Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-04-30

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their bAyonets, referring to Belden's threat that
he could, at any time, produce a thousand armed
men to enforce the Fugitive Slave law.
Mr.. Riddle, having thoroughly ridd2ed the argu'
ment of Judge Bliss for the prosecution, gave way
TO Judge Spaulding, who spoke two hours and q
half on Wednesday afternoon, and on Thursday
was speaking, when my appointments called me
away.
lie is q man Of great experience in the practice
OF the Courts, of extensive reading in the law and
the history Of our government, and at the head of
the Clevelanl bar in age and ability his opinions
and positions assume moro weight in that commu.
nifty than that of the District Court, the Supreme
Court and all the Federal Courts and Administra-
ton combined, and whatever he chose to say or do
before the Court, was done with impunity, though
'sothe of his sayings would, 10 other mouths, |
think, have subjected the speaker to sentence for
contempt of Court.
He commenced by arguing with great strength
and clearhess the "Higher Law" doctrines, and in
reply to Judge Bliss vile sheers at the citizens Of
oberlin as being "IIigher Law men, with peculiar
"politica, proclivities," 'harborers of fugitive
slaves, "opposors to the execution of the laws of
the United States, &c., &c. he said that he had
yet to learn that Obcrlin was to be subjected to diff.
srent laws and discipline from the rest of mankind.
If they were higher law men, he was very glad Of
it; he was himself; all men ought to be, and he
hoped that the whole community and the whole
State was infected with it. Men might sneer at
the Higher Law, but they could not wipe it out or
'evade it; all must recognize it. or be crushed by
st. Napoleon the first, when about to march bis
Imperial army of half u million into Russia. being
told that mar proposed while God disposed,
'sneoringly rspudiated the higher law by saying 81
propose, and | dispose; but when, q few months
after, he fled with a remnant of that great army,
and was soon exiled to an island Of the Mediterau-
can, he found that a power greater than he, a high
or power, disposed of him. Thomas Jefferson rec
ognized the Higher Law when he said II tremble
for my country when l reflect tina. God is just, and
that his justice cannot sleep forever. The Al.
mighty has no attribute that can take sides with
the oppressor."
As to political proclivites'', he would say to
the Court that he was a Democrat, and had always
been one, and worked with the party longer than
either or both Of the gentlemen of the prosecution,
and only left it when the party dill required of
him allegiance to this Fugitive Slave Law, which
he never would yield, and so left the ranks of such
n fallen party. He was a Democrat when, in 1913,
'Juge Bliss, who sneered ut political proclivities',
was q Free Soiler voting for Van Buren, and but
q few years ago, said he, Judge Belden, the Dis
trict Attorney, asked my aid in nominating him
a. candidate for Governor Of this State, on the
ground of his opposition to this very law which
he 10 now enforcing. He has left his integrity for
1his office, for thrift will follow fawning'', and no
man can now hold Office under the Federal Gov.
eminent who does not pledge allegiance to slavery
and this law. Yonr honor could not sit on tha,
bench without the pledge, nor the DISTRICT Attorney
hold his Office. Sensation.
Speaking of the wickedness of tho law, and Of
Bliss romark that it endangered no ono but fugi
tive negroes, he said, that it had no reference to
color; it endangered all our children may be
seized under it, for there, said he is a boy (pointine
to a boy u years old, near the Judges bench, and
who now stood up, that all could seel With fair
complexion, blue eyes, and light, straight hair
who, six months ago, was held as q slave in North
Carolina. and yet his complexion is lighter and
his hair s~traightcr than that of the District Attor,
ney's, (Sensation) and who is safe under this law
If such as he may be sla ives.
The people of Oberlin ara charged with opposi
tion to the laws of the United States. because they
are opposed to this law. But this is not true, and
does not at all follow. | am glad to know thai
they are opposed TO this law they ought to be al
good citizens are, and tho people of Oberlin are
mot peculiar in this. Lot me cite, for instance, the
proceedings Of a meeting of the citizens of this
city in September 1850, soon after the passage oil
this law, and at which a committee reported n
series Of resolutions dsnouncing TIE law in the
strongest terms. which were unanimously adopted.
Upon that Committee was Judge II. V. Wilson,
who now prosides in this Court, (Sensation)
and here are the resolutions: which he then pro
ceedod to read. AS they would take too much Of
your room, l will not give them in full, but only
say that they deuounce the law as "uDauthorized
by the Constitution. hostile to every principle oil
Justice and humanity, fatal to human freedom
repudiating the doctrines Of the Declaration o.
Independence and the principles on which all free
governments rest; unjust, unrighteous, and des
'tructive of the ends of all just governments, wheth
or the act is exercised by one man or q million O.
mon, and we deem it TIE duty Of every good citi
sen to denounce, oppose, and resist the execution
Of said law!
The reading OF these resolutions reported by
Judge Wilson, produced quite a sensation in Court
and the Judge apparently wished that either him
self or his resolutions were just then somewhere
else.
Judge Spaulding then proceeded to argue Al
length, and with great strength, the unconstitu
t%ionali:y Of the law, reading copious extracts from
the Madison papers, the debates of the State Con
~sentions of 1888, and the early meetings of the
Supreme Court, and denounced the centralizine
power of the Constitution itself BY giving the
Supreme Court such supreme and unchecked pow
Or, declaring it to exceed the power of any other
tribunal, he would not say in christendom, but
would 60 farther and say, on the civilized globe,
and it has stretched out its briarian arms till
hardly any vessigs of State or individual rights
are left.