Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-05-18

autnOTltY was voorhees,, dBd l0e employ
ment of those means of liberation which
belong 10 us. With regard to the part
[ took in the forcible rescue, which fol-
lowed, | have nothing TO say further than
have already said. The evidence is
before YOU. 1t is alleged hat | said "1re
will have him anyhow" THIS 1 neuer
said. | did say TO Mr.. lowe, what |
honestly believed TO be the truth, that
the crowd were very much excited, many
of them averse 10 longer delay and beul
on a rescue at all hazards; and thatthe
being an old acquaintance AMI friend OF
mine, was anxious to extricate him
from the dangerous position he occupied,
aud therefore advised that he urge Jen.
nings to give the boy up. Further than
this | did not say, either 10 him or any
one else.
The law under which | am arfaigned
is an unjust one, n made 10 crush she
colored man, and one that outrages every
feeling Of humanity, as well as every
rule of right. have nothing 10 do with
its con,iituiionality; about that | care
but little. have often heard it said by
learned and good men that it was uncon-
slitulional; | remember tie excitement
that prevailed throughout all the free
States when it was passed; and | remem-
Der how often it has been said by individ-
ualS, conventions, communities and leg
~islatures, that il never would be-, never
o-,ll l.. ,,l noyar wos p,o,,, a.. l.
forced. / had always believed until the
contrary appeared in the actual institution
of proceedings, that the provisions of
of this odious taiu would never be en-.
forced within the bounds of this State.
But | have another reason TO offer why
| should rot be sentenced, and one that |
think pertinent 10 the case. | have not
had a trial before a jury of my peers -
The common laws of England-and YOU
will excuse me for referring 10 that, since
| am bat a private citizen-was that
every man should he tried before a Jury
Of men occupying the same position in the
social scale with himself. That lords
should be tried before a jury of lords;
that peers of the realm should be tried be.
fore peers of the realm; vassa.s before
v~assals, aliens before aliens, and they
must not come from the district where
the crime was committed, lest the pre-
JUDGES of either personal friends or foes
should aft ct the accused. The Consti
tuition or the United States guarantees
no. merely 10 its citizens, but to all per-
sons a trial before an impartial jury
| have had no such trial.
The colored man is oppressed by GER
tain universal and deeply fixed prGaaiees.
Those Jurors are well known TO have
shared largely in these prcjudices, and
| therefore consider that they were neith-
er impartial, nor were they a jury of my
peers. Aud the prejudices which white
people have against colored men grow
of the facts, that we have as a people
consented for two hundred years to be
of the whites. We have been
scourged and cruelty oppressed, and
have submitted 10 it all iamely, neekly.
peaceabIy; | mean as a people, and with
rare individual exceplions,-and 10 day
you sec us thus, meekly submitting 10
the penalties Of an infamous law. Now
the Americans have this feeling, and il
is an honorable one, hal they will respect
those who will rebel at oppression, but
despise those who tamely submit 10 out.
and wrong; and while our people
as a people submit they will as a people
be daspised. Why, they will hardly
meet on terms of equality with US in a
whiskey shop, in a car, at a table or even
at the altar Of God. So thorough and
a contempt have they Tor those
who will meehly lie still unler the heel
Of the oppres-or. The jury came into
the box with that feeling. They knew
they had that feeling, and SO the Court
now, and knew then. The gen
tlemen who prosecuted me, the Court it
self, and even the counsel who defsnlel
~, have that feeling.
was tried by a jary who were preju-
liced; before a Court that was prejudiced;
prosecuted by ali officer who was preiu-
iiced; and defended. though ably, by
counsel that were prejudiced. And
therefore, i, is, your Honor, that l urge
all that is good and great ia manhood,
hat | should not be subjected to the pains
md penalties of this oppressive law, when
have not been tried. either by 4 jury OF
peers. or by a Jury that were Impair
ial.
One more word, sir, AMI have done.
went to Wellington knowing, that col
,red men have no rights in line United
States which white men are bound to re-
,pect; that the Courts had so decided;
hat Congress had SO enacted; thai Tie
had so decreeG.
There is net a spot in this wide coun-
ry, not even by The affairs of God, nor in
he shadow of the shafts that tell the inn
,erishable fame ard glory of the heroes
f the Revolution: no, Gor in the old
Philadelphia Hall, where any colored
nan may dare 10 ask a mercy Of a white
nan. Let me stand in that Hall and tell
United States Marshal that my father
vas a Revolutionary soldier: that he
erved under Lafayette, and fou ht
trough the whole war, and that he fought
or my freedom as much as for is own:
md he would sneer at me, and clu:ch
ne with his bloody fingers, and say he
as a right TO make me a slavei And
ghen | appeal 10 Congress, they say he
as a right 10 make me a slave; when |
ppeal to the people, they say he has q
light 10 make me a slave, and when | ap /,
10 your Honor. your Honor says he
as a right to make me a slave, and if
ny man, white or black, seeks an invest
cation of that claim, they make them
amenable to the pains and p'nl
les of the, Fugitive Slave Act, for BLACK
HAVE ~ LIGHTS WHICH WHITE MEN
RE BOUND TO RESPECT. lGreat applauSe)
/, going 10 Wellington with the full
nowledge Of all this, knew that if thai
nan was taken 10 Columbus he was hope
essly gone, no matter whether he h,d
yer been in slavery or not, | knew that
was in the same situation myself, and
hat by the decision OF your Honor if any