By the provisions of this bill, the colored people of the United States are positively degraded beneath the level of the whites—­are made liable at any time, in any place, and under all circumstances, to be arrested—­and upon the claim of any white person, without the privilege, even of making a defence, sent into endless bondage.  Let no visionary nonsense about habeas corpus, or a fair trial, deceive us; there are no such rights granted in this bill, and except where the commissioner is too ignorant to understand when reading it, or too stupid to enforce it when he does understand, there is no earthly chance—­no hope under heaven for the colored person who is brought before one of these officers of the law.  Any leniency that may be expected, must proceed from the whims or caprice of the magistrate—­in fact, it is optional with them; and our rights and liberty entirely at their disposal.

We are slaves in the midst of freedom, waiting patiently, and unconcernedly—­indifferently and stupidly, for masters to come and lay claim to us, trusting to their generosity, whether or not they will own us and carry us into endless bondage.

The slave is more secure than we; he knows who holds the heel upon his bosom—­we know not the wretch who may grasp us by the throat.  His master may be a man of some conscientious scruples; ours may be unmerciful.  Good or bad, mild or harsh, easy or hard, lenient or severe, saint or satan—­whenever that master demands any one of us—­even our affectionate wives and darling little children, we must go into slavery—­there is no alternative.  The will of the man who sits in judgment on our liberty, is the law.  To him is given all power to say, whether or not we have a right to enjoy freedom.  This is the power over the slave in the South—­this is now extended to the North.  The will of the man who sits in judgment over us is the law; because it is explicitly provided that the decision of the commissioner shall be final, from which there can be no appeal.

The freed man of the South is even more secure than the freeborn of the North; because such persons usually have their records in the slave states, bringing their “papers” with them; and the slaveholders will be faithful to their own acts.  The Northern freeman knows no records; he despises the “papers.”

Depend upon no promised protection of citizens in any quarter.  Their own property and liberty are jeopardised, and they will not sacrifice them for us.  This we may not expect them to do.

Besides, there are no people who ever lived, love their country and obey their laws as the Americans.

Their country is their Heaven—­their Laws their Scriptures—­and the decrees of their Magistrates obeyed as the fiat of God.  It is the most consummate delusion and misdirected confidence to depend upon them for protection; and for a moment suppose even our children safe while walking in the streets among them.