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The Lexington Prisoners

The Lexington Prisoners image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
November
Year
1844
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Miss Deh'a A. Webster, who has been irrested and is now confined ia jail at jexington, Ky., clmrged wilh break ing he slave laws of that State, is a dnughter of Mr. Benajah Webster, of Ferrisburgh, Vt. She was engaged as a teacher in a scminary. The Rev. Calvin Fairbanks, vho is now in prison, and in irovs, in the ame jail with Miss W., and upon the same charges, is a Methodist minister, who, while visiting Lexington, boarded in the same house Avith her. Mr. F. jreached once in the Congregational church in Lexington, while there, to the acceptance of his audience; and soon after three slaves were missing. A reward was offered, and every effort made to find them, without success; and upon this failure, suspicion rested upon Mr. F., who was followed into an adjoining county, arrested, brought back and imprisoned. - Shortly after, Miss Webster was waited upon by the authorities at one o'clock at night, and the inspection of her trunk demanded, which she acceded to without objection; and on. the foüowing day, the (27th Sept.) she was arrested and imprisoned, and has since had three indictments found against her, has been held to bail in the sum of $5000, and now awaits her trial, which takes place in March.We understand the main cause of susiicion agaüist her, consists of a letter, alleged to have been found among her papers, speaking of her acquaintance with Mr. F., while boarding al the same house with her, and of general remarks about slavery; and last, though perhaps not least, that she happens to be a northern lady. Miss Webster is a respectabla young ady, of a worthy family, well educated, and of fair talents, and denies ever having utterred an abohtion sentiment in [ventucky, excepting one time, when imjertinently being questioned on that subect. she said she wished the slaves were all back in África, and she would be wiling to spend her da}7s in teaching them, for they had souls. Her father is well known by the citizens of Vergennes and Ferrisburgh, tohave been always hostile to abolition in any form; indeed, has been noted for his ulira ppinions on that subect. The following certifícate, connected with the subject, appeared in a late Ohio Statesman, and undoubtedly is correct:"State op Kentucky, Fayetle Co. ? ''Jailor's Office , Leodngton, Ky. $ "I, Thomas B. Megowan, jailor for the county aforesaid, do certify, that a man calling himself Rëv. Calvin Fairbanks, and a woman who calis herself Delia A. Webster, are confined inthis jail awaiting trial on indictment found by the grand jury for the Fayette Circuit Court, for ■negro stealing. and conveying the same to Ohio; and further, I certify, that for good cause, I have had the said Fairbanks ironed. "Given under my hand, this the 9th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fortyfour, and of the Commonweallh the 52d. Thomas Megowan, "Jailor of Fayette Co., State of Kentucky." Miss Webster was poor, dependent wholly on her own exertions for support. Should she be found innocent, as we doubt not she will be upon trial, she is wholly ruined in her circumstances, by the heavy expense which her defence will entail upon her, as we understand the attorney's fees of her lawyers amount to between seven hundred and a thousand dollars! Surely this issouthern chivalry, with a vengeance. The charge of "negro-stealing," as it is termed by the Kentucky jailor, amounts to nothing more than a supposition of being an abolitionist. A young lady, poor, and teaching a seminary for a living, could have no money to spare, to buy negroes or to hireothers to steal; and as she had never left her employment before her arrest, she could not, of course, have been personally concerned in enticing or helping away slaves. But even if Miss W. were an abolitionist, howdoes her arrest, upon such a charge, appear, when placed in contrast with the present position of Hènry Clay's friends at the north at this time. For the elevation of the great embodiment, Kentucky's favorite son, they are billing and cooing for abolition votes, upon the alleged ground, that he is no enemy to the cause; while, at the same time, a fair daughter of the Green Mountains tenants a Kentucky jirison, almost in sight of Ashland, upon a charge of being friendly to the cause. This is the sympathy of Henry Clay'sfriends at home for abolitionists. - Boston Chronich. Qr3 Many ofour readers will be gratified to !earn thnt thero is now in progress, itVihe village of Dexter, on interesting revival of religión. We are informed that it bids fair to be n leep and extensivo work; many have yielded, and are'yielding to the influences of conscience and the Spirit; and Clnistians fee! called upon to be as much engaged in promoting the interests of Christ's Kingdom, as they h3ve been in secuiing the inlerests of theiripolitibcl pnrties. Jj Mrs. Torrey has gone to BaltimorL, to await tlie result of hie trial in February next.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News