Indictment for Sedition
10/18/1799
Transcript
In the Circuit Court of the United States in and for the Pennsylvania district of the Middle CircuitThe Grand Inquest of the United States of America for the Pennsylvania District upon their respective oaths and affirmations do present that Benjamin Meyer and Conrad Fahnestock late of the same district Yeoman being ill disposed persons designing and intending to vilify and defame the government of the United States and the administration of justice therein and to cause it to be believed that the Judicial Courts of the said United States was actuated by unlawful motives and not by the duty imposed on them by the Constitution of the United States aforesaid and thereby to weaken and diminish the authority of the said court and excite opposition against the same on the twenty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine at the County of Dauphin in the District aforesaid wickedly and maliciously did print and publish and cause to be printed and published in a certain newspaper then and there in the German language and called Unpartheyische Harrisburg Zeitung which German words signify The Impartial Harrisburg Newspaper the false scandalous contemptuous and malicious words matters and things following that is to say Capt. John Fries Die Constitution der Vereinigten Staaten sagt Hochverrath soll nur darein bestehen wenn man krieg gegen dieselben erklaret oder ihren feinden anhanget und sie
Unterstutzet which german words signify the Constitution of the United States says High Treason shall consist only in levying war against the same or in aiding & abetting their enemies. Dies wurde den 30 sten April 1790 durch ein acte de Congresses erklaret dass wann eine person die Zuden Vereinigten Staaten von America gehoret krieg gegen dieselben erklaret oder ihren feinden anhanget und unterstutzet inden Vereinigten Staaten oder Andersivo und davon uberweisen wird soll des hochverrath schuldig seyn und den Tod Leiden which German words signify This was declared by an Act of Congress of the thirtieth of April one thousand and seven hundred and ninety That if any person owing allegiance to the United States should levy war against the same or aid and abet their enemies within the United States or anywhere else such person should upon conviction be adjudged guilty of High treason and suffer death. Captain Fries ist angeklagt und wir [was foun guilty?] erkant worden fur dieses verbrechen!!! which german words signify Captain John Fries meaning a certain John Fries of the county of Bucks in the district aforesaid Yeoman who before the said twenty first day of May in the year aforesaid had been indicted by the grand Inquest of the same district of the crime of Treason in levying war against the said United States and thereof duly convicted, was accused and we are informed has been convicted of
this offense (meaning the offense of Treason against the said United States) - Aber was hat Fries gethen Antwort Erhat mit einer anzahl manner dem unter Marschall [?] burger [?] zee Bethlehem welche nicht zugeben wellen dass ihre hauser gemessen und fenster schieben durch die federal assessors gezalt warden solten dessen Amazonische weiber die hauser tax law fur [?] Ruckend hielten und durch heisses wasser gegen dir Vereinigten Staaten krieg erklaret wofur Captain Fries diese manner und ihre weiber durch eine gewisse parthey der hochverrath schuldig erklaret warden Mein Gott was wird endlisch nicht von den Tories fur hochverrath erklaret warden which German words signify But what has Fries done (the same John Fries meaning) Answer He (the same John Fries meaning) with a number of officers took from the deputy Marshall (meaning the deputy of the Marshall of the same district) at Bethlehem several citizens who would not consent that their houses should be measured and the panes of glass in their windows counted by federal assessors (meaning the assessors appointed by virtue of the Act of Congress entitled An Act to provide for the valuation of lands and dwelling houses and the enumeration of slaves within the United States) whose Amazonian wives considered the house tax law (meaning the Act of Congress entitled An Act to levy
and collect a direct tax within the United States) as oppressive and with hot water levied war against the United States for which Captain Fries (the said John Fries meaning) these men and their wives are by a certain party declared guilty of treason (meaning thereby that the said conviction of John Fries aforesaid was the result of party motives and not founded upon the laws of the land) My God what will not the Tories (meaning the Judges who presided at the said trial of the said John Fries and ^the^ Jurors who convicted him as aforesaid) finally declare to be treason. Die erst untersuchung solte seyn was ist die strafe nach der Americanischen gesetzen gegen das verbrechen womit die personen welche Fries von dem Marschall [?] hat? Ist dieses eine krieg erklarung gegen die Vereinigten Staaten oder [?] ihrer feinde saget mein freunden [?] Constitution Ist ein [?] voll heisses wasser auf einen assessors schutten [?] [?] [?] wenigerung meine fenster schieben zahlen oder mein haus zee messen und [?suchen] zee lassen hochverrath Gerechtigkeit behut Gesunde vernunft behut [?] Ist tyrannische genug solches zu behaupten wahrlich John Fries ein verbrechen kan nicht grossen seyn als [?] die er [?] [?] [?] hat [?] heisses wasser auf die assessors [?] er hat ihren auch nicht [?] seine [?] auf [?] sein haus [?] [?] zee [?]
