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country, that we of Syracuse, are not a law-abiding people. Some who dwell with us have joined in this cry. Shame upon them, and upon all who are circulating the scandal. The citizens of Syracuse will ever abide by law—they only trample upon tyrany.
B.
It was pretty generally known throughout the country, that there is prevalent in this city and county, a strong anti-slavery sentiment, and, more especially, a deep abhorrence of the Fugitive Slave Law. As if on purpose to set this public feeling at defiance, and challenge us to make it manifest, Mr. Webster declared to an assembly of our citizens last June, that that execrable law should be enforced here; ay, in the midst of the next Anti-Slavery Convention, that should be held in this city. Such a threat was not adapted to allay the rising of an opposite determination. We are not all here quite so craven, and slavish as to bow at once submissively to such a brow-beating as he attempted to give us. His words rankled in the bosoms of a great many. This too was well known. If, therefore, the District Attorney and Deputy Marshall had intended to entrap the ardent opponents of his most odious law, and tempt them to the commission of acts, for which they might arrest them as disturbers of the peace, if not as traitors, they could not have selected a better time, nor have devised more certain provocatives to that end. They chose a day, when our city was full of the people of the country round about, who had come in to attend the County Agricultural Fair, and Liberty Party Convention—the first Anti-Slavery meeting held here, since Mr. Webster uttered his threat.
Then, they had not provided themselves with a sufficient constabulary force, to make it even appear difficult to take their victim out of their grasp. The scene exhibited in the streets, of Jerry contending with his legalized kidnappers, and screaming for help, had exasperated the feellngs of the people to the utmost; and then he was kept for hours, separated from the eager throng only by two glazed doors, and with them a slight board partition. 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; and to be in some measure enervated by self-condemnation.
