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taking up the Bible, said he was willing to swear upon that book that he would not take fifteen hundred dollars for Ben. Friend Hopper charged him with injustice in wishing to deprive the man of his legal right to freedom.
Mr. Butler maintained that he was as benevolent as any other man.
‘Thou benevolent!’
exclaimed Friend Hopper.
‘Why, thou art not even just.
Thou hast already sent back into bondage two men, who were legally entitled to freedom by staying in Philadelphia during the term prescribed by law. If thou hadst a proper sense of justice, thou wouldst bring those men back, and let them take the liberty that rightfully belongs to them.’
‘If you were in a different walk of life, I would treat your insult as it deserves,’ replied the haughty Southerner.
‘What dost thou mean by that?
asked Isaac.
Wouldst thou shoot me, as Burr did Hamilton?
I assure thee I should consider it no honor to be killed by a member of Congress; and surely there would be neither honor nor comfort in killing thee; for in thy present state of mind thou art not fit to die.’
Mr. Butler told the judge he believed that man was either deaf or crazy when he served the writ of habeas corpus; for he did not take the slightest notice of anything that was said to him. Judge Inskeep
Boston, J. P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland, Ohio: Jewett, Proctor and Worthington; London; Low and Company, 1854.
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