The National Republican And Ohio Political Register

On the 20th ultimo, we published from a Vincennes paper an account of a gang of kidnappers carrying off, from the vicinity of that place, a free man of colour by the name of Jack Butler, together with his wife and six children, all born free. This man served out his time with general Harrison, and for six years past has been living rent free on a farm belonging to the general. It will be seen in a subsequent column, that Gen. H. with a magnanimity that does him honor, has offered a reward of three hundred dollars for the rescue of the blacks, and the conviction of the villains, who from the lust of avarice, at one fell swoop, dragged a family consisting of eight persons into slavery.

Is there not some chosen curse,
Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven,
Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the wretch
Who steals and robs and trades in human flesh!

CURTIUS.

Extract of a letter to Gen. W. H. Harrison from his son, dated
"Vincennes, June 3, 1823.

"My Dear Father—

"On the night of the 23d ult. a party of Kidnappers went to the house of Jack Butler, and succeeded in taking off Jack, his wife and six children, two boys and four girls.—I did not hear of this atrocious crime having been committed until late in the afternoon of the following day, and it was some time in the night before the course they had taken was ascertained.—It was then by a number of circumstances reduced almost to a certainty that they had been taken down the river by three villains who came to this place from Vandalia some weeks before. Their names are Doctor Baird, Benjamin Myres, and a man calling himself Welsh. They purchased a skiff on the 22d ult. and on the afternoon of the 23d. they left here as they stated, for Shawneetown, went down a few miles and returned during the night and seized their unsuspecting prey.

"So soon as I was made acquainted with the facts, I immediately started a Mr. Osburn in pursuit by land. He has just returned without having been able to apprehend the scoundrels, or reclaim the poor blacks. When he arrived at Shawneetown he learned that the skiff had passed six hours before his arrival. He endeavored without success to raise a party to continue the pursuit. With a few exceptions, the citizens were deaf to the calls of this poor family.

"To you, poor Jack will look for assistance, and if he can be heard of, there can easily be a party raised in this place, to go and bring him and family back."

To the Editors of the National Republican.

The letter of which the above is an extract, was received by the last Vincennes mail. I send it to you for publication, as the most effectual means of getting a knowledge of the atrocious act to which it refers, more speedily diffused through the states and territories of the Mississippi. And I request all editors of newspapers in that country, to publish it, together with this note, as soon as possible. Besides what may be offered by the Governor of Illinois for the purpose, I will give one hundred and fifty dollars for the safe delivery of the villains who perpetrated this outrage upon humanity, to any jail in Illinois, or fifty dollars for each of them; and I will give the additional sum of fifty dollars on the conviction of each, making in the aggregate one hundred dollars for each, provided the punishment is capital, or extending to a confinement of not less than ten years in the penitentiary.

It is probable that Baird and his associates, by a forgery of papers, will set up a claim to these negroes. But I pledge myself for their being free. Jack Butler the man belonged to a respectable farmer in Washington co. Ky from whom he ran away in the year 1801, and came to Vincennes. His master pursued him, and having apprehended him was about to take him home, when on the solicitation of the negro, I purchased him for the sum of four hundred dollars, upon his agreement to serve me twelve years. This he faithfully performed, and was discharged in 1813. His wife, whom he married during the time that he was my servant, was a daughter of a free woman of the name of Mary Cauty, who then, and had for years before, resided in Vincennes. I do not know from whence the mother originally came, but she could not have been a native of any of the United States, as she spoke no English—herself and family using altogether the French language. After Jack was discharged from my service, he lived in Vincennes, until the year 1816; and from that time until he was taken away he remained on a small farm of mine on the Illinois side of the Wabash, which I permitted him to occupy in consideration of his faithful services to me. From the foregoing statement—for the truth of which I pledge myself—it must be evident that there can be no claim upon either himself or his family, which would affect their liberty;—and that any papers that are produced to support such claims must be forgeries. My friends, Governor Robertson of Louisiana, Leake of Mississippi and Miller of Arkansas, will, I am persuaded, do any thing in their power to rescue these victims of villainy and avarice, from their illegal bondage; and I ask the same favor of all my acquaintances, throughout the Mississippi country, the officers of the army in particular I will pay any reasonable expense that may be incurred in effecting their liberation, as well as for their passage home. Should they be brought back by water, I request that they may be delivered to Gen. R. Evans, or Col. E. Harrison, of Evansville, Indiana, upon whose certificate the amount of their passage will be paid, either by myself or my son, J. C. Harrison, of Vincennes.

WM. H. HARRISON.

North Bend, 27th June, 1823.