Year: 1860

Its execution. The bloody decree OF Ii


rod, found men ready to obey the law {


the country, though it commanded tn


slaughter Of the in-ocents of the provinc,


Sir, tell me not of men ready and willn


to execute the law. My Redeemer, who's


name | am hardly worthy to speak, am


yet whose name is all my trust, although


he knew no sin, yet he was crucifed b.


law


Again, sir, it will be seen that som


whom the world calls doctors of divinit,
and doctors of law, have undertaken I,
prove slavery was guaranteed by the Con
stitution. II that be so, in the name Of til.
Host High God, tear out the red strip 0
blood; it was not written by the Ange
Gabriel nor nailed 10 the throne of the Al
m ghty. If slavery is in II, is covenant
with death and an agreement with hell.
| But, sir, | have one consideration more
that | will urge why sentence should not
be pronounced against me. This law
which think l have proved outrageous
to the rights ofman, is so obviously at va
rance with the law of that God that com
mands me to love Him with all my soul
mind and strength, and my neichbor a
myself and the Redcemer that took upon
I him my nature and the nature Of poor Jim
Gray, has been 50 particular III telling me
who my neiyhbor is, that the path Of duty
is plain to me. This law SO plainly tram
piles upon the divine law that IT cannot be
binding upon any human being under any
circumstances To obey 1t. The law that
bind, me to do to other men as would
have other men do to Inc, is too plain, too
simple TO b. misunderstood. But, sir. !
am not left to the general law OF love in
i, ~, y.
case. Permit me 10 refer your Honor TO
the oldest law book in existence. though
it may not be in use in this Court, yet |
think it better authority than Blackstone,
or any law book that eycr was written
II is the book Of books. In that book I
find some special enactments given to the
Hebrew commonwealth that leaves me III
no doub, as to my duty in reference 10 tin,
law He that stealeth a man and selleth
him. or if he be found in his hands, he
shall surely be put TO death. Again,
Thou shalt not deliver unto his master
the servant that has escaped from his
master unto thee; he shall dwell with
thee. even among you, in that place he
shall choose IN one Of thy gates where 1t
liketh him. lest thou shalt not oppress
huI These plain statutes, with many
more that ! might give, leaves me IN no
doubt Is 10 the mind Of the unchanging =
Jehovah. in reference TO man ste2ilng and
slave hunting. Sir, the whole system OF
slavery originated in man stealing. and i
perpetuated hv fraud, and violence and
piunder. Others may have their doubts
as 10 their duty under the law. ], sir,
have none This law Is just as binding on
me as was the llw Of Egypt To slaughter
Hebrew children; Just a. binding a. the
law that said. worship the golden image.
worship not God; last a. binding as the
law tDrbiddiuG Christ and his Apostles 10
preach the gospel Send me a lIw bidding
me to rob or murder Iny nciglhor, ! must
decline TO obey it. ! can suffer, but /
must not do wong Send Ele law bid
ding me join hands in robbing my fellow
men Of their freedom, cannot do 50 great
a wrong Yea. send me n law bidding me
stop my ears al the cry of the poor, 1 can
suffer the loss of all these hands have
earned. | can suffer bonds and imprison-
meut yes. God helping me, ! can give up
my life. but | cannot knowingly trample
upon the law OF my God, nor upon the
bleeding. PROSTATE form of my fellow men
| 90 not 10 Missouri 10 relieve oppressed
humanity. for nay duty has called me
nearer home. bat when lie that directs





pressed, painting fugitive 10 my door and
there hear his bitter cry. dare not close
NV ear against it, lest in my extremity
cry for mercy and shal. not be he I'D. Sir,
this las So tiagraLtly outrages the divine
law tha. | ought not 10 be sentenced un-
der it,


\ single remark and ] am done. From
the testimony, part OF which is false, and
from your rendering an Interpretation of
the law. the jury have found me guilty
yes. guilty OF carrying ou; the greater prin-
cples Of the Son of God. Great God can
these things be? Can it be possible
Wha, country is this? Can ii be that |
have lived in land boasting of freedom,
of morality. Of Christianity? How long,
Oh, how long shall the people bow down
and worship this great image set up i'll
this nation? Yes, the jury say guilty, but
recommend me to the mercy OF the court.
Mercy, sir, is kindness to the guilty. ! am
guilty of no crime. |, therefore, ask for
no mercy No. Sir, | ask for no mercy |
ask for justice. Mercy is what ask OF my
God. Justice in the courts of my adopted
country is all | ask 1t is the iphuman
and Infamous law that is wrong, not me.


Ny feelings are at my home. My wife
and my children are dear to my heart;
but, sly, have counted the cost. | am
ready to die if need be for the oppressed
of nv race but slavery must die, and when
my country shall have passed through the
terrible conflict which the destruction of
slavery must cost; and when the history
OF the great struggle shall be candidly
written, the rescuers of Jim Gray will be
considered as having done honor to God,
to humanity, and to themselves.


am told there is no appeal from this
Court, yet l do appeal to the court of high
heaven, where Judge Drummond and
Judge Cation, the rescuer and the rescued,
shall all have to stand at the Judgment
seat Of the Most High


l have, sir, endeavored to obey the divine
law, and all the lsws of my country that
do not conflict with the laws of God. My
humble wish is that it may then appear
that l have done my duty; all wish to
be written on my tombstone, - He feared
God and loved his fellow men"