The Weekly Natchez Courier from Natchez, Mississippi • 5

EDITORIAL AND COMMUNICATIONS. from the jVse ofih XTATOIHIZ. rights of sixteen free coloured principal-ly from this city, but a few of them as believe to Virginia, an trom Delaware and Maryland, rom the exami Mississippi, nor Jart.i''ddubt. that both the out TRIDAY, MARCH, 2, 1827, nations and depositions had before me id relation to the live blacks who were kidnapped in this rages to which I have Jid, have been perpetra ted by the same gang. n3' yet -not succeeded in the arrest ofany'of theai, fi'eniielit city, in August, 1825, who were stopped at Rocky Spring, in the state of Mississippi, in the begiumng efforts have been made for the purpose.

They have been driven frpm their Delawate'and Maryland, and most of them Br! lieved to have gone into the interior 'W JKMWW5 I- repugnant to the feelings of- humanity, (ban thai of none which should be more ooaitWely denounced 6y a civilized people, none Sicii should be more promptly acted against, in "''itderto 'bring' the offenders to justice, and restore the captive to their homes and their families. We Induced to make those remarks, by reading in the American Daily tbe following account of t. tce nei-irttis of colour, who were sto- before the receipt of "your. 1 sels for 'he-slate, llobcrt Walker Geo. Adams, undoubtedly have prevailed, but-for the defect which was evident in the'p resentment.

As our fellow citizens have deemed the subject worthy of great consideration, and as it ia rendered more particularly so in consequence of the number of free negroes forcibly brought into this state for we avail ourselves of Mr. Walker's permission to publish such documents connected with the affair alluded to, as have not yet been made known and with which he has furnished us. Independently of every humane consideration of the subject, it is proper to observe that the dangers to be apprehended from the kidnapping of negroes into this state is of a very serious character. Good slaves my be stolen or seduced front good masters-husbands, wives and children may be separated from each other it i true, by the cunning and management of the kidnapper, and many heart-rending scenes may occur, the recital of which would create a sympathy in the bosom of every human being. of the year 1826, and who were eventually returned to their friends here, through theinstru-mentality and noble conduct of Messrs.

J. W. Hamilton and John Henderson, of that place, I became fully convinced that a number of coloured children, and some men, had been previously stolen from the city and its but a few months before, who were not at air connected with those stopped by Messrs. Hamilton and Henderson but as to their means or manner of ab-ducation, it was then completely a mystery. The narrative of Peter Hook, as taken by Duncan S.

Walker, Esq. at Natchez, throws much light upon the matter, and I trust we shall now be able to elicit such evidence as may produce the return of some of the sufferers. The boys stolen in August, 1825, were carried on board a leD.and brought off by force from the respective daces of their birth or of their homes, and sold as ihve in this state, and other southern sections of ced in consequence of a private intimatiQ; io. forward a deposition to Mr. which I have ho doubt will act as a detainer, I have already a number of Clem.

Cox and Baxter, that Peter's story if stantially have no doubt. 7 '-V i With great respect, lam yowl obt 'ser'i Joseph Watson I M.atot To David Holmes, and EDavis, Esquires, 1 Xatchez. Mayor's Office- Philadelphia, January 24827. Deaii Sir I had the pleasure to receive it letter ir Slinrtlv after rear! i no- the account, we jne applied0 Duncan S. Walker, Esq of this for further information on the subject, as he might ru possession the editor feels not only in-i Kim for his politeness on the occasion.

But to the people of a slave holding state, the eviis small schooner, at anchor in the Delaware, rje-low the lower rope walk. It wiil be perceived dated, Natchez, 26th December last, from the Hon that Hook, and some of his iellowa, were taHen on board a schooner, near Arch-street wharf, in June, 1825. The certainty now is, that the thieves are the same in both instances, and that the same vessel made three or four voyages, between the first of April and the first of September, 1 825, and carried away at least ttccnty free coloured persons, principally children. Attempts have heretofore occasionally been mad, to carry David Holmes and J. E.

Davis, Esq. with' a enclo-. sur. from you containing the narrative of Peter Hopk. This narrative of Hook I have no doubt is true, and unfolds a scene of iniquity Out- Mflro HAT aninldfl mi.

