
boat stopped at Cincinnati, and the slaves were twice taken
by the agent of the owners on shore, and upon the territory
of Ohio. Mr. Jolliffe commenced his argument at 7, P.M., and
argued that the slaves, being brought by their owners upon
free territory, were legally free. Mr. J., before finishing,
was taken ill, and obliged to leave the court-room; he first
begged the Court to adjourn until morning, which was refused
by Judge Flinn. Judge Keys said the Ohio river was a highway
for all States bordering on it, whose citizens had a right
also to use the adjacent shores for purposes necessary to
navigation. Mr. Zinn stated that Mr. Jolliffe had been
obliged to retire, in consequence of illness, and had
requested him to urge the Court to continue the case. Judge
Flinn said--"The case will he decided to-night; that is
decided on. We have not been silting here four or five hours
to determine whether we will decide the case or not. It will
be decided, and you may come up to it sideways or square; or
any way you please; you must come to it." Mr. Zinn said he
was not going to argue. He had made the request out of
courtesy to a professional brother. He doubted the power of
the Court to deliver the boy into slavery. Judge Flinn
said--"I do not wish to hear any arguments of that nature."
The man was then ordered to be taken by the Sheriff, and
delivered to claimant on board the boat,--which was
done.--_Cincinnati Gazette_, 27th August, 1853.
PATRICK SNEED, a colored waiter in the Cataract House,
Niagara Falls, arrested on the pretended charge of murder
committed in Savannah, Georgia. He was brought, by _Habeas
Corpus_, before Judge Sheldon, at Buffalo, (September, 1853,)
and by him ordered to be "fully discharged."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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