illusion, as well
as "enchantment, to the view." But be that as it may, Mr. Hallett (in
1850) appeared to have too much manhood to kidnap a man. He was better
than his reputation; I mean his reputation with Knight and Hughes, and
would not (then) steal Mr. and Mrs. Craft. This is small praise; it is
large in comparison with the conduct of his official brethren. But
for the salvation of the Union another Commissioner was found who had
no such scruples. This Honorable Court--Mr. Woodbury was then in the
chief place, and Mr. Sprague in his present position--issued the writ
of man-stealing. Two gentlemen of this city were eminently, but
secretly, active in their attempt to kidnap their victim. I shall
speak of them by and by. Somebody took care of Ellen Craft. William
less needed help; he armed himself with pistols and a poignard, and
walked in the streets in the face of the sun. He was a tall, brave
man, and was quite as cool then as this Honorable Court is now, while
I relate their "glorious first essay" in man-stealing. Public opinion
at length drove the (southern) kidnappers from Boston. Then the Crafts
also left the town and the country, and found in the Monarchical
Aristocracy of Old England what the New England Democracy refused to
allow them--protection of their unalienable right to Life, Liberty,
and the pursuit of Happiness.

Gentlemen, the Evangelists of slavery could not allow a Southern
kidnapper to come to Boston and not steal his man: they were in great
wrath at the defeat of Hughes and Knights. So they procured a meeting
at Faneuil Hall to make ready for effectual kidnapping and restoring
Slavery to Boston. "The great Union meeting" was held at Faneuil Hall
November 26th, 1850,--two days before the annual Thanksgiving; it was
"a preparatory meeting" to make ready the hearts of the People for
that dear New England festival when we thank God for the Harvest of
the Land, and the Harvest of the Sea, and still more for the State
whose laws are Righteousness, and the Church that offers us "the
Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free," "the glorious Liberty of
the Sons of God." Here are the Resolutions which were passed.

"Resolved, That the preservation of the Constitution and the
Union is the paramount duty of all citizens;--that the
blessings which have flowed from them in times past, which
the whole country is now enjoying under them, and which we
firmly believe posterity will der