in the course of his address discussed the subject of negro slavery as being, according to his judgment, and the direction of his conscience, as a national sin, detrimental to the true interest of the nation and individuals, and awfully offensive in the sight of Almighty God. As well as the numbers can be computed from the evidence, his address was delivered to from three to five thousand whites, and to from two to three or four hundred blacks. His introductory prayer at the throne of grace was fraught with petitions for the happiness, the security, protection and conversion of his congregation. The general scope of his sermon was a call to all to repent and seek the pardon of their sins; and to prevent all possible misunderstanding among the whites, as to his motives, and to suppress the least thought of insubordination among the blacks, the close of his address on that subject was particularly directed to the latter, in which he enforced the necessity of obedience to their masters, resignation to their condition, of conversion, of religion, of joining their pious masters in prayer, that by getting an interest in the merits of the Redeemer they would be happy in this world and happy in that day when the Lord should judge the quick and the dead: and yet a Grand Jury in this enlightened age of the Christian Church, with a full understanding of this matter, thought it was right to find the following indictment a true bill, and put the preacher upon his trial for the monstrous offence of maliciously and wickedly endea vouring to incite the slaves of Maryland to insurrection and rebellion in the state. The accused thought

it his duty to embrace his legal privilege of removing the indictment to Frederick county, where he has been acquitted, and where the Jury who tried him were convinced of his innocence, even before his counsel commenced their arguments.

[The arguments of the counsel are taken from their notes.]

STATE OF MARYLAND, WASHINGTON COUNTY, S5. To Daniel Schnebly, Esq. Sheriff of Washingcounty.

WHEREAS Doctor Frederick Dorsey, Doctor William Hammond, and David G. Yost, of said county, this day made oath before us Christopher Burckhartt and Jacob Schnebly, two of the justices of the peace in and for said coanty, that on the sixteenth day of this present month, at the Camp-meeting on the plantation of Colonel Jonas Hogmire, of this county, a certain Jacob Gruber, a Methodist preacher from Pennsylvania, did feloniously consult, conspire, and attempt with certain free negroes, mulatoes, and slaves, unknown to the said Frederick Dorsey, William Hammond, and David G. Yost, to raise an insurrection and rebellion in the state aforesaid, contrary to the act of Assembly in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the state of Maryland.

THESE are therefore to authorise and require

you, that you forthwith bring the said Reverend Jacob Gruber, before us, or some other justice of the peace for said county, to find sufficient sureties for his personal appearance at the next court, to be held for said county, on the third Monday of November next, to be dealt with agreeably to law. Given under our hands and seals this nineteenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.

CHRISTOPHER BURCKHARTT, [SEAL.]
JACOB SCHNEBLY,

[SEAL.]

STATE OF MARYLAND, WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on this thirty-first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, Jacob Gruber, a travelling preacher, and Robert Wilson, of the county aforesaid, and Jeremiah Mason, of the same place, came before me the subscriber a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, and acknowledged themselves to owe to the state of Maryland, TO WIT: The said Jacob Gruber one hundred dollars-and the said Robert Wilson the sum of fifty dollars-and the said Jeremiah Mason the sum of fifty dollars, good and lawful money; to be respectively made and levied of their several goods and chattels, lands and tenements, to the use of said state of Maryland, if the said Jacob Gruber shall fail in performing the condition under written.

Acknowledged before me,

ROBERT M'CULLOH.

THE CONDITION of this recognizance is such, That if the above bounden Jacob Gruber, shall personally appear at the next court in Hagers-Town, for the aforesaid county, on the third Monday in November next, to do and receive what shall then and there be enjoined on him by the court, then this recognizance shall be void, or else remain in its full force.

STATE OF MARYLAND, WASHINGTON COUNTY, SS. I HEREBY certify that the foregoing warrant and recognizance are truly taken from the origi

nals, filed in my office. IN TESTIMONY whereof I have hereto subscribed my name [SEAL.] and affixed the seal of Washington county court, of the state aforesaid, this twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and eighteen.

O. H. WILLIAMS, CPK W. C. C.

Maryland.

LETTER TO THE PUBLISHER.

REV. MR. MARTIN,

AS you are about to publish my trial, which has been considered a new thing under the sun, I think it my duty to state a few things to you, which you may publish if you think proper, for the information of those who are anxious to see and hear old and new things.

My father and
I received my

I am a native of Pennsylvania. mother were both born in that state. education there. I experienced religion there, &c. I learned to read the HOLY SCRIPTURES when I was a little boy. It was then a custom to read them in schools, which is not now the fashion in some parts. I will put down a few passages which I read, and they are still in the Bible; but you and the public may determine how far maour great and little people conform unto

ny of

them.

The law of God says, Exodus xxi. 16. He that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. Again, Deut. xxiv. 7. If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandize of him, or selleth him, then that thief shall die. Thou shalt not kill-thou shalt not steal. This law, in the comprehension of the Israelites, solely prohibits man-theft-detaining persons in perpetual bondage. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. No man can elaim and possess a slave as property, until he has virtually sworn, that men, women and children, are brutes. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, &c. Exodus xx. 13. Again, it is written, Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, nor rob him, Leviticus xix. 13. Thou shalt not op press him who is poor and needy, lest he cry against