of his God-given rights, but of the rights that he
had also purchased by the hard toil of his own hands.
But the enemy was lurking in ambush for him—thirsting
for his blood. To his utter consternation, not
long after his return from his visit to his son “a
party of gentlemen from the New Market district, went
at night to Green’s house and made search, whereupon
was found a copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, etc.”
This was enough—the hour had come, wherein
to wreak vengeance upon poor Green. The course
pursued and the result, may be seen in the following
statement taken from the Cambridge (Md.), “Democrat,”
of April 29th, 1857, and communicated by the writer
to the “Provincial Freeman.”
SAM GREEN.
The case of the State against Sam Green (free negro) indicted for having in his possession, papers, pamphlets and pictorial representations, having a tendency to create discontent, etc., among the people of color in the State, was tried before the court on Friday last.
This case was of the utmost
importance, and has created in the
public mind a great deal of
interest—it being the first case of
the kind ever having occurred
in our country.
It appeared, in evidence, that this Green has a son in Canada, to whom Green made a visit last summer. Since his return to this county, suspicion has fastened upon him, as giving aid and assisting slaves who have since absconded and reached Canada, and several weeks ago, a party of gentlemen from New Market district, went at night, to Green’s house and made search, whereupon was found a volume of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a map of Canada, several schedules of routes to the North, and a letter from his son in Canada, detailing the pleasant trip he had, the number of friends he met with on the way, with plenty to eat, drink, etc., and concludes with a request to his father, that he shall tell certain other slaves, naming them, to come on, which slaves, it is well known, did leave shortly afterwards, and have reached Canada. The case was argued with great ability, the counsel on both sides displaying a great deal of ingenuity, learning and eloquence. The first indictment was for the having in possession the letter, map and route schedules.
Notwithstanding the mass of evidence given, to show the prisoner’s guilt, in unlawfully having in his possession these documents, and the nine-tenths of the community in which he lived, believed that he had a hand in the running away of slaves, it was the opinion of the court, that the law under which he was indicted, was not applicable to the case, and that he must, accordingly, render a verdict of not guilty.
He was immediately arraigned upon another indictment, for having in possession “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and tried; in this case the court has not yet rendered a verdict, but holds it under curia till after the Somerset