ling South; accepts for
Officers such as the master appoints, for laws what the Slave-driver
commands. The Slave-Power became predominant in American politics,
business, literature, and "Religion."

Gentlemen of the Jury, do you doubt what I say? Look at this Honorable
Court,--at its Judges, its Attorney, at its Marshal, and its Marshal's
Guard: they all hold their offices by petty serjeantry of menial
service rendered to the Slave-Power. It would be an insult to any one
of this august fraternity to hint that he had the faintest respect
for the great Principles of American Liberty, or any love of justice
for all men. I shall not be guilty of that "contempt of court."
Gentlemen, I had expected that this Court would be solemnly opened
with prayer. I knew whom the Slave-Power would select as its priest to
"intercede with Heaven." I expected to hear the Rev. Nehemiah Adams,
D.D., ask the God he worships and serves to take "a South-side view of
American Slavery" in general, and in special of this prosecution of a
minister of the Christian Religion for attempting to keep the Golden
Rule. Should the Court hereafter indulge its public proclivity to
prayer, that eminent divine will doubtless be its advocate--fit
mediator for a Court which knows no Higher Law.

Well, Gentlemen, that sevenfold triumph was not enough. Slavery will
never be contented so long as there is an inch of free soil in the
United States! New victories must be attempted. Mr. Toombs has
declared to this noble Advocate of Justice and Defender of Humanity,
[John P. Hale] who renews the virtuous glories of his illustrious
namesake, Sir Matthew Hale, that, "Before long the master will sit
down with his slaves at the foot of Bunker Hill Monument." But one
thing disturbed our masters at the South--the concubine runs away from
her lusty lord, the mulatto slave child from her white father; I have
had the "best blood of Virginia," fugitive children of her "first
families" in my own house, and have given many a dollar to help the
sons and daughters of "Southern Democrats" enjoy a taste of Northern
Democracy. The slaves would run away. The law of 1793 was not adequate
to keep or catch these African Christians who heeded not the Southern
command, "Slaves, obey your masters." The Decision of the Supreme
Court in the Prigg case,[174] showed the disposition of the Federal
Government, and took out of the hands of the individual States the
defence of their own citizens. Stil