Slave Hunting

On the evetung of the öth uit. a young man by ihe name of happened to ba travelling in company with two persons of color, a man aud a woman, in the Western part of Delaware County. When they arrived at the bridge across the Scioto river, they were surrounded by a set of beings in the shape of men, on horseback. They all crossed the bridge together, and when arrived at the farther end, having a8certained that a part of the company were colored persons, they seized their horse, and with the horrid oaths and imprecations cluimed the man and woman as fugitivea froi labor. Resistance was vain, and the poor creatures quietly 6ubmitted to be reconducted acrosa the bridge to a tayern on the west side of the river. Hero the scene exhibited in the conduct and conversaticn of tbe cap tors is eaid to bcggar all description, and showed that thougbthey appeared in the torm and fashion of men, they possessed the spirits of 3. It appeared that the above named A. S. Piatt had, some time before passed though the town of Blarysviile in Union County, and had left an advertisement wilh a wretch by the name of Farnum,who keeps a tavern in the place, ofi'ering a reward of $300 for the apprehension of certain iugitive Blaves; and these worse than bloodhounds,among whom were the above named tavern keeper and a drunken lawyer named Hall, had been watchiug the road, Hke the tiger for his prey. After sorae consultaron, and a great deal of uproar and confusión araong ihern8elve8, they said they would go to Bellpoint, a small village four or fíve miles down the river, and tuke the cölored people before a justice of the peace; though it is conñdently believed that they wcll knew no justice of the lived títere. So off they started , and the young man who was in the company of he colored people when they wero stopped, wiahing to see them lawfully dealt with, determinod to follosv them. When the mob diícovered that they were followed by one Ione individual, they attempted to drive him back. They cursed and swore like pirates, and in the most positive manner asserted that they would tuke his hfe if he did not return. But he persisted in his determination to see that they acted uccording to law, or to endeavor to havo them brought to justice. When they arrived at the village, they halted. Some went into a house, some 8taid on the porch, and some sat on their horses. The young man, full of his determination to see what was done, and seeining to have lost all sense of his own danger, or all care for his own safeiy, tied hishorse at Borne distance fromthe house, and resolutcly. though no doubt indifcreetly, placed himself among them; and a scène took piuco, the bare recollecti' n of which causea han to shudder. He was eurrounded by these unpiiucipled wretchesswtmring instant deaih, and assauJted wiih (hé woapons of destrucüon, fíats,, clubs and knives. One ma do a pass at him with o knife or a dirk, which hc thinks was prevented from entering his body by a blow froiïi anothor [erson which moved his po-sition, so that the steel only pássed ihrough his upper and undet crwts, dohig no further hurm. His preservalicxi in the midt of 3uch desperadoes does indeed seem ulmost miraculeus. While thus engaged, somo of the company cut his stirrup Ieaiher9, threw lus siddle ovor a fenco and pulled the bridle ofl'iiis horse. Af;er this sceno of confusión Biïbsided; ihö kidhnppers it seenii ctjncluded it wt-uld he besito comply with the furms oflaw, and started for Marysville. The yoüng man gathered up liis horse nud apparatns and was in town shorlly auer them, and appüed to u lawyer for couusyl nnd assislance. Up to this timo no iegui procesa was had, bul the wholeofihc pioceeding!', werethoseofa lawless banditti. Application was now made to Judge Huthaway, and a warrant obtained for the apprehenüionofthc ulledged fugitive?; nnd as the town of Marysville was in greut excitement, tho court snt at Milübrd, live miles distant on the 9ih uit. Aftera considerable time spent in examining witnedses, the pretended agent discovered ihat his proof was insuflicient, and the case impeles?, unless some pleu could be fuund to quash the proceedings and instilute a oew process. For this end advantago was takea ofswne alieged error n the adjournment of the court, and wheo it sat noxi morning the claimunt refused to come iuto court, the prisooers were discharged,new papers having been previously made out, a new arrest was made; and thoy were sentto jai! until the 30th u!t. without ilie shadow of a crime having lïGeti alledged against them, except that of lovi.'ig liberly. An altempt vvus moda to bail them out, but wisbmg, no doubt, to convince the slaveholders of his devotedness to their eervice, demandod a bond of $2, )00. Exorbitant as this dernand was, it was complied witb the bond made out and eigneci by some tenor twelve individuáis; but before tho necessary steps rould )e taken for their release, the chiimunt and his posse ca me on from Kêritticky ind "orbid their discharge from jai!. The fiat of the elaveholder was paramount lo law, and the prisoners were kept in close confinement until the time set fur trial. The court sat in a meeting house, which was iterally jimmed full. I rode njorc lii:in wenly miles to attend ihe trial, and a few other aboltlionists were present; bui the reat niass appared to rnfinifest thé most ager anxieiy for the consignment of the )risoners to the cruelties of interminable lavery. Tho counsel for the defence, erhaps, managed the cause as well asonld have been done, bul t matiered liule with the courf, for there was, in my opinúnifrom the beginning to the end, an evident leaning to the pide of slavery. Several questions of law wero raised, and several pleas made, upon eiiher of which I íüíi sa tirififid a sound minded and indepen dent tribunal would have discharged the prisuners, but it was thought necessary to concíllate the Kentuckians, and to show them that the citizens of Ohio "reppect their rights" to perpétrate the most horrid violation of the rights of thers. Evéry quedtion was ruled in favor of the cluimant, every plea set aside ns insufficient and the poor unhappy beings certified to be the property ofa wretch whose eountenance alone, is enough to strike terror into the heart of any pereon who may be so unfortunate as to come under his power.