The Trial of Theodore Parker: For the "Misdemeanor" of a Speech in Faneuil Hall against Kidnapping, before the Circuit Court of the United States, at Boston, April 3, 1855, with the DefenceParker, Theodore
Religion
The Trial of Theodore Parker: For the "Misdemeanor" of a Speech in Faneuil Hall against Kidnapping, before the Circuit Court of the United States, at Boston, April 3, 1855, with the Defence
Parker, Theodore
Antislavery movements -- Massachusetts -- Boston; United States -- Fugitive slave law (1850)
At the next session of the Honorable Circuit Court of the United
States in and for the first District, his Honor the Hon. Benjamin
Robbins Curtis, Judge, constructs and charges the Grand-Jury in the
manner already set forth. He instructs them that if any man, by force
and arms, namely, with a pop-gun, does resist a body of United States
officers, attempting to kidnap a woman, his own mother, that he
thereby levies war against the United States, and accordingly commits
the crime of "Treason" which consists in levying war against the
United States--the "_amount_ of force is not material." And it is
their duty to indict all persons in that form offending. The Attorney,
the Hon. Benjamin Franklin Hallett, offers to "bet ten dollars that I
will get" Nason "indicted," and urges the matter. But no bill is
found, the Jury is discharged, a new Jury is summoned, and Mr. William
W. Greenough, the Brother-in-law of the Judge is put on it, "drawn as
Juror"--and then a "true bill" is found, Mr. Hallett actually making
an indictment that cannot be quashed!
On the day before Thanksgiving Thomas Nason is arraigned; and is
brought to trial for this new Boston Massacre on the anniversary of
the old one--on the Fifth of March. The judge constructs a Trial-Jury
as before. Mr. Hallett, assisted by Mr. Thomas, Mr. George T. Curtis,
and Commissioner Loring, manage the case for the government, bringing
out the whole strength of the kidnapping party, and directing this
Macedonian phalanx of Humanity and Law and Piety against a poor
friendless negro. Mr. Hale, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Dana defend him.
Officer Butman and his coadjutors--members of the "Marshal's
guard"--testify that Mr. Nason attacked them with the felonious weapon
above named, putting them in mortal bodily fear greater than that
which in Mexico once overthrew the (future) President of all this
land! Mr. Herrman, the dealer in toys, testifies that he sold the
murderous weapon for twenty-five cents to Mr. Nason who declared that
he "could frighten Butman with it;" that it is of German manufacture,
and is called a Knallbuechse!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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