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THE REFLECTOR
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ML. f.
MILLEDGEVILLE, G. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER is, 18ir. J.fc.HtneS: £cUtc+* NO. i.
FORENSIC.
VBOW TBS SOUTBKIUf lATlUOT.
"l.o following ipeach delivered in Charleston, by WIL-
|\M CRAFTS, Esquire, acting in- the prosecution
the Attorney-General, fully explains the nefarious
inunction lately brought to light by the vigilance of the
ity Council. We deem no other introduction to Us pub-
sxtilSn necessary than to state that a copy of it was Ob-
1,ed from the speaker to meet the wishes of several au'
(tors, who united in the opinion that It was one of the
V'eot efforts of the advocate, and • favorable specimen
the eloquence of bur bar- 1
7ie Staff vs. M. Greenwood.—Assault and batte
ry and false imprisonment of Robertson, a free
vuin of color.
llo not think, gentlemen of the jury, that be-
fctusc 1 appear on the aide of the prosecution I
"(> not still act on the defensive. I defend not
solitary individual—but the rights of your peo
ple. and the character of our city. I defend the
luthority of your laws—weeping humanity and
ifflictetf justice. Listen to me, while in a .cool
ind uninipassioned narrative ( develope the trail-
■action, which is the subject of this enquiry—
1 shall state it to you simply, as it occurred, with-
mt any attempt to exaggerate its enormity, al
though”, had I any pretensions to eloquence, I
have now a theme, on which 1 could rouse you
Ijnto indignation and melt you into tears. Ima-
jgine that you hear the recital of his wrAn from
[the miserable sufferer himself. A poor and iguo-
[Ta<it mariner, of that- degraded class which we
(cf.il “ persons of colour,” sought to raise himself
f cn the moral scale, by serving his country in the
h mr of peril. At the commencement of the, late
tr with Great Britain, he enlisted on board of
Lone of tM vessels of our little navy—small in
[numbersbut great in renown—our navy that
has covered this country with the mantle of
its own glory, and shed the lustre of our stars o-
ver the habitablegiobe. For 1 the space of four years
through the summer sun-and the winter blast, he
fearlessly exposed,hfe life' and faithfully perform
ed his duty, until the* w^r being terminated, lie
received an honorable discharge from his com
manding officer. He retired, not to repose on
laurels, qr feast on public applause—but to en
joy in humble obscurity, the -pleasures of domes
tic life, and to spend with a sailor’s generosity a
vaiiur’s earnings. Domestic pleasures are the
itroiigest and tile only ties which persons of his
lescnption feel. No civil rights, no political
irivileges confer an additional value on their lives
—no literary pleasure—no scientific toils—no am
litious schemesiliverttheir fancy or employ their
time. All their pursuits are obscure—all their
|oys are humble. To such pleasures and pur
suits the mariner returns—and surely, he who
hag defended the country abroad, deserves to
Cm? in it. a refuge and a home. Ha -who has
WirquraUuO tin. r —-f ii.v ocean, nmy ejpwi
security on the land. But alas! His slender
earnings are not too small for the grasp of avarice
—the scythe of oppression stoops to destroy the
lowly harvest of his hopes—and although he has
eluded the monsters of the sea, the shore is man
ned with Cornish plunderers. There are sharks
on th •- land to devour him and pilot fishes to de
coy their prey., _ His stout and athletic form
marks him as prmtRblc acquisition to the villain
ous conspiracy, who sell your freedom to the
western slave dealers, and the accidental loss or
destruction of his certificate of freedom renders
the unfortunate man a safer victim. In a mo
ment of hilarity, perhaps intoxication: ^uan hourof
daikness, when there arc no witnesses to vindi
cate or rescue him ; perhaps ft-om the couA of re
pose, made welcome by a day of toil, he is torn
by the defendant, who, in the shape of a consta
ble. and with a warrant from a justice of the quo
rum, framed for the very puapose, and founded
solely in fraud, charges him with an offence whVli
he never committed, and carries him finally to
the public jail.—Confinement to any man is irk
some—to an innocent man is iutolerable—to an
ignorant man is terrific. Here, in the society of
criminal*—where all around him is awful—his
imagination is worked upon by the minister of
justice, who pourtrays to him the severity of the
