APPENDIX II.

dwhenhewasnot.Thejudgecertifiesthattheslavewaspunishedinthemannerandbythemeanschargedintheindictment.Theindictmentcontainsfifteencounts,andsetsforthacaseofthemostcruelandexcessivewhippingandtorture.... "ItisbelievedthattherecordsofcriminaljurisprudencedonotcontainacaseofmoreatrociousandwickedcrueltythanwaspresenteduponthetrialofSoutherandyetithasbeengravelyandearnestlycontendedherebyhiscounselthathisoffenceamountstomanslaughteronly. "Ithasbeencontendedbythecounseloftheprisonerthatamancannotbeindictedandprosecutedforthecruelandexcessivewhippingofhisownslave.Thatitislawfulforthemastertochastisehisslave,andthatifdeathensuesfromsuchchastisement,unlessitwasintendedtoproducedeath,itislikethecaseofhomicidewhichiscommittedbyamanintheperformanceofalawfulact,whichismanslaughteronly.IthasbeendecidedbythiscourtinTurner'sCase,5Rand.thattheownerofaslave,forthemalicious,cruel,andexcessivebeatingofhisownslave,cannotbeindictedyetitbynomeansfollows,whensuchmalicious,cruel,andexcessivebeatingresultsindeath,thoughnotintendedandpremeditated,thatthebeatingistoberegardedaslawfulforthepurposeofreducingthecrimetomanslaughter,whenthewhippingisinflictedforthesolepurposeofchastisement.Itisthepolicyofthelaw,inrespecttotherelationofmasterandslave,andforthesakeofsecuringpropersubordinationandobedienceonthepartoftheslave,toprotectthemasterfromprosecutioninallsuchcases,evenifthewhippingandpunishmentbemalicious,cruel,andexcessive.Butinsoinflictingpunishmentforthesakeofpunishment,theowneroftheslaveactsathisperilandifdeathensuesinconsequenceofsuchpunishment,therelationofmasterandslaveaffordsnogroundofexcuseorpalliation.Theprinciplesofthecommonlaw,inrelationtohomicide,applytohiscasewithoutqualificationorexceptionand,accordingtothoseprinciples,theactoftheprisoner,inthecaseunderconsideration,amountedtomurder....Thecrimeoftheprisonerisnotmanslaughter,butmurderinthefirstdegree." 2.DeathofHark. Themasteris,aswehaveasserted,protectedfromprosecutionbyexpressenactment,ifthevictimdiesintheactofresistancetohiswill,orundermoderatecorrection. "WhereasbyanotherActoftheAssembly,passedin1774,thekillingofaslave,howeverwanton,cruel,anddeliberate,isonlypunishableinthefirstinstancebyimprisonmentandpayingthevaluethereoftotheowner,whichdistinctionofcriminalitybetweenthemurderofawhitepersonandonewhoisequallyahumancreature,butmerelyofadifferentcomplexion,isdisgracefultohumanity,anddegradinginthehighestdegreetothelawsandprinciplesofafree,Christian,andenlightenedcountry,Beitenacted,&c.,Thatifanypersonshallhereafterbeguiltyofwilfullyandmaliciouslykillingaslave,suchoffendershall,uponthefirstconvictionthereof,beadjudgedguiltyofmurder,andshallsufferthesamepunishmentasifhehadkilledafreeman:Providedalways,thisactshallnotextendtothepersonkillingaslaveoutlawedbyvirtueofanyActofAssemblyofthisState,ortoanyslaveintheactofresistancetohislawfulownerormaster,ortoanyslavedyingundermoderatecorrection." Instanceinpoint— "Fromthe'NationalEra,'Washington,November6,1851. "HOMICIDECASEINCLARKECOUNTY,VIRGINIA. "Sometimesince,thenewspapersofVirginiacontainedanaccountofahorribletragedy,enactedinClarkeCounty,ofthatstate.AslaveofColonelJamesCastleman,itwasstated,hadbeenchainedbytheneck,andwhippedtodeathbyhismaster,onthechargeofstealing.ThewholeneighborhoodinwhichthetransactionoccurredwasincensedtheVirginiapapersaboundedindenunciationsofthecruelactandthepeopleoftheNorthwerecalledupontobearwitnesstothejusticewhichwouldsurelybemetedoutinaslavestatetothemasterofaslave.Wedidnotpublishtheaccount.Thecasewashorribleitwas,wewereconfident,exceptional.Itshouldnotbetakenasevidenceofthegeneraltreatmentofslaves.Wechosetodelayanynoticeofittillthecourtsshouldpronouncetheirjudgment,andwecouldannounceatoncethecrimeanditspunishment,sothatthestatemightstandacquittedofthefouldeed. "Thosewhoweresoshockedatthetransactionwillbesurprisedandmortifiedtohearthattheactorsinithavebeentriedandacquitted!andwhentheyreadthefollowingaccountofthetrialandverdict,publishedattheinstanceofthefriendsoftheaccused,theirmortificationwilldeepenintobitterindignation." "Fromthe'SpiritofJefferson.' "'ColonelJamesCastleman.—Thefollowingstatement,understoodtohavebeendrawnupbycounsel,sincethetrial,hasbeenplacedbythefriendsofthisgentlemaninourhandsforpublication:— "'AttheCircuitSuperiorCourtofClarkeCounty,commencingonthe13thofOctober,JudgeSamuelspresiding,JamesCastlemanandhissonStephenD.CastlemanwereindictedjointlyforthemurderofnegroLewis,propertyofthelatter.Byadviceoftheircounsel,thepartieselectedtobetriedseparately,andtheattorneyfortheCommonwealthdirectedthatJamesCastlemanshouldbetriedfirst. "'Itwasproved,onthistrial,thatformanymonthsprevioust