Our city, for a week past, has been thrown into a state of
intense excitement by the appearance of two prowling villains,
named Hughes and Knight, from Macon, Georgia, for the purpose of
seizing William and Ellen Craft, under the infernal Fugitive
Slave Bill, and carrying them back to the hell of Slavery. Since
the day of '76, there has not been such a popular demonstration
on the side of human freedom in this region. The humane and
patriotic contagion has infected all classes. Scarcely any other
subject has been talked about in the streets, or in the social
circle. On Thursday, of last week, warrants for the arrest of
William and Ellen were issued by Judge Levi Woodbury, but no
officer has yet been found ready or bold enough to serve them.
In the meantime, the Vigilance Committee, appointed at the
Faneuil Hall meeting, has not been idle. Their number has been
increased to upwards of a hundred "good men and true," including
some thirty or forty members of the bar; and they have been in
constant session, devising every legal method to baffle the
pursuing bloodhounds, and relieve the city of their hateful
presence. On Saturday placards were posted up in all directions,
announcing the arrival of these slave-hunters, and describing
their persons. On the same day, Hughes and Knight were arrested
on the charge of slander against William Craft. The Chronotype
says, the damages being laid at $10,000; bail was demanded in
the same sum, and was promptly furnished. By whom? is the
question. An immense crowd was assembled in front of the
Sheriff's office, while the bail matter was being arranged. The
reporters were not admitted. It was only known that Watson
Freeman, Esq., who once declared his readiness to hang any
number of negroes remarkably cheap, came in, saying that the
arrest was a shame, all a humbug, the trick of the damned
abolitionists, and proclaimed his readiness to stand bail. John
H. Pearson was also sent for, and came--the same John H.
Pearson, merchant and Southern packet agent, who immortalized
himself by sending back, on the 10th of September, 1846, in the
bark Niagara, a poor fugitive slave, who came secreted in the
brig Ottoman, from New Orleans--being himself judge, jury and
executioner, to consign a fellow-being to a life of bondage--in
obedience to the law of a slave State, and in violation of the
law of his own. This same John H. Pearson, not contented with
his previous infamy, was on hand. There is a story that the
slave-hunters have been his table-guests also, and whether he
bailed them or not, we don't know. What we know is, that soon
after Pearson came out from the back room, where he and Knight
and the Sheriff had been closeted, the Sheriff said that Knight
was bailed--he would not say by whom. Knight being looked after,
was not to be found. He had slipped out through a back door, and
thus cheated the crowd of the pleasure of greeting him--possibly
with that rough and ready affection which Barclay's brewers
bestowed upon Haynau. The escape was very fortunate every way.
Hughes and Knight have since been twice arrested and put under
bonds of $10,000 (making $30,000 in all), charged with a
conspiracy to kidnap and abduct William Craft, a peaceable
citizen of Massachusetts, etc. Bail was entered by Hamilton
Willis, of Willis & Co., 25 State street, and Patrick Riley,
U.S. Deputy Marshal.
The following (says the Chronotype), is a _verbatim et
literatim_ copy of the letter sent by Knight to Craft, to entice
him to the U.S. Hotel, in order to kidnap him. It shows, that
the school-master owes Knight more "service and labor" than it
is possible for Craft to:
BOSTON, Oct. 22, 1850, 11 Oclk P.M.
Wm. Craft--Sir--I have to leave so Eirley in the moring
that I cold not call according to promis, so if you want
me to carry a letter home with me, you must bring it to
the United States Hotel to morrow and leave it in box
44, or come your self to morro eavening after tea and
bring it. let me no if you come your self by sending a
note to box 44 U.S. Hotel so that I may know whether to
wate after tea or not by the Bearer. If your wife wants
to see me you cold bring her with you if you come your
self.