laws—the heinousness of the offence alledgcd a-
gainst him—the impossibility of his escape from
punishment—the terrors oif perpetual imprison
ment or ignominious death. And while under
the influence of this intolerable alarm—he propo
ses one remedy, by which all these evils may be
averted and the unhappy wretch may be restored
to liberty. Tliere is says he,“a very good and
generous man in. this city who in pity of your
misfortr pcs, will pay your jail fees and stop the
proseCu ion,ifyou will consent to serve him three
or four years. He is a friend of mine, and this
proposal proceeds entirely from my friendship
tor you.” Oh sacred nair/of friendship! how
art thou polluted.—With tnc smile of friendship
Judas betrayed our Saviour—and so it is always
xvith these moral assassins, that they cloak their
crimes under the semblance and ronsanguinty
ot some illustrious virtue. The destitute mariner,
whose habits cannot endure confinement—whose
ceiling used to be the sky, & hiswall the verge of
ocean, unseen &,unacccssible—whose service in his
country’s cause, has rendered liberty doubly dear
—deceived by the arts, or allured by promises,
or intimidated by the threats of this manstealer,
miscalled a Minister of justice, consents to his
Proposal, and with a confidence above suspicion,
nails him as his deliverer. All the charges which
ad been conjured up against him vanish imme-
‘ lately into air, the duon. of his prison are open-
e V» " B " *he jailor in compliance with the orders
«'i the justice, surrenders the willing victim to
this most righteous constable. The house pf the
Justice of the Peace, is selected as the scene of
the conspiracy—-not his office—lest the affair
should gain publicity.—Here the articles of in
denture are drawn rod signed, and an able bod-
ieJ seaman, who in the American navy receives
twelve dollars a month, agrees to serve Four
years for less than fifty dollars a year. The pro
secution is at an end—and an inextricable net
nisn n
\m is c
ions i
flic'fi
is thrown over the liberties of this miserable man.
Inextricable—fur least his real name should fur
nish the means of future discovery and rcseue—
is directed to sign the indenture with a ficti-
one. A trifling advance of money beguiles
'first hours of tlds Inferno, servitude—and
before he awakes from the trance of delight, and
the stupor of intoxication, which is forced upon
him—he is sold for life to a Kentucky salve deal
er, and sent in chains from this very metropolis.
His humane master divides eighty dollars among
his worthy associates, twenty of which arc ac
knowledged to have been received by the defen
dant, the constable, and a portion, the amount
of which is uncertain, was given to the magis
trate. This is a real picture—no portrait of the
imagination. Twice it has been proved to have
occurred to the disgrace of this city. God knows
how often it may have happened, but there is too
much reason for the belief, that several of the gal
lant seamen, whom peace restored to this country,
changed a temporary imprisonmentin England for
perpetual slavery in America. Oh, what a reward
tor an intrepid sailor, who on the mountain billows
has fought the enemies of his country, to be
doomed to servitude in her mountain forests!—
Disfranchised of the very rights which we con
tribute to preserve for others ! Transferred
from tire blaze of battle and the pride of victory
•to the drudgery and the disgrace, and the suf
fering of a slave ! And Ibis too in this land of
Liberty—this Republic, boasting of its free in
stitutions and formed to assert the rights of man.
—It was to have been hoped that the garb which
he wore, would have protected him from injury.
The frankness of a sailor should shield him from
duplicitv, an J his benevolence from fraud. The
dress of the American sailors is 3acred in the eye
of the Patriot. Oh it is cruel to dupe the unsus
picinus—it is base to ensnare t|ie ignonant—it
is iniamoustooppress the brave. You have heard
the crime—now listen to the criminal : This, it
is nlledged was a judicial proceeding. The ina
gistrategranted his warrant upon a regular affida
vit, and the constable was authorized and coin
pelled to execute it. It is because of the form
alitics used to sanction and conceal this outrage
ou humanity, that it becomes the subject cf deep
er reprehension. It is because of the time, the
p!ac< and the parties concerned in it—that pub
lie indignation pants for their punishment
it on her own altar that justice is to be violated ?
