The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-05-19
Letter from the Hon. j. II. Gid
lEQgS.
JEFFERSON, May /, 1S5

JEFErRSON, Alay +, 4oOJ.
Ny DEAR FRIEND: You ask my opin-
ion in regard to the past action, and the
future course of the Oberlin prisoners,
now in Jail at Cleveland for violating the
fugitive slave enactment.
That measure was passed under the in
ilaenee of threats and intimidation. Dis
union and hloodshed were proclaimed as
the alternative in case Of refusal Before
such iasoleAce Northern members bowed
in pnmanlg submission, ,surrendering their
own individuality, the rights of their
States, and the honor of the nation. The
page of our political history that records
the passage of that act will long be read
with modification and regret. 1t consti-
tutes legislative incident in that war so
long waged, and carried on by the party
now in power against the colored men Of
our nation a war i'll which men. women
and children have been butchered in cold
blood for their love of liberty, war in
which free persons are ensaved, and
slaves are murdered even upon the soil of
Ohio with perfect impunity war which
subjects c0lored people to a commerce,
from the horrors of which they shrink,
prcfcrring death by their own hands rath-
er than meet its tortures; a war in which
mathera are driven to the horrible choice
of Staying their own children rather shan
permit them to live and become subject
to the degradation that awaits them i'll
life. This war is sometimes called "pi-
rqtical,' but have yet to find the rec
ord of pirates who doomed their victims
10 death, merely for their love Of liberty
1t is SANDER upon piracy, to compare
this war with that in which they slay
their victims for the comparatively ex-
eVsable purpose Of obtaining money. In
this war more than twenty thousand hu-
man victims are annually sacrificed.
This slave enactment under which our
friends are imprisoned, was passed in or
der to involve the people of the tree
States in this guilt; for the purpose of
making them accessories to such crimes.
1t was passed by Locofoco Congress,
\ Locofoco Marshal selects a Locofoco
Grand Jury to find an Indictment drawn
by Locofoco Attorney, to be tried by a
Locofoco traverse jury, packed for the
very purpose Of conviction, before Lo-
cqfoeo Judge, appointed by Locfoco
President, confirmed by a Locofoco Sen
ate, for the purpose of enforcing obedi-
ence to this law.
In disregarding this Law, the prisoners
did right. Their error consisted in spar
ing the lives of the slave -catchers. Those
pirates should have been delivered over
10 the colored men and consigned to the
dpom of pirates, which should have been
speedily executed. You are aware that
this is the doctrine which | proclaimed in
Congress. ] adhere to it. Had the pris-
QncrS executed the slave catchers prompt
ly, it would have taught the administra-
tion q lesson not soon to be forgotten
We should have been no more troubled
with that class Of mlscreants. They would
have learned better than to show them
selves among an intelligent people who
linow their rights and dare maintain them
But in rescuing their fellow man from
the fangs of these blood hounds, the prls
oners did right. Present and coming
generations will bless them for it. 1t wa
high moral duty, the exercise of a yir