tely, was accomplished on
the very day that the purchaser of the woman and child left Washington,
with a coffle of ten or twelve coloured persons, with whom he had just
returned from Maryland.[29] The court having examined them, placed them
in safe custody for further examination at the ensuing summer session,
so that time could be had for procuring the requisite testimony from
Delaware. For defraying the expense of accomplishing this purpose, and
of prosecuting the suits, a subscription was drawn up by Francis T. Key,
esq. who volunteered his own services as attorney, gratis, as did also
J. B. Caldwell, and J. B. Lear, Esqs. The subscription was commenced by
general Van Ness; the heads of the executive departments of the
government, with but rare exception; several gentlemen of the senate and
house of representatives, and the mayor and citizens of Washington
generally, (possessors of slaves as well as others,) to whom application
was made, joined in the contribution. I was highly gratified to meet
with this practical evidence, that the disposition to extend the hand of
relief to abused _African_ strangers, is not at the present period, by
any means confined exclusively to the limits of a solitary religious
society. Between one and two hundred dollars having been collected,[30]
I proceeded myself to the state of Delaware; and having travelled from
Wilmington to Lewestown and Georgetown, returned with unequivocal proof
of the legal right of the captives to their liberty, which was
accordingly restored to them by the court at the ensuing June session.

68. One of the attornies having addressed letters to several respectable
citizens of Delaware, for the purpose of obtaining information
respecting the correctness of the statements of the captives, an answer
was received relative to the female, of which the following is an
extract:--

69. "Your letter of the 30th ult. I received by yesterday's mail, and am
happy to find the unfortunate negro woman is once more rescued from the
fangs of the ----s and others, as vile a banditti as ever were permitted
to disturb the peace of society. The statement by ---- [the woman] is no
doubt true. This poor creature was rescued from the ----s some time last
winter, and seems in the case which occurred then, as well as that which
you relate, to have been saved by an almost miraculous intervention. The
----s stand now indicted for taking her off last winter.--Their gang is
numerous, daring-