ng the importation of slaves, which
was to begin to take effect at the commencement of the year 1808. It
immediately occurred to Friend Hopper that the present case came within
the act; and if so, the colored man was of course legally entitled to
freedom. In order to detain him till he could examine the law, and take
advice on the subject, he procured a warrant for debt and lodged it at
the prison, telling the keeper not to let the colored man go till he had
paid his demand of a hundred dollars.

When the Frenchman called for his slave next morning, they refused to
discharge him; and he obtained a writ of _habeas corpus_, to bring the
case before the mayor's court. Friend Hopper was informed that the slave
was on trial, that the Recorder did not think it necessary to notify
him, and had made very severe remarks concerning the fictitious debt
assumed for the occasion. He proceeded directly to the court, which was
thronged with people, who watched him with lively curiosity, and made a
lane for him to pass through. Mahlon Dickinson, the Recorder, was in the
act of giving his decision on the case, and he closed his remarks by
saying, "The conduct of Mr. Hopper has been highly reprehensible. The
man is not his debtor; and the pretence that he was so could have been
made for no other reason but to cause unnecessary delay, vexation, and
expense." The lawyers smiled at each other, and seemed not a little
pleased at hearing him so roughly rebuked; for many of them had been
more or less annoyed by his skill and ready wit in tangling their
skein, in cases where questions of freedom were involved. Friend Hopper
stood before the Recorder, looking him steadfastly in the face, while he
was making animadversions on his conduct; and when he had finished, he
respectfully asked leave to address the court for a few minutes.

"Well, Mr. Hopper," said the Recorder, "what have you to say in
justification of your very extraordinary proceedings?"

He replied, "It is true the man is not my debtor; but the court has
greatly erred in supposing that the step I have taken was merely
intended to produce unnecessary delay and expense. The Recorder will
doubtless recollect that Congress has passed an act prohibiting the
introduction of foreign slaves into this country. It is my belief that
the case now before the court is embraced within the provisions of that
act. But I needed time to ascertain the point; and I assumed that the
man was my debtor mer