und die fenster schieben zee zahlen mein erhat [?] gewisse personen aus den[?] eine [?] der presidenten [?] die wegen dies er anklage gefangen waren und wir horan er sey [?] des hochverrath uber [?]!!! which german words signify The first enquiry should be what is the punishment by the American laws for the crime with which the people whom Fries (the said John Fries meaning) rescued from the Marshall (meaning the said Marshall of the district aforesaidâ\u0080\u0094Is this crime a levying of war against the United States or is it abetting their enemies? Tell me friends of the Constitution Is it High Treason in me to empty a wassel of hot water on an assessor or to refuse my consent to his counting the glass in my windows or to his measuring or searching my house Forbid it Justice. Good Jesus forbid it. Who is tyrannical enough to maintain that it is? Verily John Fries's crime (meaning the offense of which the said John Fries had been legally convicted as aforesaid) cannot be greater than the crimes of those whom he rescued. He (the said John Fries meaning) poured no hot water on the assessors (meaning the aforesaid assessors under the Act of Congress aforesaid) neither did he (the said John Fries meaning) oppose their opening his doors searching or measuring his house or counting the panes of glass in his windows No he (the said John Fries meaning) only took certain persons who had been arrested on a charge of having done these things out
of the hands of one of the President's officers (meaning the Marshall aforesaid) and we hear that he (the said John Fries meaning) has been actually convicted of high treason. Ist Captain Fries des hochverratts schuldig [?] [?] die alten weiber und ihre manner welche [?] [?] wichtigen heissen wasser Expedition theil [?] haben schuldig. Herren Drucker [?] [?] schuldig aber [?] was? hochverratt!!! O Zeiten O [?] was sagt aber die Englisch Law [?] [?] und was sagt die Law de Congress. [?] [?] [?] haben die constitution [?] [?] unter [?]. wir auch richter Iredell? Die constitution sagt nichts sey hochverratt [?] dies ein [?] krieg gegen dasselbe [?] erklaren oder ihren feinden [?] die solchen krieg erklaren. Sir W. Blackstone sagt in sienen Commentarium p. 131. Rescueâ\u0080\u0094ist gerwaltthatiger und [?] [?] [?] einen menschen [?] von einen arrest oder gefangenschaft [?] [?] [?] [?] aben dasselbe verbrechen gehalten in einen freunden der den gefangenen auf solche weise [?] [?] [?] als [?] ein gefang [?] aufscher [?] [?] [?] [?] schen lassen. [?] man einen gefangenen der des hochverratt schuldig ist [?] so soll der so ihre [?] hat als ein solchen gestraft weiden . [?] [?] ein verbrechen fur verbrechen. Der
[?] [?] aber [?] gultig [?] oder [?] gewassen sayr [?] solche [?] [?] kan [?] werden [?] [?] [?] in wahrheit seyr dassein solche [?] gefangen was Die law de Congress sagt [?] [?] [?] einen gefangenen mit gewalt [?] oder [?] [?] [?] ist fur hochverratt [?] oder einig haupt verbrechen ein solche [?] [?] [?] [?] uber wiesen wird nicht der hochverratt schuldig gestraft weiden [?] fur ein [?] nicht uber 500 thaler und gefangenschaft leiden nicht uber ein ganze [?] - which german words signify If Captain Fries (meaning the said John Fries) is guilty of High Treason so likewise are the old women and their husbands who took part in this important hot water expedition [?] Printers they are guilty - but of what? High Treason!!! O Times O [?]. But what says the English Law to this? And what says the laws of Congress (meaning the laws of the said United States) the framers of which had sworn to support the constitution as well as Judge Iredell (meaning the honorable James Iredell one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States who presided in the Circuit Court of the said United States at the said trial of the said John Fries) The Constitution (meaning the Constitution of the said United States) says nothing
