He could at least have resigned himself into fame. It
appeared to be forgotten that there was such a man or such an
office. Yet no doubt he was endeavoring to fill the gubernatorial
chair all the while. He was no Governor of mine. He did not govern me.
But at last, in the present case, the Governor was heard from. After
he and the United States government had perfectly succeeded in robbing
a poor innocent black man of his liberty for life, and, as far as they
could, of his Creator's likeness in his breast, he made a speech to
his accomplices, at a congratulatory supper!
I have read a recent law of this State, making it penal for any
officer of the "Commonwealth" to "detain or aid in the...
detention," anywhere within its limits, "of any person, for the reason
that he is claimed as a fugitive slave." Also, it was a matter of
notoriety that a writ of replevin to take the fugitive out of the
custody of the United States Marshal could not be served for want of
sufficient force to aid the officer.
I had thought that the Governor was, in some sense, the executive
officer of the State; that it was his business, as a Governor, to
see that the laws of the State were executed; while, as a man, he took
care that he did not, by so doing, break the laws of humanity; but
when there is any special important use for him, he is useless, or
worse than useless, and permits the laws of the State to go
unexecuted.
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