Are her chosen ministers to pollute her shrine
where they are sworn to worship ? Is the robe
of the priest to conceal the dagger of the assas
sin ? IIow does it aggravate the enormity of
the offence, the circumstance of its being perpe
trated in the.name of justice! Oh, gentlemen,
•you are little aware of the abuses of office which
taka |Unrft WllO 11,1 - ,jf y—— -—ghtiyttfa
Even now, accidentally, ihy eye lights upon a lit
tle boy—whom in tears I met, and with tears l
rescued from a conspiracy like this. He was an
English sailor boy without friends or sustenance
—he too was arrested by a constable, upon a
false allegation, and while another personated
his guardian, the magistrate indented him to the
first, who employed him in the most menial and
degrading offices—which it would distress me to
name. What think you he was indented to learn
“ the art and mystery of a constable.”—Tremen
dous art! Infernal mystery ! Worthy only
of satan and his imps. And it is the official act
of a magistrate, so ignorant, or so perverse as to
be capable ol a proceeding like this, that you
are required to support and which the defend
ant relics on to exonerate him, and that too in
spite of his own confesioA, which the testimony
of the magistrate opposes in vain ; the magistrate
informs us that the warrant issued on the affida-
vit of a negro woman, incapable by our laws of
giving evidence by oath, stating that the sea
man who was arrested had violently assaulted
her. That the affair being compromised he dis
charged the prisoner, and the order to the jailor
is produced. Now if the charge on which he is
sued the warrant was notoriously false—how
could he protect himself better than by attribut
ing it to a negro woman, who can never confront
him. When we ask for the affidavit—it is lost
or torn urf as was his custom. If its destruction
was acciuental, it was extremely convenient—it
proves to be an order to deliver the prisoner into
the custody of the defendant. The memory of
the ynagistrafe fails him in several particulars
but of one^thing he is certain—that in drawing
the indentures—(where the certificate of a ma
gistrate is required by law) he did notact in his
official ca tacity,but assumed his individual char
acter. lie acknowledges that he wa3 paid for
it. Why lie should on this occasion throw off
his robe of office, I leave you gentlemen, to de
termine. Was it to receive more or less com
pensation .than the law or usage allows him to
demand ? He states that he cautioned the un
fortunate negro of the consequences of his con
tract—but that he persisted in having himself in
dented. As if it were possible for a mail not-un
der duress to consent to an ageemeut to serve
four years at the rate of one third of the wages
he was accustomed and entitled to receive. '1 he
magistrate, let it be remembered, i9 implicated
in this transaction, and his evidence should be
cautiously received. He has given it cautiously.
And has confirmed the confession of'the accused
in every respect where he could do so without
criminating himself. He will not say—that the
charge was fictitious, on which he issued the war
rant. To have acknowledged this would have
been too great a sacrifice; great as is his anxiety
to protect his constable; close as is the connexion
between them, it is nut strong enough to renew
tlie picture of Niaus & Curyalus expiring together,
but allowing that the testimony of the magis
trate had entirely opposed the confession of the
accused, the latter must prevail. The volunta
ry confession of a prisoner is the highest evidence
against him. ft is tribute to .offended justice.—
All other'modes of ascertaining truth afford on
ly a twinkling lustre. This is like throwing the
beams of the sun into the'recesses of a cavern.
The lights with which we groped after truth become
instantly useless and unnecessary—the process
of i.uve^tmntion ceases—the Court and the Jury
are at mice satiSlted—and the culprit, arrested
in the blaze of his own evidence, pledges his ve
racity for Ins guilt—becomes the victim of his
own discovery, and reads his sentence in the lan
guage of inspiration : “Out of thine own mouth
will I condemivthee.”—He kindles the fires that
envelope and consume him. But it is asked,
wherfore this voluntary confession ? Why reveal
what was so easy of concealment, & so dangerous
if discovered : Thank Heaven, the detection docs
not always depend on the adroitness of its pur
suers. There is a time when cunning forsakes
the vigilant, and remorse softens the obdurate—
when the boldest tremble, and the wicked flee
from, the phantoms of their own imagination.—
There is a time when conscience, darting her
beams, through the bosoms of the criminal, dis
closes the moral shipwreck, and lights the dis
mal ruin. When chased through all labyrinths,
and hunted to its last recess, guilt mistakes the
means of escape, and agitated by dangers mag
nified by terror, throws itself in desperate fury
into^the arms of its followers. Here then we
have tjie defendant, arrived at the close and the
consequences of his career. If you believe him,
he is gniity. The unhappy negro has disappear
ed. The defendant acknowledges that he kid
napped him ; it is proved he has been sent into
tfie con i y ; there is no doubt that he was sold
as a slave. The confession was tirade under the
idea that the crime could not be punished by the
laws of this State. Shame on our statute books,
there is too much reason for the belief ! It
would have been generous to steal a slave—for
one state of vassalage is kindred to another. It
would have been courageous to steal a slave, for
the law protects such property with its shield
and spear. But for swindling a freeman, of his
liberties; for stealing an American citizen and
all his boasted rights and privileges—there is no
other penalty than attaches to assault, and bat
tery, and false imprisonment. Ithas been taun
tingly said, where is the prosecutor ? Why this
clamour and judicial process in behalf of an in
dividual who does not appear to assert his wrongs
and sue for justice ? We might retort the ques
tion, and might harrow up the feelings oP the
defendant, if Tie be not insensibl%by asking him
where is the miserable man ? By all the ties of
domestic life, thus cruelly lacerated and torn
asunder—in behalf of insulted patriotism and
violated liberty, I would invoke him to discover
ami restore hiitn. If he cannot be released, he
shall at least be avenged. The odium incurred
*-r .c*bni shall bo removed, if possible,
by its punishment. Ana yer nnwiLi
change the pleasure of seeing that man free, for
the miserable pleasure of seeing that man punish
ed. Where is he ? Alas, gentlemen, we know
not, but wherever lip is we know that he is a
slave, and we can imagine his sufferings. Hi:
spirit broken—his heart desolate ; the sun as it
uses from the eastern ocean reminds him of the
scene of his funner perils and delights. And as
it sets in the western forests, leaves him far from
his kindred and his home, among the shadows of
darkness and slavery. Would that my voice
could reach and inform him, that, at this moment,
his oppressors are brought to light. Would that
I could paint on the dark and distant horizon of
his hopes, the delightful prospect of approaching
liberty. Alas ! I can only supplicate the Almigh
ty, that a3 in his justice he is about to punish the
criminal, so in his mercy it would please him to
liberate the captive.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
STATE LEGISLATURE.
