Samuel Joseph May

“ The question of Slavery has not only attracted attention as a question of politics, but it has struck a far deeper, deeper chord. It has arrested the religious feeling of the country. It has taken hold on the consciences of men * * * To coerce it into silence, to endeavor to restrain its free expression, to seek to compress and confine it, warm as it is, and more heated as such endeavors would inevitably render it,—should all this be attempted, I know nothing, even in the Constitution, or the Union itself, which would not be endangered by the explosion which might follow. ”

“ So little forethought had these men, who undertook, under the cover of this law, to perpetrate this outrage upon the feelings of our community, that they had not procured a proper warrant for the aid of "the military." Consequently the poor, doomed man was left in a very exposed place, guarded by only half-a dozen Marshals and constables, some of whom had too much humanity left in their hearts, not to know that they were doing a dastardly, and cruel deed ”

“ If now our government, at the instigation of Southern demagogues, and Northern pseudo-patriots, goes about to make out of this transaction a great offence against Law and Government, they will only bring them both into greater contempt—for the people know, that the claims of natural justice, and of suffering humanity are higher than of the law of Sept. ”