The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-09-15
LamgtOn's speech.

/ LangtOn's speech.
Mr.. Charles H. Langston, teacher in CO.
lumbus-on trial for violation of the Fug-
tive Slave Law, among the Oberlin- yelling
ton rescuers-on being asked by the Judge
if he had anything to say why the sentence
of the law should not be pronounced against
him, replied: re.T raE ,rF
am for the first time in my life before a
court Of Justice, charged with the violation
Of law, and am now about to be sentenced.
But before receiving that sentence propose
to say one or two words in regard to the nit
igation ofthat sentence, if it may be SO con-
strued. can not, of coures, and do not ex-
pect that which may say will in any way
change your predetermined line Of action.---
| ssk nosuch favor at your hands. n zrat
| j know that the courts of this country,
that the laws ofthis country, that the govern,
mental machinery Of this country, are SO con-
stitatcd as to oppress and outrage colored
men, men ofmy complexion. I can not then
ofcourse, expect, judging from the past his
tory Of the country, any mercy from the laws,
from the Constitution, or from the courts OF
the country. ~ .TH
Some days prior to the 18th ofSeptember,
1858, happening to be in Oberlin on visit,
| found the country around about there, and
the village itself, filed with alarming rumors
as to the fact that slave-catchers, kidnappers,
negro-stealers, were lying hidden and skulk-
ing 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 long-life bondage. These re-
ports becoming current all over that neigh
borhood, old men and innocent women and
children became exceedingly alarmed for
safety. 1t was not uncommon to hear moth
ers say that they dared not send their chill
dren to 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
tient 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 their masters. And there were
others who had become free-to their ever
lasting honor say it-by the mtensest exer-
else of their own God-giyen powers-by es-
Gaping from the plantations of their masters,
eluding the blood-thirsty patrols and senti-
nels so thickly scattered all along their path,
outrunning blood hounds and horses, SWIM
ming rivers and fording swamps, and reach
ing at last, through incredible difficulties,
what they, in their delusion, supposed to be
| free soil. These three classes were in Ober-
lin, trembling alike for their safety, because
they well knew their fate should those men,
hunters get their hands on them.
In the midst of such excitement. the 18th
day of September was ushercd in--a day
ever to be remembered in the history of that
place, and | presumed no less in the history
of this Court--on which those men by lying
devices, decoyed into place where they
could get their hands on him-I will not say
slave, for do not know that-but man,
a brother, who had a right to his liberty
under the laws of God, under the laws of
Nature, and under the Declaration of fAmeri-
can Independence. en.
| 1t the midst Of all this excitement, the
news came to us like fash oflightning that
an actual seizure under and by means Of
fraudulent pretences had been made
Being identified with that man by color,
by race, by manhood, by sympathies, such
as God has implanted in us all, felt it my
duty to 60 and do what could towards lib
Grating him. I had been taught by my
Revolutionary father-and say this with
due respect to him-and by his honored as
sociates, that the fundamental doctrine of
this government was that all men have q
right, to life and liberty, and coming from
the Old Dominion, brought into Ohio these
sentiments, deeply impressed upon my heart;
l went to Wellington, and hearing from the
parties themselves by what authority the
boy was held in custody, conceived from
what little knowledge had of law, that they
had no right to hold him. And as your
Honor has repeatedly laid down the law in
this Court, man is free, until he is proven
to be legally restrained of his liberty, and l
believed that upon that principle oflaw those
men were bound to take their prisoner before
the first magistrate they found, and there
establish the facts set forth in their warrant,
and that until they did this every man should
presume that their claim was unfounded, and
to institute such proceedings for the pur-
pose of securing an investigation as they
might find warranted by the laws Of the
State. Now, sir, if this is not the plain,
common sense and correct view of the law,
then I have been misled both by your honor,
and by the prevalent received opinion.
1t is sail that they had warrant Why
then should they not establish its validity
before the proper officers And stand here
to-day, sir, to say that with an exception OF
whichI shall soon speak to procure such
a laacfM investigation Of the authority
under aohicA they claim to act, soas the part
Itook in that dav's pyOceesz;u1s. and the onl,,