MEMBERS OF Tllfc LEGISLATE RE.
Baldwin, John Mathews, S; Charles William
son and Francis Smith, 11.
Bullock, Samuel Lockhart, 9;'John Burnett, R
Burke, Eli Emanuel, .9 ; Jonathan Lewis, John
Whitehead mid Philip >Sapp, 72.
Brylin, John Vanbrackel, 9;
Camden, John Hardee,A'; Hugh Brown anil
David G. Jones, 72. U- -
Chatham, Alfred Cutfibert, S; Edward liar-
den and G. W. Owens (F. S. Fell absent,) R.
Clarke, Thomas Mitchell, S ; Thomas Moore,
White Rosseterand Thomas R. Mitchell, 72.
Coltimhin, John Foster 9 ; Win. B. Tankers*
ley, Bjllingtoii M. Sanders and Archibald Averv.
Emanuel. Stephen Swain, A; John Roberts, R.
Effingham, Goldwirc A; C. H. Dasher, 11.
ilbert, Wiley Thompson, 9; Beverly Allen
and John Ashley, R.
Franklin, Benj. Cleveland, &; Fleming F. A-
drian, John Bush and James Blair, 11.
Glynn, Sam’l Piles, S; James C. /vlanghain, 72.
Greene, Oliver Porter, S; Thomas Stocks, Ro
bert Rea and Thomas J. Moore, *# •
Hancock, Lppes Brown, 8; John Abercrombie,
Henry Trippe and Ed. B. Brooking, 72.
Jackson, Hugh Montgomery 8 : James Coch
ran, David Witt and Geo. Reid, 72.
Jasper, Jarre! Beasley, S; Henry Walker, A-
sa Ragan and John Robinson, 72.
. Jefferson, Rob’t Fleming, 8; Wm. H. Jack-
son and Ebenezer Both well, R.
Jones, Jesse M. Pope,'S ; Abner Wimberly,
John Bayne and Thomas White, 72.
Laurens, David Hlacksheur, 8; L. C. Pitts, 72.
Lincoln, Micajah lienly, 9$ John Fleming
and John Lamkin, R. ,
Madison, Samuel Groves, 8; James Ware. R.
M'lntosh, Allen II. Powell,.SI; Wm. It. M’ln-
tosh and John L. Hopkins, 72.
J font gome riff N. B. Mitchell, >9; B. C. Cray,72.
Morgan, Thomas Hog", 8 s Charles Keniion,
Charles -llattliews and Lewis Bandy, 72.
Oglethorpe, Geo. Hudspeth, 8-, Bur well Pope,
John Townsend and Henry Blake, 11.
7V«sA'i,Th. W. Harris, 9; Wm. Huthron, 72.
Putnam, Simon Holt, 8 ; Benjamin Williams,
Irbv Hudson and Henry Branham, //.
Richmond, Valentine Walker, S’, Geo. Walton
and Thomas Glascock, 72.
Striven, James Blackman, 9: Tho. Cauldinz
and Roger .V’Kinnie, 72. *
Tatnall,}. P. Blackman, .9; John Mattox, R.
Telfair, John M'Griffin, S ; John Fletcher! R.
"Twiggs, Ezekiel Wimberly, .9; Roger Law
son and Win. Ctncker, R.
Warren, Dennis L. Ryan, 8; Thomas Wil
liams, Benjamin Sandiforrf and Edwin Baker, 72.-
Washington. Jared Irwin, 9; John Moore, Sa
muel Robinson and Tilman S. Dixon, It.
