MGJ Postal History

A rare find. Cover is in excellent condition and has full Lowell Massachusetts date postmark cancel of rare Scott 25A stamp. Full backflap. Cover was opened cleanly at right. No contents.

The Honorable G. P. Osgood was an Andover politician who was known to take a stand in matters regarding slavery. Seth Thomas was a government lawyer who argued the case noted below. Because there is no content to the SFL, we do not know if this is the what Osgood is communicating to Thomas about. However, the time period is about right.

Colonel Suttle of Virginia claims that Anthony Burns is his slave, that Burns escaped to Massachusetts and that Burns owes him service and labor. Under the terms of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, he is petitioning the court for a certificate to reclaim Burns and transport him back to Virginia. Burns' lawyers argue that the Bill of 1850 is too recent to hold unqualified authority, that it has elicited conflicted decisions and dicta in other cases, and that it is unconstitutional because it gives records of the Virginia Court effects not permitted by the Constitution. What is more, it prevents the possibility of trial by jury, violates article four of the Constitution by which persons are protected against unreasonable seizures and article five, which states that no one shall be deprived of liberty without due process of the law. They also claim that there is no evidence to prove that the defendant is the Anthony Burns in question.

Nice full black postmark with printed PAID 3 (Paid 3 also appears in manuscript at lower left of cover). Sent by J. D. Sturtevant, agent, to A. D. Lockwood in Danielsville Connecticut. Note comments that they received 11 bags of waste and no bill and asks Lockwood to send a bill.

Extremely clean printed notice from the Wiscasset clerk (E. B. Bowman) to the constables of the Town of Warren directing them to notify "freeholders and other inhabitants to vote in the choice of Representatives, and particularly the Selectmen and Town Clerk, to assemble, six days, at least, and not more than twenty days before the time for holding the Court hereafter mentioned, at a certain place, there by you made known, to appoint as the law directs, by drawng out of the box one good and lawful man of the said Town of Warren of like qualification and good moral character to serve as Traverse Juror at the Supreme Judicial Court of this state..." See scans for entire document. Signatures include Bowman; George Reed, Traverse Juror; and C. B Fisher, constable of Boothbay. The postmark is an error postmark listed in ASCC. Strong blue Wiscassett postmark along with lighter large numeral 5 rate mark.