Up again.
--
Richard Smith, a free negro, who was lately arrested here after being expelled from
Manchester as a dangerous and suspicious darkey, was up again before the
Mayor yesterday, for examination on an application for his release.
Sundry citizens of
Manchester, including
Messrs. Spencer Hancock,
J. B. Vaughn, and
L. M. Burfoot, testified that hearing that Richard and
Jordan Smith had had a treasonable conversation on the day of the
Pawnee excitement, in which the probabilities of the success of an African saturnalia was canvassed, they had repaired to the domicil of
Richard Smith for the purpose of questioning him. Though known to be present, he refused to open the door to admit them; denied all such conversation; refused to put on his shoes and go with them and did many other equally unnecessary things.
The result was, that he was forced to recover his recollection, and receive punishment for his contumacy.
In consequence of finding Northern correspondence in his house, showing him to be a dangerous person, the citizens had banished him from their midst.--He, together with
Jordan Smith, a cousin, was afterwards taken up prowling about the streets of
Richmond.
The observation of
Jordan Smith to his confrere was to the effect that after the soldiers were gone niggers would have more privileges.
Mr. Hancock said that
Richard Smith had been in the penitentiary for helping Red Boot Smith run off negroes.
Mr. Burfoot, to whom was confided the examination of
Smith's papers, found correspondence addressed to him from
Ohio,
Indiana, New York and
Pennsylvania, also, the
Constitution of a sort of Free
Mason's society, drawn up by
Smith himself and sundry letters bitterly inveighing against the institution of slavery, and advising
Jordan to quit his wife because she was a slave, and come to a free State.
The correspondence embraced about one bushel of letters.
Smith's store was thought to be a receptacle for stolen goods, as it was filled with all kinds.
The
Mayor said the letters, &c., might throw some light on a matter pending before him in which the Smiths were concerned, and as
Mr. Burfoot promised to send them over for inspection, he would adjourn the case till next Tuesday.
