He then referred to the case of alleged kidnapping at Chamberlain’s, and the feeling in the neighborhood which grew out of it. While this feeling existed, Kline, after having spent a day and two nights in the neighborhood, hanging about taverns and exhibiting himself abroad at unusual hours, made his descent upon the family of Parker under cover of the night. The whole affair had a kidnapping aspect. “The persons that saw this company of armed men surrounding this house of a negro supposed to be free, and held at bay by those within, might well suspect them to be kidnappers.” He reviewed carefully the whole evidence, and by the circumstances proven, argued the absence of combination, which must be sustained by two witnesses. Every act of Hanway’s could be explained and was explained by attributing to him humane and philanthropic motives. Any other construction was forced and unsupported by testimony. “Instead of being guilty of treason, there is no reasonable ground for imputing even impropriety to him. Never indeed was such a prosecution founded upon evidence so meagre, or such a charge seriously made, that would be so foolish if it were not that the subject is so serious.” Mr. L. then commented upon the law of treason, and in a masterly argument occupying seven pages of the printed report, fully elucidated to the jury the legal theory on the subject.
Mr. Brent followed Mr. Lewis. He began his remarks by reference to the oft-mooted question of counsel for the prosecution. He and Mr. Cooper were there by authority of the general Government, and he complained of the statements which had been made in the public prints and elsewhere of the difficulties which had arisen in their own camp. He said “there was an unfortunate question of etiquette between the learned gentleman (Mr. J. W. Ashmead,) and myself (Mr. Brent,) which upon my arrival in the city was fairly and honorably adjusted between us.”
The State of Maryland could not take the reports of the trials from the public newspapers. This man might be acquitted honorably, yet _she_ would not know it or _believe_ it, and his duty was to inform the citizens of Maryland officially of what had taken place. They did not, as had been stated, thirst for blood; and he complained at length of the insults that had been offered him and his State, by those counsel for the defence, who had animadverted upon the extraordinary array of counsel for the prosecution. He then, “before discussing the legal merits of the question at issue, attempted to depict the condition of the South,” and went into an elaborate history of the Fugitive Slave Law, with an enumeration of the rights and privileges guarantied by its provisions to slaveholders. After this, he spoke of the Union, and the duties of each citizen towards his Government.