Abolition Outrage

Aberdeen, Ohio.  Sirs:

 I see an article in yesterday’s Post Boy [a Maysville newspaper], headed “Aberdeen Outrage.”  Now sire, the editors of that paper know nothing about the case.  They have attempted to make the impression that we Aberdeenains are Abolitionists, which is not true.

 The facts of the case are these: Last spring a gentleman moved to our country from South Carolina.  His brother manumits [frees] his slaves at a certain age and sends them here to his brother.

 The man, who had charge of the Negro, had passed through the slave states and had never been molested until he landed on the free soil of Ohio.

 Then, sir, his right to pass was disputed by this man Marvin, for whom the Post Boy has so much sympathy.  Marvin as soon as he noticed a Negro woman in the buggy, marches out and seized the bridle rein of the horse and demanded the Negro to be given up as he believed she was a runaway slave.

 The buggy was surrounded in a few minutes by Marvin’s associates and the man was forced to deliver his charge over to these outlaws.  They took the Negro into Marvin’s whiskey shop and kept her confined under lock and key until night, when they ran her over to your city and placed her in jail.

 What should be done?  Our laws have been violated and disregarded, and an innocent Negro has been kidnapped and place in your jail in the city of Maysville.  Is it not right to bring these kidnappers to trial, for this outrageous crime?

 A crime which the laws of our state shall be punished by confinement in the Penitentiary, not less than three, nor more than five years.

 Now sir, the writer of this is no abolitionist.  Neither does he believe thee is a man in Aberdeen who would secret a fugitive slave.

 The man who had charge of the Negro found his friends to whom the Negro had been sent.  They came into town the same evening or the evening after the Negro had been taken across the river and put up at one of the most respectable hotels (Mr. Minklers).

 Marvin and his associates surrounded the house after dark and ordered Minkler to deliver these men to the mob.  Or, if he did not, they would tear down his house.

 And during the night, fires were built in our own streets, and the alarm of Fire! Was given in order to get up an excitement and entice strangers from the hotel.

 Now, sir, is there an honest man in Kentucky who should sanction such conduct.  Myself and family were frequently alarmed during the night with the hideous yells of these friends of the Post Boy.

 I think in the future the editors of that paper had better ascertain facts before they publish an article which is calculated to injure our good name in your state.

 Yours, Justice

From the Maysville Eagle, August 30, 1851.

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