WmggS-Wm. 8. Knight, 9; Pliny ShofficU. R.
Alexander Pope and Thomas Wingfield, #.'* ° n ‘
Wilkinson, John Ilatchcr, 9; John T. Fair-
child, 72.
“ Winchester, (Ky.) Sep. 20—I witnessed in
this place, yesterday, one of the most interested
trials that has ever come under iny notice—
circumstances ami issue of which, are not only
important to the pat ties concerned, but to society,
it was a suit for the breach of a marriage contract,
brought by Rachel Patton, of Paris, agaiust John
L. Martin, of the same place, and removed to this
court by change of venue. As the circumstances
were somewhat peculiar, besides the usual inte
rest which would naturally be excited by such a
case, novel as it is in the jurisprudence of this
country, a large number of citizens collected to
hear t!ie evidence and discussion. The engage-
ment.between the parties was clearly proven to
have existed some years previous to the unfortu*
jiate affair which finally induced the defendant to
withdraw his addresses, and refuse to comply
with his contract, and which overwhelmed the
plaintiff'with shame and misery. The defendant
attempted to justify his non-compliance, by
throwing the guilt of the transaction upon the
brother-in-law of the plaintiff. It appeared, how
ever, that for nine months previous to the unfor
tunate occurrence, this gentleman did not visit
the house of John Patton, more than two or three
times, owing to a misunderstanding subsisting
between him and Miss Patton, from the circum
stance of his having cautioned*her against Mar
tin. Every step talien by the defendant, altho’
ably supported by his counsel, seemed to murk
the transaction with a deeper die of deception.
Thebrother-in-law of the plaintiff was fully er-
culpated of the charges brought against him ; and
ruucli sympathy was excited in lieiialf of tlie plain
tiff, whose character previously, was pioaren
many witnesses to have been of the fairest kind :
who had been raised by exemplary and pious pa
tents, and bad moved in the first circles. Mr.
Bled soe concluded the case on the part of the
plaintiff, in an eloquent and appropriate address
to t^e jury, in which every feeling of honour and
huiiiuiity was roused.” ” .
Verdict, three thousand dollars damages.
* HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Tuesday, JYovember 4, 1817.
On motion of Mr. Walton, Mr. A..Pope was
nominated Chairman. The House then proceed
ed to the election of a Speaker; and the ballot
being received and examined, it appeared that
Benjamin Williams, Esq. of Putnam county, wa^
duly elected ; whereupon he was conducted to the '
Chair—whence lie made his acknowledgements.
William Turner, Esq. of Putnam county, was
appointed Clerk.
Gilbert Brooks, Messenger.
Cornelius M’Party, Door-Keeper.
On motion of Mr. A. Pope, Resolved, That the
Rules of the House at its latt session, be adopted
for its regulation during the present session.
The House concurred in the resolution receiv*
ed from the Senate, appointing a committee to
wait on the Executive, and inform him that the
General Assembly are now organized, and ready
to receive any communication that he may lay be* j.
fore them; and added as a committee on their
part, Messrs. A. Pope, E Harden, Stokes, Blajr,
and Branham.
Mr. E. Harden laid on the table a resolution
relative to the appointment of the Standing Com
mittees.
Mr. A. Pope, from the joint committee appoin
ted topwait on the Executive, Rapqrted, that they
had performed the duty assigned them, and re
ceived for answer, that the Executive would lay
his communication before the Legislature, this
day at 12 o’clock.
I’lie following communications were brought
from the President of Senate, exercising ex- ?
ecutive powers of government, by Mr. Wood,
his Secretary:
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate,
and of the House of Representatives.
Being appointed by the President of the Uni
ted States, Agent tdr Indian Affairs for the Creek
Nation, - and having determined to accept the
same, I havfe this day resigned the Exetuth e Go
vernment of the Shite to the Honourable W illi am
Rabun, President of the Seriate. In doing « hitu,
permit me to assure you, and thro’ you to my fel
low-citizens generaliy, that in retiring from the
service of the state, I shall carry with me a just
sense of the obligation which their long continued
confidence has luid me under, and that my grati
tude will be as lasting as my lile.^. In the vari
ous and complicated duties, which in the courso
of my public life I have been call -d on to .pet-
form, I cannot flatter myself, thut my aoi.uuct
laas been exempt from error, but my conscience
acquits me of any intentional departure fl out du
ty. Devoted ak 1 have been to the service of .the
state, and still ardently desiriug to see her pros*
perous and happy, it is a reflection which givs#
me much pleasure, that the duties of the appoiot.-
m
r*jj&
