, 1860-03-19
TUE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
It's Defects and the Duties Of Citizens
SpfseH Or e: c. EARNED, Es4., III the Trial
of Joseph stout In ths q. .. Itfsfrfef
Court


0,*~"'| *'*e ~AfY-
:. 1t was fitting exord,um to such prosecu-
tion as Ibis, Tor tAe Attorney Of tue United States
to attack the Declaration uf independence. and
seek to explain away and destroy the full mean
1ng and effect Of those principles whish lie ut
the foundation Of that Liberty which il the most
precious birthr1ght Of every American citizen.
Nor WAS It unnatural, gentlemen, TINT at the
same time he should seek to enlist In support
Of his case those principles Of natural JUSTICE
aud right to which, III the highest in cur nuture,
men arc ever guided IN forming their judgment
OF human action. Fur it is notn.plcasing duiy
for any man to ask jury to convict n nan as
2 criminal for an act which has no guilt, save
book.
II was not strange, gentlemen, that he should
bring before you the names Of Webster and
Clay, Of Washington and of Jefferson, and seek
to borrow from the reflected f1sl:e Of these
great and i;lustrious men, something to tighten
The character and TAKE from the odtuu OF this
prosecution. But Tet. gentlemen, it Is ia vain
Tor him to travel out Of the record to gain auy
support for the cause which be adroeates.
Only in the letter Of The statute-ony by tile
force Of the enactmcnts of law made by men,
and bindiog upon courts and jnsics, and not by
and right under the higher aud everlasting laws
which ure written BY God in the conscience mud
moral nature Of man, can he lind any sanction
tdr a verdict against the defendant at the bar
Gentlemen, in the nineteenth century Of the
Chriatian era, IN tue republic Of the United
S1ates, in the free State Of Illinois, L man Of
unb|emlshed character--a man known ind be-
loved in city which his intelligent industry
has aided to build up. and his high moral qasl-
ties hare contributed to adorn-sits at the fel-
on's bar Of this court, and is on trial as crlm-
inal.
Add the offeuce-the crime alleged against
him, and for which he is thus arragued-,sthat
h0n SInI frJPr f3rkrf fft r.
tain bis liberty It Is charged to be g crime in
that Republic whose foundations were lald IN
those great principles Of liberty, equality, and
tue rights OF man, OF which the Declaration Of
American Independeoceis is the fullest and no.
blest national expression, to aid tellow-man in
seeking to secure for himself that blessed boon
Of liberty 10 which every human being is bJ
virtue Of his manLood entitled.
Re; ;arded Outside Of aad Independent Of the
statute book-yc xed by the light Of those prin-
ciples, Of conscience, that higher iav Of uniser
sal right and justice, which, however it may he
scof1ed at and desplsed, every true man rever-
euces US FAR above ali mere human eoactments-
would he approved as virtue, not condemned
II crime.
rur su,eIy to extend helping hand to the
oppressed, to aid the frienllcss and desplsed
outcasts ofhuman society, to give the word of
sympathy and the hand Of kindness to tie for
ihsra. 'ott"' nmld e nv act IF hpmanity and If
Christian chs,;tv wI;ch ,xon,d hesneak n ,,en-
ero,s and noh1e nature. and commend itseii to
~ Laat ~" .nJ ha1;a.t ;net;ne,s n 1he human
heart.
But it is said By the Attorney for the Govern
Ind no r;rht to h;s l,brriy. and that the acts of
those wiz aided lin to sseure it were no better
than h;ohwav robbery and he has surnmoued
II b;s ai6 in ihis argument the c,mnromises of
he contribution the cnmnacts of t}.e ordiuance
of1:s7 and the Inwa of 1hr FetIeru1 Government
ennrtrd f.z lie c|a;msl far The fu,Gilmeut of
thesr connTomises and co,nnac.s. :
(saptl. rten d;d The ide, t,ccnr in you when
t,,e learned gentleman ras i1iscours;nr unor,
those cnmnr1m;acs and cnmnacts. in and nv
wh;cb he soucht tn awake, vn,,r natr;o,;ato nnd
inra IF The ITn;nn tha, fhe s,arc ;s m marry *
Ib bes rsrar n;Ten h;s assent tn ro,,r nr3inauces
~ vonr 1ae;s1at;onS
ia Il oscnr +o ror xv,c, tho 1o,rraa co,nsat.
Inv wa. a;scnrrs9nv ,,nnn Tho sorreiness and
an,;n,;,v NJ tho orr1t r.,.ht of nroneriy md in.
vok,nc yonr scess of ;1xtice and ripIt arraiust
the v;6,a,;on If tl,;s 1;ot hat there wns ar;,It
oider and 1nore sacred 1han The 1i,ht of II ms.
tor IN slave--iII rjo1t NJ H. sL.5+ IN 1im3tIf
Tho r;.ht NJ n mas,cr ~ n slnre ia tha ripht n
rowar r. ~ t1a r;"bt of ,he stron~ nrer the
,rvaai- r. :. -,;r5+ m, r;oBf
Thc ,;ebt n = man to j;,nsc,f il 1,v n deed of
o;ft from lie ,,rea1 (;oi WIN crented HIM. auti
Fl wi,;ch no nnman norer or authority can
r. ia w,;ttan bv tha hand of the A1m;,btv nm
III ,,row 40 ~ averx human 1,c;ng wlnm h. hns
sn-maJ IL b;s o;rn ,naoa ;rfn whom h. hos
i,rsa,bei IN ;rnnnrtai snn] md WIN bv rir,ue
# these d;r;ne nreror .tirrs las hscn,ne e ,non.
Thcrc IL no T;rIt nf nrooerty as ancent as
this for it da.cs Lacl to the first moment uf
snas, 'o' ~ Ta 1uses oen ~ 'na a." ~ -.
ferred by Him who Is the Maker OF oil things,
ana 10 whom al oeions'
1t IS sa!d that the negro IS aegfaSea oelne,
that he belongs TO an INFERIOR Tace aud ri
physical and mental lnfer'9rlty have been tue
subject here Of rluicole and contempt. Gruut
th.I It IS so-geant that he u "eaS, ao]cct;
M'seraple-tnat ne ls Wan1'hG IN every qahl!t}
10 excte your aomiat'on' or enist 5ouF la'
terest or sympathy. IN "hat cooe OF e1h'cs-
in woat system OF pnilosopny-1n VIVA. lottn ol
reEgton, does inc ieatneo HentIeman una 1na'
weakness, leaoFaoce anu aes.tution l"Te'sn uu
excuse 1or oppression aoa In!ustce' ~ mug
ls oesefteo' 1otsakeo, "Huout no.e, fortune o1
tr'eods, weak ana mlss1aols. nasing no Po~sl n,
to defend hlmset ana noth,ng 10 reward the
defence ot otbefs-ooes mol MS sefy ~eakness
become, IN every nooie NATURE Tue most cao
quent appeal against 1ulnstlce ana outrage
care not how degraded ihs African race may
have becotne through the long centuries OF DIR
and cruel bondage in which tb's unhappy people
hive been made the victims OF oppicsslou.
ask Of the learned gentleman who hnSI sought
so eagerly to excite the bltterest prejudices o
cast and race against them, and to picture their
before you in SO debased and drgrad: d an aspect
as 10 turn away your s. mpathy and deaden youl