Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-13

MS ELOQUENT spREoH.
CLEvsLMp, MAY II, 1859

TO Mr.. Langston.
The OoURr--Au exchange Of names only;
yes sir, Mr., Langstun was meant. Mr.. Langs-
ton, you will stand up, sir.
Mr.. LANesTON rose.
The CoURT--You also have been tried, Mr..
Langston, by jury, and convicted Of. viola
tion of the criminal laws Of the United States.
Have you or your counsel anything to say why
tho sentence Of the law should not now be
pronounced upon you'
Mr. LANGsroN-I am for the first time in my
! life before court of Justice, charged with the
violation oflaw, and am now about to be sentenc-
ed. But before receiving that sentence pro
pose to say one or two words In regard to the
mitigation of that sentence, if it may be so con-
stued. | cannot of course, and do not expect
that which l may say will in any way change
your Predetermined line of action. | ask TO
such favor at your hands
| know that the courts Of this country, that
the laws of this country, that the governmental
machinery Of this country, are so constituted
as TO oppioss and outrage colored men, men OF
| my complexion. | cannot then, OF course, eI-
pcct, judging from the past history of the
country, any mercy from the laws, from the con-
stituton, or from the courts OF the country.
Some days PRIOR to the f2th, of September,
ls4s, happening to be in Oberlin on yisit l
found the country round about there, and the
village itself filled with alarming rumors as TO
the fact that slave catchers, kidnappers, negro
stealers, were lying hidden and skulkiug about,
waiting some opportunity TO get their bloody
hands on some helpless creature to drag HIM
back-or for the first time into helpless and life
long bondage. These reports becoming cur
rent all over that neighborhood, old men and
women and innocent children became eX'
ceedingly alarmed for their safety. 1t was
not uncommon to hear mothers say that
| A.. H. fhatr ChildrCn IN
school, for fear they would be caught up
and carried off by the way. Some of these
people had become free by long and pa.
tent toll at night, after working the long, long
day for cruel masters, and thus at length getting
money enough to buy their liberty Others
had become free by means Of the good will OF
J their masters And there were others who had
become free--~to their everlasting hapor ! say
it--by the intensest exercise oltheir own God.
2 given powcrs;-by escaping from the plauta-
lions Of their masters eluding the blood thirsty
patrols and sentinels 50 thickly scattered all
along their path, outrunning blood hounds end
horses, swimming rivers and fording swamps
and reaching at last, through incredible Difficult
ties what they, IN their dension supposed tC
be free soil. These thTee classes we're in QbRf
lin, trembling alike for their safety, because
> they well knew their fate shoLld those men
hunters get their hands on them.
In the midst of such excitement, the 1871
=" day of September was ushered in-a da!
over to be remembered in the history of thn
- place, and pTraTHq rs lesss in the history o
J, this COuTt-on Which those men by lylhg dG8i
. Gee. deceived into place where Shey could &c
: their hands on him-I will not say a slave, 70
| do not KNOW that-but man, brother VIII
had q right to bis liberty BndeF the laws Of Goo
under the laws of Nature, and ppleF the peelq
ID tion of American Independence
In the midst Of oil this excitement the new
came to us like fash Of Lightning that an &c
tual seizure under and by means Of traudulel
pretences had been made
G. Being identified with that man by color, b
race. by manhood, by sympathies, such as Go
has implanted in us all, / lelt il my duty to 8
and do what l could toward beratng him.
had been taught by my Revolutionary father
and ] say this with all d4e resBepbto hiRl-qr
by his hopoEed associates, thai the lundamel
tal doctrine of this government was that q
men have q right, 70 lite and liberty and CONN.,
from the Old Dominion brought INTO 9l
these sentiments, deeply impressed upon u
q, heart; / went to Wellington, and hearing lro
- the parties themselves by what authority u
9 bow was held n custody, conceived from VIII
little knowledge had of law, that they had !
8. ripbt TO hold him And as your Honor has Z
peatedly laid down the law in this Court, m'
s' is free until he is proven tobe legally Testrain'
% of his bert" ,andl believed that upon that prime
pie of law thJsq men were bound TO take the
prisoner before the very first magistrate the
found, and there establish the facts set forth
their warrant, and that until they did this cvel
man should presume that their claim was u
founded, and TO institute SUCH proceedings 4
the purpose Of securing an investigation % th'
might lind warranted by the laws of this Stat
Now, sir, if that is not the plain, common sen
and correct view Of the law, then have be-
misled both by your Honor and by the prev
L. lent received opinion.
~ 1t is said that they had warrant. WI
then should they not establish its validity |
II. fore tho proper ollicersl And stand here
-. day, sir TO say that with an exception OfwbI
Il. shall soon speak, TO procure such iaietm I
nv oestigafion Of the authority under rhich N
claimed 10 act, ,Des He part foOE ~ n
days proceedings, anf the only part. J 50
posed it 10 be my duty as a citizen Of Ohio
s excuse me for saying that, sir--as an ouhdio
- the United Staies, (much sensation) TO do wi
4 could TO secure at least this form Of just
to my brother whose liberty was in peril.
WhaiepeT more than that has been Si0Orn 10
49,, This trial as act Of BitHe Is JdLse, TldlcutOh
tE false When found these men rsfuging 10 (
according to the law, as ] apprehended 1t, a
subject their claim 10 an official insPecliC
and that nothing short Ol a babeas corpus wol
oblige such an Inspection, ! was willing 10
d to eysn thus far, suppOsing IN that county
Sheriff, might, perhaps, be found with mel
enough TO serve IT, In this ! again failed.
c. Nothing then was left 10 me, nothing TO I
boy in custody, but the confirmation Of my fl
belief that the pretended authority was wor
ire less, and the employment Of those mea
of liberation which belong TO US, w
regard TO the part 1 took in the 70
iblo rescue, which followed, | have no
10 ing to say, further than ! haYe already ~
% The evidence is before you. 1t is alleged Il
said "tOe will have him anyhow" Ibi
on NEVER said did say to Mr. Lowe, wha
10" honestly believed 10 be the TRUTH that the Gro
were very much excited, many Of them ave
=, TO longer delay and bent upon a rescue at
~ hazards and that be being an old acquaintal
IN and friend Of mne ! was anIious to e1trip
~ him from the dangerous position he ocoupi
and therefore advised that be urge Jennings
give the boy up Further than this did
say, either 10 him or any one else.
The law under which / am arralgned is
A' unjust one, one made to crush the oOloTed m
and one that Outrages every feeling Of huma
ty, as well as every rule Of Right. ! HI
HE nothing 10 do with It's constitutiOnality; alb
iats, that l care but little ] have often he
ass. Il said by learned and good men that Il '
unconstitutional remember the eKcitem
that preyaied throughout all the free Sta
4' wbenit was passed and remember how
%. len il has been said by individuals. oonvendo
. communities and legislatures, that It ne
coald be. never should be- and never was me
10 be enforced had always believed until
- d. fha ual