Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-12-19


laws Of congress under it, wherever their
interests, inclinations, or passons, led thsm
to desire it. Who can number the North
ern citizens who have been mobbed, mall
treated and abused, from the Hon. Mr.
Hoar to the last sentinel sealthily shot!-
And finally, these violations by slavehold-
ers have gone to seed, in the most diabol-
ical rebellion the world has ever SEEN
And now sir, after ourspublic property has
been plundered to the amount Of millions,
our forts and arsenals seized, our flag in-
suited and struck down, and our soldiers
slain on bundled battle-6elds, BY slave
holders and the slave power, this Court is
dealing out its sentence on my head be-
cause "resisted process" in the hands Of
these minions. when they were trying to
drag back defenceless man 10 choeriess
and returnless bondage. Imprisonment,
fines and costs, which for a time will re.
move my liberty, and sweep away my lit
tie property, and reduce me to the lowest
poverty, are to fall upon me for performing
this duty to God and humanity.
But will be told the meeting that did
this was mob. / DENY it. Whenever .
government steps out of its legitimate bus
mess, and instead of protecting human
rights, crushes them out, 1t becomes the
mob poper. Truth and equity, and reveal
cd will of God, all proclaim it such. 1t
will also be said, good order cannot be
maintained without obedience to existing
enactments. answer, all these can be Sc
cured without shareholders or slave hunt
ers; and then, good men will not come in
collision with the courts.
But the slave power still rules, and /
must suffer. Then be it SO. "The begin
ming of the end has come" Though sla-
very yet rules, it is only in the death
throes, and last contractions of its mighty
heart. The iron logic ofevents is chang
ing public sentiment, and few look on
slave-catching as anything but a mean and
Infamous business. The STAKEHOLDER him
self despises the man who catches the fugi-
tive. He looks on him as he does bis
bloodhound him up and scents him
on the track-doles out to him his reward
and then looks upon him with utter con-
tempt, A few words more and I'll have
done. In the charge Of the jury 1 cast
no reflections on the Court. In so far Is
had ability to Judge, it was fair and can
did. My counsel made an able, eloquent,
and manly defence. Though l was put in
a very untrue position before the jury, still
think they need not, and know they
ought not to have convicted me. Some
of them will not retain the remembrance of
the act among their cherished memories. 2.
We are all passing to another tribunal,
where the fugitive enactment will be at
discount. To have "resisted process" in
the hands judicial kidnapper, will not
these be regarded as crime. The bless
ings of the Judge will fall upon such as fed
him when hungry, took him in when .
stranger, and visited him in prison; and
all this he will acknowledge to have been
done to him-If done to his poor. To
another class be will say, ''iDasmuch asye
lid not these things to the least of my
brethren, ye did them not to me-" II
Grandson Marten be Christian the So
called crime for which / am now to be SEN
fenced is for resisting an attempt 10 drag
back Christ himself to the crucifxion of
slavery, in the person ofhis chat
zed representative. If he be not Chris
ian, still it was resistance to the crime of
reducing Gods image to slave, and
rushing out his aspirations to be man.
And now, sir, apart from the defence of
he rectitude of my conduct, l have no ia
Tors to craye-no mercy to implore. I
stand erect, in conscious integrity and
manhood. My house has ever been q
home for the fleeing fugitive, and shall be
10 still. If my dwelling be reduced to a
.abin, be shall be welcome to corner.
All the devils in belll and slavecatch-
,rs out of hell, shall not close my door
lgainst him. l cannot repress the hope
hat, in this line of persecution l may
De the last victim of the slave power
Whether this be so or not wish when
1alI that's mortaP' of your humble prisoner
shall be in its last resting place, it may be
With truth written on my grave stone,
here lie the remains of one who in life
vas faithful TO Gods poor"