The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-11-22
NO. 6S3.
Slavery Incompatible with Constitutional
IihpilV.

A gentleman formerly holding high
Judicial position in neichboring State,
writes rs follows in the Wabash Express
relative to the late tragic affair at lIalper's
Ferry. His conclusions and reflections
are deserving a serious thought:
Nothing has transpircd within the pc
rod OF my memory, which has gone so far
TO exhibit the Inherent weakness caused bv
slavery in a community, no this Harper'a
Ferry tragedy. That Brown, if sane, he.
committed ono pf the highest Of crimes, u q
candid man will deny. But the question
lis he morally or legally accountab'e?-
Without expressing an opinion one way or
another on that question, it is enough 10
say, that NIL men accused Of crime, whotl.
or guilty or innocent, arc entitled io fan
and impartial trial With Brown the
forms Of n trial have hccn gone through
with; but there is not an intelligent man
in the United States, who hac paid attcn
tion to the matter, ,oho DOES not kao~
Hot he has lad no triat IN .tdct No one
anywhere has been heard to intimate II
doubt as to the result
This has nos resulted from any blood
thirsty disposition on tho part Of the conrt
or jury trying him, | presume. Doubtless
they are jus, like other men. But Il has
resnlted froD: The fact Mot there is no Suci
thing as constitutional liberty, the rery
essence Of achich IS a jaia and impartial
tria! or a criminal chlrGe, nor Gun there
be ~nder such circumstances. The con.
duct of the people Of Virginia, and their
courts, can not be accounted fr'on any
other hypothesis than the apprehension OF
an Instruction among their slave :, and tho
necessity Of blow which shoull strike
terror to their hearts; and yet moro, the
need Of example which should deter other
from fuIrro at.cmps to incitc instruction
among thcEl, by an inherent and cvncblo
ncceesily placed beyond the pale Of tho
Constitution. Nothing can be more an
! parant thao ,h;s
Thousands of men in these United
States have been acquitted on much less
evidence Of insanity than really existed III
this mans case. Now, whittier lie was
sane or insane is not the question. The
question Is, q he have the opportunity to
produce the evidence, such a' it was, much
or little, and lay it before the jury? 1t is
no answer to say he repudiatcd that lea.
| No insane person ever admitted himself to
be SO. The IL re setting up Of such pre-.
Tense by the supposed lunatic, is the best
cvidercc that it is ieigned.
Lot us not deride 'lhe chivalry," nov
talk about Virginia cowarlice, or poluoon-
cry. Let Us tuln our attention to Il moro
deeply seated malady, iaste of this IN,
profitable iibing, Here is the State Of
Virginia in her sovereign ma ajosty, maJic,
lhlt is the word moJlc TO guarantee II
man constitutional right. And why is
this? II is hccause she has slaves, aad
because the worlds history shows that
slaves will cut the thloat> Of lhoir masters
whcr y;rcums .ancos favor such enterprises,
and because a Virginia court or any other
court, exposed to such an cXgrncy, is as
powolcss 4, baby in it, CT die, to Guar
antcc TO Cne charged with sharpening
knives and putting lh.;a iuto h3uIs tha:
may rsc them, the constitutional right Of
an impartial trial, almost the only buwark
Of American liberty. \ man thus con
victca, perhaps Barrabas, viii be regard
ed as Il Stephen, and the imrotency of the
State will convert the fcIon into the mar
! tyr.