, 1860-10-08


tons TO this luz, I would cal: tho attention Of
your Honor to &he paztiatity Of the law, vt ich
Il 10 Ut varisnce with the dtsi2ns Of The fathers
in organizing this government No man can
read tic Constttption-io which the word aiaEe
cannot he found; from which The Idea thss Z
aau c,uid be reduced 10 thing, end held AZ
property. was carefully e1eluded-no man, |
Say, caa resd that Constitution. and come to tho
conclusion that slavery was to be flstkrtd, gudr-
ant<sd nad proAc!eI f=r ley ond everything else
in the couhtry. Admit that Jim Gray WAS
Phillips property. how con,ea it that 1ha: par
tieular pfoptrty is m,re sacred than poy o:hrr
property? Philips hurse escaped Tram him,
end Is found in distant State, but the PTesi- |
dent Of the United ntnter. and every department |
OF G57esnmeaf, Is Eo. put on tie .r.ck until |
the horse ie found, and then return him to |
Phillips stab'e. and then pay the whole bill |
from she nation'a treasury. 10. gir, hut h,s
sla7o escapes-he runs away, and, for sone
reas on. his property in m.a Il 80 much mora |
holy And eacred, that the whole Government is |
bound - 1ate tie track ard hunt the poor, |
painting fugitive down, and carry him back to
his chairs aud bondage At the Goyernmenta |
expense. |
sir, under Constitution unstained By the
#ord tlAve. va have Ian nasntJing slave
property above all other properly in the nation |
"a Ian gl.ing it guarantees that no other prop
e!ty could possibly obtain. SIR, the partially
Of ibis Law is so great, that it sanda opposed 70
$e@e" 60AA +sE<o %N1AA% 1N3-~-
potecton to 2ll.
10 n G. Fec il driven out Of his Kentucky
nome, and robbed Of the fruits OF his Lifelong
toll. There ia no power tn secure him his home'
or protect him il his rig. ts sof property OF op'n'
ion i had John G. Fec culy owned s!sve,
nd bis slaTe eseaped, The Gorernmens, under
this Law, would have followed his slave to tie
utmost iimiss oftte uoited States, Aad returned
his afava 10 him At its avn expense. 1our
Honor will pardon me, (if need pardoD,) butt
Cannot, for the life Of me, zee what there Is II
robsing man Of his inalenab!e rights and en-
shaving lin for life, that s1oald euti,le il 10
the sQe cial and peculiar protection Of RATIONAL
Law.
am aware, sir, that I shall be reminded that
j1dgea, marshais, attorneys, aud many c1t1zens:
regard this law as cons:i'ut ona1, A1d ssano
ready to execute it, though it .rample every
principle of the Declaration Of 1ndependerce'n
the dust Sir, 20 law can be enacted 60 haa
but that it will lind N N de1uded or base enough
10 execute it. The law ofExypt tba: co1s1gneo
the newborn babe 10 the slaughter, !ound tooia
for its execution. The bloody decree Of Herod,
found men ready to obey the faw OF the counsEJ,
though it commanded tie slaughter Of the limo"
cents OF province. Sir, tel me not Of men
ready acd wiling 10 execute Tho laH. MY Hs-
deemer, whose name an hardly worthy to
speak, ard yet whose Name Is all my trns', al
t'"ush he knew no ain, yet he was ciuc1ied By
law.
..zain, Sir. it will be seen that SINE whom
tha world calls doctors Of dirioisy and doctors
ot lxx, Euve uudertsxen to grove slavery was
guaranteed By the Constitution II that be -,
II the Mans Of tae Hest High God, tesr out the
red strip nf bloo': it vas not VT. ten BY Tie
Angel Gabiiel, nor nailed to the throne Of the
Almighty. If slayerJ'is in it, il is q covtnant
NTH death aud au agreement with hell.
But, Sir, have one confederation ncre that
will urge Why seuterce should not be pro.
uo41ced against me. This Law, which l think I
Ln,rc u..Jr <e$ $hA~ ~T-k$ oF&
70 obviously 1T variance with she law Of tust
God that comm snds me to loya Him with all my
soul. mind, might and s.reoKtb, aod my neigh
bor n mgscl', nd the Redeemtr that took upon
him uiy nature aud the nature Of poor Jim Gray,
has been 50 particular in telling me who my
| neigEhar is, TINT the: path OF daty is plain to
me. This law 50 plainly tr.mples upoo The
divine law that it csnno: be binding upoa my
human being under any circuussat oes to obey
it. The law that bids me do to other men
as Wcu!d bare other men do to M, is too
| plain, too simple to be misunderstood. But,
ST. an rot lefs to the general law Of lore II
searching for my duty ii this particular case.
