This imperturbable manner irritated the hot-blooded slave-holder beyond endurance.  He repeated more vociferously than ever, “Get out of my house, you scoundrel!  If you don’t, I’ll kick you out.”  The Quaker walked quietly away, as if he didn’t hear a word.

At the appointed time, Mr. Butler waited upon the Judge, where he found Friend Hopper in attendance.  The sight of him renewed his wrath.  He cursed those who interfered with his property; and taking up the Bible, said he was willing to swear upon that book that he would not take fifteen hundred dollars for Ben.  Friend Hopper charged him with injustice in wishing to deprive the man of his legal right to freedom.  Mr. Butler maintained that he was as benevolent as any other man.

“Thou benevolent!” exclaimed Friend Hopper.  “Why, thou art not even just.  Thou hast already sent back into bondage two men, who were legally entitled to freedom by staying in Philadelphia during the term prescribed by law.  If thou hadst a proper sense of justice, thou wouldst bring those men back, and let them take the liberty that rightfully belongs to them.”

“If you were in a different walk of life, I would treat your insult as it deserves,” replied the haughty Southerner.

“What dost thou mean by that? asked Isaac.  Wouldst thou shoot me, as Burr did Hamilton?  I assure thee I should consider it no honor to be killed by a member of Congress; and surely there would be neither honor nor comfort in killing thee; for in thy present state of mind thou art not fit to die.”

Mr. Butler told the judge he believed that man was either deaf or crazy when he served the writ of habeas corpus; for he did not take the slightest notice of anything that was said to him.  Judge Inskeep smiled as he answered, “You don’t know Mr. Hopper as well as we do.”

A lawyer was procured for Ben; but Mr. Butler chose to manage his own cause.  He maintained that he was only a sojourner in Pennsylvania; that Ben had never resided six months at any one time in that State, except while he was a member of Congress; and in that case, the law allowed him to keep his slave in Pennsylvania as long as he pleased.  The case was deemed an important one, and was twice adjourned for further investigation.  In the course of the argument, Mr. Butler admitted that he returned from Congress to Philadelphia, with Ben, on the second of January, 1804, and had remained there with him until the writ of habeas corpus was served, on the third of August, the same year.  The lawyers gave it as their opinion that Ben’s legal right to freedom was too plain to admit of any doubt.  They said the law to which Mr. Butler had alluded was made for the convenience of Southern gentlemen, who might need the attendance of their personal slaves, when Congress met in Philadelphia; but since the seat of government was removed, it by no means authorized members to come into Pennsylvania with their slaves, and keep them there as long as they chose.  After much debate, the judge gave an order discharging Ben from all restraint, and he walked off rejoicing.