The Trial of Reuben Crandall, M.D.: Charged with Publishing and Circulating Seditious and Incendiary Papers, &c. in the District of Columbia, with the Intent of Exciting Servile Insurrection. Carefully Reported, and Compiled from the Written Statements of the Court and the Counsel.Unknown
History
The Trial of Reuben Crandall, M.D.: Charged with Publishing and Circulating Seditious and Incendiary Papers, &c. in the District of Columbia, with the Intent of Exciting Servile Insurrection. Carefully Reported, and Compiled from the Written Statements of the Court and the Counsel.
Unknown
American Anti-Slavery Society; Crandall, Reuben, 1805?-1838 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Slavery -- Washington (D.C.); Trials (Seditious libel) -- Washington (D.C.)
Witness recollected that there was a paper which Dr. Crandall tried to
read, but was prevented from reading, by extreme agitation. Dr. Crandall
rolled it up and put it in his pocket. He was much agitated, and witness
thought, at the time, that he was indiscreet in so freely expressing his
sentiments. No pamphlets with the endorsement "read and circulate" were
found in the trunk. When Crandall was asked why he wanted so many of the
same number of the Anti-Slavery Reporter for information, he made no
reply. In the course of the conversation in the hack, Crandall said he
did not intend to deny his principles. Witness asked him if colonization
would not be better than abolition. He replied: No; he was in favor of
immediate emancipation.
_Question by Bradley._ Did he not say, "I am for immediate preparation
for emancipation." Witness did not recollect precisely. That might have
been the answer. Would not say it was not. When he said he was in favor
of immediate emancipation, witness remarked that it would be attended
with dreadful consequences. We should all have our throats cut, and the
next thing would be amalgamation.
_Thruston, J._ Would the amalgamation occur after our throats are cut,
Mr. Jeffers?
_Witness._ Dr. Crandall in reply to this remark, said, "well let the law
take care of all that."
_B. K. Morsell, Esq._, one of the justices who committed the traverser,
stated that, at the examination of the traverser in the jail, the
witness just examined, Henry King, deposed that the pamphlet which he
took from Crandall's office had written upon it the words "please to
read and circulate." This deposition was made in the presence of
Crandall, and Crandall did not pretend to deny it, and admitted that
the words were in his own handwriting. He said that when he was about
to take passage in the steamboat, at New York, there was a bundle of
pamphlets brought to him. Don't recollect whether he said they were
brought to him before or after he went on board of the boat. Don't
remember whether Crandall said they were sent or brought to him. He
stated that he was then on his way to this city. A bundle of pamphlets
were brought into the jail, at the time of the examination. Crandall
said that all he brought on were there, except twelve or thirteen.
Crandall did not state at what time the words "please read and
circulate" were written upon the pamphlets. There was no distinction
drawn between those which were endorsed and those which were not. They
were all thrown together. Don't recollect that Crandall made any
distinction in regard to them. He was understood to speak of all the
pamphlets together. The only contradiction in Crandall's statement was
that he, at first, said that pamphlets were brought to him as he was
leaving New York in the boat, and afterwards said they had been in his
possession for some time. Witness looked at some of them and saw that
some were of older date than others. Could not distinctly recollect
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