Obnoxious Sojourners.
--The man,
John Frost, arrested a few days since for declaring his belief in Black Republicanism, and the immaculacy of
Abraham Lincoln and his pestiferous crew, was carried before the
Mayor yesterday, again.
His Honor took occasion to explain to the prisoner the powers, rights, duties, and ordinances, passed by the sovereign Convention of
Virginia, affecting the political status of the people and their present relation to the
Government of the late
United States of America.
He said the
Convention could make a Constitution for us, or upturn the
Government and erect a new one.
He read the Ordinance of Secession.
The observation of
Frost that no Southern man could go to
Washington, and that
Lincoln could not be removed therefrom — that he was a Black Republican, and did not care who knew it — was calculated to throw distrust on our efforts to free ourselves from the tyranny of that man; and in the attitude at present occupied by the
State, it was giving aid and comfort to the enemy, and was treason.
He felt it to be his duty to remand the prisoner, as one of the guardians of the public safety and peace.
The prisoner solicited his release on the grounds of ignorance of the meaning of the words Black Republican, &c. He was very drunk when he used them.
He could not read — was born and brought up near
Ellicott's Mills, in
Maryland--was a good citizen, and worked prior to his arrest for
Haxall,
Crenshaw & Co. The plea of the prisoner did not avail.
He was sent down as an enemy of the public peace.
A man calling himself
Wm. H. Frear, was also arraigned, charged with being a person of suspicious character--one having feelings and sympathies with the
North.
Mr. John W. Davies testified that he had heard
Frear use words in conversation calculated to produce that impression on his mind.
He had vaunted the superiority in numbers and efficiency of Northern troops, and said that if
Lincoln sent his army into
Virginia the people would be so frightened that they would vote down the Ordinance of Secession, which he alleged was passed by a very small majority.
Frear said what he did was done to put the people on their guard.
He was a resident of
Boydton, Mecklenburg county, Va. Had been to New York on business and returned; had lived seventeen years in the
South; some of his children were born there; he saw the preparation made for the subjugation of the
South, and thought they should be acquainted with the extent to which they had been carried.--Was as good a citizen as anybody.
Could furnish reputable references.
In reply to a question of
Mr. Wm. W. McCreery, he said he was born in New York.
Mr. McC. said F. was an unfaithful scamp, he would not believe him on oath, regarded him as an itinerant Yankee; had boarded at his house, and had been only gotten rid of by the generalship of his (
Mr. McC.'s) wife.
Frear did not see what the testimony just given in had to do with the case.
The generalship of the lady was not in question.
He was a good citizen, and demanded the protection of the
Court from insult.--Was not
Mr. McC.
a Pennsylvanian?
The
Mayor said he believed he was, but he had been in
Richmond to his knowledge for about 40 years. He would observe, however, that because a man was an incorrigible liar it was by no means a reason why he should not be true to the
South.
A liar could take as straight aim with a gun as the most truth-telling man. Any reputable citizens, (as in this case,) had the perfect right, and it was their duty, to exercise the privilege of having suspected parties arrested.
The defendant had not been injured by the proceeding, as he should discharge him.
Mr. Frear called upon the bystanders to take notice that he came when summoned, and had been honorably let off.
