"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 it liketh him best; thou shalt not oppress him." These
plain statutes, with many more that I might give, leave me in no doubt
as to the mind of the unchanging Jehovah, in reference to man-stealing
and slave-hunting. Sir, the whole system of slavery originated in
man-stealing, and is perpetuated by fraud and violence and plunder.
Others may have their doubts as to their duty under this law; I, Sir,
have none. This law is just as binding on me as was the law of Egypt
to slaughter Hebrew children; just as binding as the law that said,
Worship the golden image, worship not God; just as binding as the law
forbidding Christ and his Apostles to preach the Gospel. Send me a law
bidding me rob or murder my neighbor, I must decline to obey it. I can
suffer, but I must not do wrong. Send me a law bidding me join hands
in robbing my fellow-men of their freedom, I cannot do so great a
wrong. Yea, send me a law bidding me stop my ears to the cry of the
poor, I can suffer the loss of all these hands have earned, I can
suffer bonds and imprisonment--yes, God helping me, I can give up my
life--but I cannot knowingly trample upon the law of my God, nor upon
the bleeding, prostrate form of my fellow-man. I go not to Missouri to
relieve oppressed humanity, for my duty has called me nearer home; but
when He that directs the steps of man conducts a poor, oppressed,
panting fugitive to my door, and there I hear his bitter cry, I dare
not close my ear against it, lest in my extremity I cry for mercy, and
shall not be heard. Sir, this law so flagrantly outrages the divine
law, that I ought not to be sentenced under it.

A single remark, and I have done. From the testimony, (part of which
is false,) and from your rendering and interpretation of the law, the
jury have found me guilty; yes, guilty of carrying out the great
principles of the Declaration of Independence; yes, guilty of carrying
out the still greater principles of the Son of God. Great God! can
these things be? Can it be possible? What country is this? Can it be
that I live in a land boasting of freedom, of morality, of
Christianity? How long, O, how long shall the people bow down and
worship this great image set up in this nation? Yes, the jury say
guilty, but recommend me to the mercy of the