The Trial of Theodore Parker: For the "Misdemeanor" of a Speech in Faneuil Hall against Kidnapping, before the Circuit Court of the United States, at Boston, April 3, 1855, with the DefenceParker, Theodore
Religion
The Trial of Theodore Parker: For the "Misdemeanor" of a Speech in Faneuil Hall against Kidnapping, before the Circuit Court of the United States, at Boston, April 3, 1855, with the Defence
Parker, Theodore
Antislavery movements -- Massachusetts -- Boston; United States -- Fugitive slave law (1850)
but to feed their flesh. Forgive me, O ye wolves and hyenas!
that I bring you into such company. I can only understand it
in a devil!
"When a man bred in Massachusetts, whose Constitution
declares that 'All men are born free and equal;' within
sight of Faneuil Hall, with all its sacred memories; within
two hours of Plymouth Rock; within a single hour of Concord
and Lexington; in sight of Bunker Hill,--when he will do
such a deed, it seems to me that there is no life of crime
long enough to prepare a man for such a pitch of depravity;
I should think he must have been begotten in sin, and
conceived in iniquity, and been born 'with a dog's head on
his shoulders;' that the concentration of the villany of
whole generations of scoundrels would hardly be enough to
fit a man for a deed like this!"
"Last Thursday night,--when odious beasts of prey, that dare
not face the light of heaven, prowl through the
woods,--those ruffians of the law seized on their brother
man. They lie to the bystanders, and seize him on a false
pretence. There is their victim--they hold him fast. His
faithless knife breaks in his hand; his coat is rent to
pieces. He is the slave of Boston. Can you understand his
feelings? Let us pass by that. His 'trial!' Shall I speak of
that? He has been five days on trial for more than life, and
has not seen a judge! A jury? No,--only a commissioner! O
justice! O republican America! Is this the liberty of
Massachusetts?
"Where shall I find a parallel with men who will do such a
deed,--do it in Boston? I will open the tombs, and bring up
most hideous tyrants from the dead. Come, brood of monsters,
let me bring you up from the deep damnation of the graves
wherein your hated memories continue for all time their
never-ending rot. Come, birds of evil omen! come, ravens,
vultures, carrion-crows, and see the spectacle! come, see
the meeting of congenial souls! I will disturb, disquiet,
and bring up the greatest monsters of the human race!
Tremble not, women; tremble not, children; tremble not, men!
They are all dead! They cannot harm you now! Fear the
living, not the dead!
"Come hither, Herod the wicked! Thou that didst seek after
that young child's life, and destroyed the Innocents! Let me
look on thy face! No; go! Thou wert a heathen! Go, lie with
the Innocents thou hast massacred. Thou art too good for
this company!
"Come, Nero! Thou awful Roman Emperor! Come up! No; thou
wast drunk with power! schooled in Roman depravity. Thou
hadst, besides, the example of thy fancied gods! Go, wait
another day. I will seek a worser man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account