shall be High Treason in this country but the levying of war or the abetting of its enemies who are levying war against it. Sir W. Blackstone says in his commentary page one hundred and thirty one Rescue is the violently and knowingly liberating a man from arrest or imprisonment. It is commonly considered as the same offense in a stranger who in such manner lets a prisoner at liberty as in a Jailkeeper who knowingly lets him escape. If a man frees a prisoner who is guilty of High Treason he who has thus freed him shall be punished as such if he is a felon - for felony ^But^ The person liberated must have been previously convicted or sentenced before such liberation can be punished for it might really happen that the prisoner was innocent. The laws of Congress (meaning the Congress of the United States) says on this head If anyone shall force liberate or rescue a person accused of high treason [?] or any capital crime such person shall on conviction not be punished as if guilty of High Treason but shall be fined in a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars and shall suffer imprisonment for not more than one whole year. Diese Law ist so deutlich dass sie [?] [?] [?] Und [?] Fries [?] ist fur hochverratt so ist es nicht [?] Law [?] [?] [?] [?] auf einen [?] [?] [?] [?] ist es auf das wort
(expedient) [?] [?] Ein [?] der die sedition - und [?] [?] [?] [?] in Friedens zeit [?] [?] hat devon die constitution nicht weiss. Und wann der Congress und die Richter die constitution ihren [?] [?] die gesetzen [?] und [?] [?] [?] [?] weit [?] sie gehen [?] den sie ein halten - [?] nicht schuldig erklaret von einen Marschall ischen [?]? Da doch Kriegs erklarung gegen die Vereinigten Staaten oder ihren feinden [?] die [?] [?] und die in dies ein laude fur hochverratt erklaret weiden sollen which german words signify This law is so plain as to need no explanation And if Fries (the said John Fries still meaning) is sentenced for High Treason it cannot have been according to law. His sentence (meaning the Judgment of the said court if it should have been pronounced against the said United States) must rest on another foundation perhaps it is grounded on the word expeditious a ground which has produced the [struck through] Sedition and Alien bills meaning the Act of the Congress of the said United States entitled An Act in addition to the Act entitled An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States. And the Act of the Congress of the said United States entitled An Act concerning Aliens) a standing army in time of peace &c &c of which
The Constitution (meaning the Constitution of the said United States) knows nothing. And if Congress (meaning the Congress of the said United States) and the Judges (meaning the Judges of the Judicial courts of the said United States) pass the bounds prescribed to them by the Constitution (meaning the Constitution of the said United States) by their solemn oath (meaning the official oaths by the Members of the Congress aforesaid & the Judges of the Courts aforesaid respectively taken) by the Laws (meaning the laws of the said United States) by reason and justice how far may they (meaning the Congress and Judges aforesaid) go, when will they (meaning the Congress and Judges aforesaid) stop. Who will not be declared guilty by a Marshall's jury? (meaning thereby that a Jury returned by the Marshall of a district of the said United States would be wickedly and corruptly ready to convict any innocent person charged with offences against the said United States) altho' levying war against the United States or abetting their enemies are the only articles declared to be High Treason in this country.
[in a different handwriting] in contempt of the said United States and the judicial courts thereof to the great scandal and infamy of the Judges and Jurors of the Circuit Court of the said United States in and for the Pennsylvania district to the evil example of others in the like case offending
And against the peace and dignity of the said United States
W Rawls attorney
of the United States for
the Pennsylvania
District
Witnesses
Jonathan Jones affd
William Wallace Esquire
Alexander Graydon Esquire [?]
John Dentzell Esquire [?]
Frederick Youser
John Newman [?]
D Caldwell - Clk. Circ. Ct
[underline] No. 6 [end underline}
Circt. Ct. Octr. 1799.
United States
v
Benjamin Meyer
Conrad Fahnestock
Libel on the
Administration of
Justice
True Bill
John Lardner
Foreman
1799. Octr. 18th. The
Defendts being
severally arraigned
submit to the Court
protesting their
Innocence.
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