Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-12-27
srEEcH OF Mn. nRESr.

as accurate view of the whole case and our
limits will permit.
SPEECH OF Mr. BREST.
What is the duty of the general govern.
menjs II IL TO enforce the laws of the I'm
ion. II is the solemn obligation of that gen
ernl government to see every law executed
and 1T they do not, they are rccreant to their
duty. Congress has n complete and final
Jurisdiction, aud no State eau oppose it. III,
therefore, Congress has said that u citizen of
tie South can come into the North and get
bis slave, and the North is to deliver up such
fugitive, the man who does not nssist when
called upon is n disloynl citizen. The Leg
islnturo of your State cannot nhsolvo n mun
rom netting his part in the iurthernnce of
the Constitution. ! offer this in view of the
testimony of man who was called to the
stand to prove that the defendant was 10y
al citizen, who proclaimed from that stand
that he reserved a right-d right-to disohey
the laws ofCongrcss and the Constitution of
the United States. | say that the general
government has q right TO summon that man
as one of n posse comitdiuS to assist in the eX-
ecution of the laws. Let me read you tho
oct of Congress on that subject. lie read
The Compromise Act)
70 il gives The Commissioner the power to
delegate to any person he chooses the power
and the najesty of the u. s. Governments
From what point do the gentlemen take
their course, and direct their longitude? by
n direct violation of The act of Congress; for
it says that bystauder, upon being asked
must nssiSt. Ii takes from him, by refusal,
the reputation of being good citizen. How
do the defence get out Of this? Why, they
say the law don't inilict Il penalty. Con-
grcss never supposed that Hanaway and
Lewis would refuse TO assist in executing
the process of tic general government in
one ycar after the passage of that act. What
is the excuse? Conscience is an excuse for
an American citizen TO disobey the laws II
an unjust or wicked law is passed, there is
hut one rcmedy-to change il by majority
OF the people, who make the laws. Ii this
paramount doctrine of conscience is rcceiv-
ed, what will he the result? The United
States will not he allie to execute civil pro-
cess without an army to sustain her officers.
This man did not stand by, merely passive.
would have thought more of the defend.
ant and Elijah Lewis il they had put on
their armOr and marched on win the color
ed persons. They would then have been
heroes in their way, though attempting ia
nuliiy the act of the government. A nnn
who would ncite them with speeches and
10y gesture, has done worse-he has become
mennly cOnspiraiOr. shall argue, in the
first instance, that it cannot be presumed tha
the United States could bring direct evidenc,
from an infected neighborhood. Ii is not tC
he expected that we can find, in that horde
one voluntary witness. Because none havt
witnessed their congregations, can we no
prove n reasonable combinaiions II yo,
see n swollen stream, running from ih,
mountain, leaping along as ifa delugc wa
pouring its waters along lis channel, do yol
! not know that at its source the SHOWS hav,
melted, aud the rains have descended? How
then, can you mistake the cause which i'm
PEELED those ntiIriated blacks 10 their acts o
violence and b!oodshed?
Therefore, say TO you, great MS the con
sequences are, though your verdict may ndt
10 the fire that now already blazes in OH
political edifices, yet you are not responsible
for the consequences ifyou. bnsc your deci
sion on truth and Justice. I'll show you, gen
tlenen, the opinion of able jurists, that TN
great purpose of bringing persons 10 justice
is 10 preserve inviolate the glorious insttu
uoHS VI om CouPug' iHS uNiHHidnl lh
come into this Court with shield TO whicl
you must he insensible. never seen in
capital case the wife permitted to stay by he
husband. have feelings, deep, profound
for the Hfieclionate wife of the prisoner. Blu
what have we TO do with that? What ha
justice to do with that? regret aud dc
plore that his wife is called upon to partnk
of the bitter fruits ofthe seeds her hnsban,
has sown TO the winds. Why did he leav
the arms of that devoted wife to lead hnn'
of murderers; n gang of misereants? Ar
we 10 be told thai this prisoner is not TO hav
justice meted out 10 linn because he has
devoted trasiy partner?
Have not criminals gone before Cuisine
Runaway 10 the scaffold with friends aroun
them, and with the tenrs Of heart-stricke
wives? Has Edward Gorsuch no wife
deplore the loss of the lover Of her youth an
the prop of her old age? ] say, that the de
fendant declared his willingness TO be trie
! by "God and his country" No true hearte