, and
the present jury was drawn from those quarters. Then, again, I was
regarded as the main culprit,--the only one in the secret of the
transaction; and, as I was already convicted, the feeling against Sayres
was much lessened. In fact, the jury in his case, after an absence of
half an hour, returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY.

The District Attorney, greatly surprised and vexed, proceeded to try
Sayres on another indictment. This trial lasted three days and a half;
but, in spite of the efforts of the District Attorney, who was more
positive, longer and louder, than ever, the jury, in ten minutes,
returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY.

The trials had now continued through nearly four weeks of very hot
weather, and both sides were pretty well worn out. Vexed at the two last
verdicts, the District Attorney threatened to give up Sayres on a
requisition from Virginia, which was said to have been lodged for us,
some of the alleged slaves belonging there, and we having been there
shortly before.

Finally, it was agreed that verdicts should be taken against Sayres in
the seventy-four transportation cases, he to have the advantage of
carrying the points of law before the Circuit Court, and the remaining
larceny indictments against him to be discontinued.

Thus ended the first legal campaign. English was discharged altogether,
without trial. Sayres had got rid of the charge of larceny. I had been
found guilty on two indictments for stealing, upon which Judge Crawford
sentenced me to twenty years imprisonment in the penitentiary; while
Sayres, on seventy-four indictments for assisting the escape of slaves,
was sentenced to a fine on each indictment of one hundred and fifty
dollars and costs, amounting altogether to seven thousand four hundred
dollars. But from these judgments an appeal had been taken to the
Circuit Court, and meanwhile Sayres and I remained in prison as before.

The hearing before the Circuit Court came on the 26th of November. That
court consisted of Chief-Justice Cranch, an able and upright judge, but
very old and infirm; and Judges Morrell and Dunlap, the latter of whom
claimed to be the owner of two of the negroes found on board the Pearl.

My cases were argued for me by Messrs. Hildreth, Carlisle and Mann. The
District Attorney, who was much better fitted to bawl to a jury than to
argue before a court, had retained, at the expense of the United States,
the assistance of Mr. Bradley, one of the ablest lawyer