Kn.ftfll'a c'nl 1 aan) ml off individuals from our city but instances of to be apprehended from the introduction of such negroes are of no ordinary character; the bad as well as the good, the bond as well as the free, are alike liable to be seized by the kidnapper and brought into the state, and however much we might be disposed to liberate a free negroe from tbe irons of the wretch who stole him, yet for the most part free negroes are the worst description of people that could even willingly be brought among us; few of which, but what are a nuisance to everyplace in which vthey reside, policy therefore as well us humanity, requires that our citizens take every measure in their power to assist in restoring these unfortunate beings to their homes' and their families; most certain we are, whatever some few of our Atlantic brethren may think to the contrary, that scarcely any established citizen of the state could be found, who would be willing to hold in bondage, a fellow being who of right ought to be free, and such as are known to have done so are not esteemed in our society; most certain we are that the slaves, with a few exceptions, are bet- ljutas a cWirpn ot this state, for nis oenevorent ana ojrseverin endeavours to bring- tbe criminals to rjstire, liberate the captives and restore them to their famitir nd their Inlnvmtr tJie circumslances connected with the Walinp of the negroes before the public we cannot 'fcrHfa-to express our belief, that there is not any portion of the American people, who viw with more Wror transactions of this kind, than those of the stale of Mississippi; none we are certain that wonll more readily step forth to aid the constitu-lednuthorities in brioginnhe offenders to justice, ami (o asist in doing every thin that was proper to release the victims of their rapacity from bond-ago; hot that we believe the description of people we are speaking of, would be in a worse situation as slaves, that they wOuld not be as well fed and cloth-da? if they were free In Richmond, in Baltimore, in Philadelphia ofNew York, but that the manner of making them slaves and dragging them from their homes and their connections, is an outrage aginst the laws of God and. roan. Slavey in itself is not I nous to the peace and dignity of our city; Great ia- dividual distress and affliction have been produced by these repeated aggressions, and the public feeling Js highly aroused and excited in consequence thereof- Messrs, Holmes and Davis refer me. to for Iwther communications, and assistance, in order Jto procure the restoration of these -unfortunate their friends and homes. I therefore, at the commencement of our correspondence, pray you to, leave- such high handed and attrocious villainy, are entirely unprecedented, and the complete success of their plan, the mysterious and silent manner in which it was carried into effect demands the' most watchful attention oi all classes of the community to prevent its' repetition.

The offenders are now well knowny and it is hoped that justice will vet be executed upon them. The bond and the free have been equally the subject of their rapacitv a number of slaves have been stolen from Maryland and Virginia, by means of this I am induced thus to address my fellow-citi- zeus, as well to apprize them of this gross outrage ter clothed, led, and in many respects better taught on their peace.aud sovereignty, as with a view to the production of any information or legal evi in this state, than the free negroes of the eastern and dence at preseut unknown to me, that is connect so great an evil as many imagine, it is the abuse of it, it is avarice and cruelty that render the situation i a slave to he dreaded, it is the clanking of chains and the echo of the lash that goads the feelings of the christian or the philanthropist. We are not the ed with this case or any other case, of unpunish sayed, to. speedily accomplish this, purpose I shall" forward yoo as I procure it, and 1 hope before long' a body of documentary, evidence that I trust will at least elucidate the history of this foul transaction, and' identify the persons and the loss of most of the children the great difficulty is to procure even" the written evidence of white people, to establish the identity of black children, more particularly i they have been-out of sight for a year or two. I have already found white persons who can Identify Peter Hook, Clement Cox and Benjamin Baxter: Before I received tbe letter of Messrs.

