Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/599

 HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

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��1841, three colored persons came to his house on their wa}' to freedom — a woman and her two daughters. His brother-in-law, William Woods, and himself took them to Mansfield, and left them with ]\Ir. Elmminger a few hours, while they attempted to get other friends of the cause to help them along. In this they were not successful, and not willing to leave them where their ene- mies might discover them, they resorted to the device of buying a load of flour of a Mr. Ba- sore, who lived near Lucas, stipulating that the tlour was to be delivered in Oberlin. They paid Mr. Basore $3 to carry their " chattels " to Oberlin on his load. He would not take them from the Wiler House, being Democratic in his views, but received them at the covered l^ridge outside of town, and delivered both flour and negroes at 01)erlin in due time. The flour was sold at a net profit of $5, and after paying Mr. Basoi'e, the Abolitionists pocketed !|2 clear profit.

As the Antislavery movement continued, men began to read, think and hear lectures on the subject. In 1842, Leicester King was candi- date for Governor of Ohio. He received four votes in Springfield Township. These were cast by Andrew Wood, Sr., Mathew Mitchell, Henry Crabbs and Joseph Roe.

In 1844, James (Jr. Burney received several votes in the township for President. In the spring of 1845, a minister came into the neigh- borhood and preached in a schoolhouse, taking, for his text the remark made by Joseph when ill prison to the butler and baker, requesting them to remember him when they should be restored : '' For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that the}^ should put me into a dungeon." As was the custom of those da3'S, church members were anxious to put down heresies, and this sermon lieing considered of that character, certain persons were inclined to mob the preacher and his audience. They made • a gi'eat noise about the church, and used their

��knives freely on the saddles and bridles of the worshipers. A young man b}' the name of Basset — a tinner in Ontario — went to Mansfield and procured a warrant of Squire Wise, for the arrest of one of' the deacons of the Presbyter- ian Church of J*leasant Hill ; also a member and his son, belonging to the same church. Before the case was called, Mr. Roe visited, and stated the facts to, Squire Wise, and soon after, the deacon also called on the Squire and asked if he was an Abolitionist.

" No," sa3'S the Squire.

'• Well, then," said the deacon, '^ all I am sorry for is, that we did not egg them well."

The trial lasted two days ; I. J. Allen ])eing counsel for the State, and Hon. Columbus Delano, of Mount Vernon, for the defense, It was hotly contested. Delano said he hoped God would permit such preachers to preach on until all the North became convinced of the gi-eat evil, and put it out of existence — that it was a low, mean act of his clients, but not a viola- tion of the statute, and they could not be fined.

A minister was present at the trial, and such was the feeling, that whenever an}- slur was cast on the Abolitionists, he cheered with the majorit}'. After two daj's' hard fighting, the three were fined. Mr. Allen charged nothing for his services in this case, but a purse was raised for him. Mr. Delano's course elevated him very much in the estimation of Mr. Roe and others holding the same views.

Many slaves availed themselves of the very low fare on the undergTOund railway. They were furnished transportation free, and clothing also, if needed. Uncle John Finney is a large man ; and when he was thoroughly aroused and left the Whig party, it lost a host in him- self His account of the enemy's attempt to storm his battery in Jul}-, 1848, and of the assistance he received from ft-iends of the cause, is trul}- graphic.

In January, 1858. a colored man came from New Orleans. The weather was extremelv cold.

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