le--that the Constitution makes
no distinction, but includes in its provisions, all the people alike.
This is not true, and certainly is blind absurdity in us at least, who
have suffered the dread consequences of this delusion, not now to see
it.

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 th