Holmes and Davis, I had received information of Hook being at Natchez, -animmedi-ately forwarded the of his parents, Peter, and Eliza Hook, and the depositions of Hai tman Kuho ed kidnapping or man stealing, that has occur red in our neighborhood, within the last three years. Individuals possessing information that is important, will please to reduce it to writing and address it to the Mayor's Office as speedily as northern sections of our country; we are certain that thrreare not a fifth part as many rogues and beggars among the slaves in the county of Adams, as there are amongst the free negroes within the district of Southwark, in the city of Phdadelphia, and as soon as the people of the Atlantic cities cm by humane and rational means get rid of that description of population, the better will it be for them and for us, the kss reason will we have to complain that the free negroes ofthose places are force 1 on us, and that the unaway slaves from the south find a miserable existence in the, streets and the allies of our northern cities. possible, Yours, very respectfully, Joseph Watsoit, Mayor. Mayor's Office, Philadelphia, January 20, 1 827. and Judge Hemphill; 1 enclosed these documents to Mr.

Attorney General, to whose zeal and politeness on former occasions, I am greatly indebted; I beg leave to refer you to Mr. Stockton, and who will, also, be able to give you full information as to the charactf of the conspirators engagefi in the transaction to which I have alludtd. I presume Mi. Stockton has seen the coiiespoadence between Messrs. Hamilton aud Henderson, (of Rockey Spring) andmyself; these men, however, if hfi: has it not, will, I know, most willingly, exhibit it to you I have acknowledged the receipt of the letter of Messrs Holmes and Davis, which they will, I presume.

tdwates for slavery, but we are convinced that a greater number v)f colored people are much happi-er in this state, under the judicious discipline of their masters, tian those in Philadelphia or New. York, that are free. Many of the planters of this county, though they are at times under the necessity of exercising severity towards their slaves, such is may be admitted among soldiers in camp, or sailors in vessels of war, and keeping up a similar discipline among them, yet they pay as much, if not more attention to the -late of their health and to the procuring them every kind of necessaries, even luxuries, aslhe indulgent cit'uens in our Atlantic states do towards their free domestics, whether white or black. The negro villages of several planters in this county, would adorn the banks of the Hudson or to the mind of the traveller, every thing of rural beauty, comfort and scren'ty. We are not the advocate for slaveiy, wecou'dwish that there was not a slave on the shores of the Mississip-pi; butthe negois not the author of his own destiny, and the white man cannot, if he would, fly from the decrees of Providence.

Duringthe last session of the legislature, we endeavoured by a variety of founded ok the policy which we thought was necessary, from the situation of this state, to pursue, to pas a law prohibiting the intioduction of s'aves into this state Md we were iH hopes, from the self-evident ty of such ineainre, no difficulties would have been interposed ro, prevent the passage of the act; are however gratified to learn that the opposi exhibit to 'you although I have at bo in iny posseEsion, to remunerate joh for your servic- es in this good work I will guarantee to you the compensation promised by Messrs. Holmes and Davis in their letter of the 23d December last. VVilf it be-absolutely necessary that white persons should go a toytiur place, in order to identify these coloured people; might not depositions betaken under the act of congress, or in some way that would be availing before your tribunal; otherwise it operates a monstrous oppression on these poor blacks, most of whom have-very little to and the charitable and, humane here, as you know, are taxed up to the eyes; for a hundred inx which there feelings are continually interested. I hope to hear from you frequently I shalljnot easily forget the subject my. setl, as the parents and relativesfof the sufferers, vilj be continually equk-mg after thtnn Once morel recommend this work to your unremitted and remain yourobedient Gentiemt.n I yesterday had the honor to re-reive your letter of the 23d December last.

I beg you to accept my thanks for the important information I have derived from your letter and its enclosures. Your good offices and humane interposition in favour of the poor kidnapped blacks, that were most inhumanly stolen away from this city and its suburbs, in the of and July, 1825, -call forth the deen and humble thanks of their afflicted parentsand friends, and will be duly appreciated by all benevolent and well disposed citi-. zens. I shall immediately communicate with Duncan S. Walker, Esquire, as ysu desire; in relation to this matter, with a full determination, (so far as I am able,) to develope the.

of this infernal plot, by the means of which, a great number of free born children, during several years past, have bten seduced away and kidnapped, principally, and almost wholly as I believe, by a gang of desperadoes, whose haunts and head quarters are now known to have been, on the dividing line between the states of Delaware and Maryland, tow down on the peninsula, between Delaware and Chesapeake bays. The local situation of the country afforded them great facilities in carrying oh this most iniquitous, traf-. nek, the bond and the free, have been equally subject of their rapacity numbers of slaves have been stolen from Maryland and Virginia, and carried to the southern and more western states for sale. Messrs. Hamilton and Henderson, of Rocky Spring, in your state, ab'iut a year ngo, arrested a gang of kidnapped children and blacks, whos were 9tolen from this city and Delaware, in August, 125.