Permit NE to refer your Honor 70 the Oldest
| law book ia exisse ce. th9u2h it may not ba la
use In this Court, yet I think it better authority
tnaa Blackstone, or aoy law book tna: ever
was written. Il is tho book Of books.
e! In that book l find some special enact
ments given 10 the Hebrew commonwealth
| that Leaves me in no doubt 81 to my duty ID
| refereacs TO this law. "He that Stealth Z man
and seleth lin, or il he be fouud in his hands,
he shall surely be put 10 death" Again, ''Fhou
| shalt not deliver under his master 1ne servant
| that has escaped from bis master unto thee be
shall dwell with thee, evsa auoug ycu, in that
place be shsll chose in one Of thy 90 .. whe: i
liketh him, lest thou shalt not :ppress him "
| Thesa pl,fn s:oiutes, NTH LAZY more that
| might givs, leases me IN no doubt ~ to the
mlnd Of the uachanging Jehovah, in reference
to man stealing and Stare hunting. ST., the
whole system Of slavery originated IN maa steal
ing, and il perpe:u8ted py lraud, aud vi,laace,
aud psu1dcr Oilers usy haEe shsir doubts SIS
| t. their du:y under t1a law. ], 81, ka7e noae-
This law is just as binding on lie as ~as the law
| Of Esyp. 70 slaughter Hebrew children; just as
binding as the l-w that eaid, worship the soldea
in sge, worship not Cad; just as b.adlpg a. tue
the scs2el- Send ME & :az tiad':T 1s roo Or
murder ny Dcghoo7, mnat decline to c5cy it.
can suti=r. bus mus. not TO wrong. Send ne
a law Bidding tee jim hands II rob5lug my !ei.
lor men Of their freedom, cannot do 10 great
| aw1oag Yea, tend me law tiadl3g me stop
my ears al the cry OF the poor, ca1 su1er the
los OF Ill these hands hare cared, I can suffer
| bonds and Imprisonment, yes, Goa helping M,
caa ye up my life, bus cannot..kno"l ~
trsmple upon tie law Of ny Cad NOR up IN the
bleeding, psoxtra:. form Of NJ fe1law, man. I
| 80 net io Missouri to relieve oppressed human
ny, for my duty hiss called me nearer home; but
when He that directs the stepa OF meo, Conducts
| poar, oppressed, painting figi;irs to my door,
and ,hera hear his bitter err, dare not cleee
INF ear aga nat II, Ies: ia my extremity cry for
mercy and shall not be heard. Stz, this la~ 70
/ Elegantly ou.1azes the divine l:N sha. ought
| moi 10 b. a.ntec ctd under 1t,
| 4 single remark aud / :n doEe- From the
testimony, part of which j. false, aud from your
rendering IN Interpretation O. the Law, the jury
hsse found NE guilty; yes. guilty Ct carrying
"ut the great principles If lho Declaration or
Independence; yes, gully O. cir:,iag out the
| G. ID. can ttuse th1ugs he2 C4o il be possible
Wha. couatry il this? Can it bn 1h4l lire IN
+ land toass1nR of tIeedom, Il ui1ral4ty, Of
Christianity? How ioag, Oh, how long llaail
the people bow down aad w.,rshIp thus great
image .stup II this natio1? Yes, the jarJ say
suii,y, bat recommend ms to The "e!cy Of the
court Mercy, Sir, ta kindpeas - The guilty.
am guilty OF no crime. |, Therefore, ask tor no
mercy. No, Sir, ssk far no marcy ask for
Justice Mercy il what ask OF my Cad. JUS
tice Ill the courts Of ny adopted couatry is al
ask. Itis the inhumau ana infamous law thks
Is wrong, ros ma.
My fre iaSs aro at Ely bone. Ir wife AID
my Children ara dear - my heart; but, sir, l
haye c,uuted the cost | au ready TO die it
need b. for the oppress If my race, bat slave
II must Gle, and when ny country ahau have
passed through the terrible co: 4 {! which fne
s:ructlon Ut slavery must COST; aud Hhea ths
history Of the grea. struggle kh4ll be cauditly
written, the rescuers Of jim Gray will be con-
sds1e ~ having done hoaor to God, TO human
i.y, and 70 themselves.
i an told there is no appeal from this Cou:t,
yet do appe1i 10 the court Of high heavsr,
| where Judge DrumEaopd and Judge Catan, tbs
rescusr aud the rescued, shall all hare TO s:aad
at tie judgmeu seat OF sae Most High.
hure, air, e1deavo1ed 10 obey tie divise
! Law, aud all tho .aHa Of my couatty that do not
conflict with the laws Of ny Gsd' My h1mbls
wish Is that it may thea appear that 1 hase
d,ne ny duty; I'll I wish to Dc written on my
tombstone, "He feared Tod and loved his fel'
! loW-mtn."
LETTER 7Rox TIE JAIL.
Cu1cAso jan, OF. ., 1s1u.
Ci.i=tas Of C1ot County From your own
iai1. erected for the 50 9 keeping Of cr1mira:e,
t.ke the liberty OF addre sing you word. l
find myself surrounded By .atls and bars, acd
associated with men charged Or convicted Of
or1nea aga;nst the reace Of soeiaty, the life or
c;t;zsns of the Ssa.o Of Illinois should erect inch
place as this aod give me place in II? I am
nati7e Of the free hills Of Scotland In an
esrly tay sought your beautiful prairie-, snd
with the blessing Ct God upon thu ia5ors cf my
hards, made = homo for my family. When your
nobl= c!ty, noble in its yortaful r'gor, more &c
BILE in its future, vhEu It becomes the western
t.rmlnps OF or direct European trade, aud the
grea. western Ahipp;ng port for the garten OF
the North American continent; 5es, may say
| yout nobls city, WtEu !: was krna:l sl1aags, q
mere trading post, when there ives 1elshey
railroad or canal leading to it, l here exchanged
rnY grain for supplies for my iamiiy; AlIca shat
your eaoa and over It have sent mili!oss OF
buabe:s Of grain 10 your city, aad have taken
from it many millions of feet OF lumber- In II
| o. this time have endeavore4 to liva peaeeabiy