Subsequently to th batch to which Peter Hook belonged, they were fortunately stopped before they were sold by the agent who had them in possession, and by the noble conduct of the gentlemen before mentioned, were forwarded to this city and safely returned to their friends, except one-who was cruelly muniered near Rocky (whipped and beaten to death.) as the survivors larevby a'cer-tain Eben'ezer Johnson, the brother of Joe 'John-s6n, spoken by the boy Pter Hook. R. Stock-- ton, Esq. the Attorney General of your state, is I thiiik fully possessed of the ''details of the horrid do-; ings of this case of robbery; The warrants of Governor Schultz for their reclamation-as fugitives' '1'he following letter written to the hon. Joseph Watson, mayor of the city of Philadelphia, by our much respected fellow-citizeni, David Holmes, late governor of this state, and Joseph E.

Davis, Esq which we copy from the American Daily Advertiser shows the intereft these gentlemen have taken in the transactions which are the subject of these remarks. Natchez, December 23, 1826. Dear Sir The enclosed statement of a most rnel aud complicated piece of villainy, was accidentally discovered by the servant of Mr. Holmes, (late governor of this state,) and afterwards taken down by D. S.

Walker, Esq. a gentleman of the bar, whose professional services we have thought it advisable to engage, and whose note we herewith send you. Public justice requires that prompt measures be taken, to release these unfortunate persons, and if possible to punish the aggressors. Aware of the benevolent feelings of the Philadelphians, and the readiness with which the public authorities would be exerted in the cause of humanity, we have not hesitated to institute an inquiry for their relief. Some creditable persou or persons will have to be sent out for the purpose of identifying those people, and to prove their condition, he residence of many of these persons are unknown to us, but it is believed they may be all found upon search.

biuce this statement, was made out, the woman, Lydia Smith, has been brought to this city, and sold as a slave measures are now taking to have her secured against further removal. We are. respectfully, your obedient servants. David Holmes, J. E.

Davis. The Hon. Joseph Watson, Mayor of th eiiy ot Philadelphia. The following is a report of the mayor connected with the subject of the atiove letter. ajov's Office, Philadelphia, 22d, January, 18-27.

The annexed extracts, are from a letter artel its enclosures, which I have just received from the honorable David Holmc9, and J. Dayis, Esq. of Natchezthey dis lose another most cruel and outrageous aggression committed on the tion to it was of a very feeble character and that hn "jreHensinns are to ne entertained as tome fassage of such a' law at the next session. The inactions which have led us at this time to refer to remarks! will we hone convince every "jKityruisQn, lllfnf the state, of the necessity of prohibiting of slaves within its limits, except-the application of it to our positive and settled or those who areabout to become imch. It 1 Ue we have a Jaw prohibiting certain descriptor slaves from being brought into the state, J''y inefficient and difficult of execution.

1 tasi session of the criminal court of this was made to carry the law into ope a( individuals implicated in the Wfc presntccl by the 'grand jury, and i asftinsuhfmiand though i he worthy mayor of Philadelpbia, is mista ken in the meamng of theletter wHtien by Gomuor-Ho'mesand J. Esqwlien they suy.thrv"' have engaged the professional services 1. Walker, Esq. xMr has not. receive hor will he accept any compensation for the- services-he may render in his-benevolent Uiideitakiiig.

'Jv--, A' Narrative vf Lydid. Smiih: Says she was born in Delaware, Eighteen mitfs from Bridgewel! the'iTwt belonged to Clement Boss', and rifterwarcls; to Governor Collins as his was entitled to. freedom fit Sil now 3 'years that she lived for-sometinla with Gary Hitch, wlio' married Ross' daugh- ami by (eir council R. H. Adams tei! B' Ksq'rsj before Judge Winches-ttr' t0 the presentment the 'Sw of argument and foe eloquence of the cooii..