C. Edwards Lester, Life and public services of Charles Sumner: Born Jan. 6, 1811. Died March 11, 1874.

[99] doom of pirates; but it condemns the trade, and gives to general scorn those who partake of it. To this extent the North may be swept into ruthless captivity; and there is no white citizen, born among us, bred in our schools, partaking in our affairs, voting in our elections, whose liberty is not assailed also. Without any discrimination of color, the Bill surrenders all, who may be claimed as ‘owing service or labor,’ to the same tyrannical judgment. And mark once more its heathenism. By unrelenting provisions it visits, with bitter penalties of fine and imprisonment, the faithful men and women who may render to the fugitive that countenance, succor, and shelter which Christianity expressly requires! Thus, from beginning to end, it sets at naught the best principles of the Constitution, and the very laws of God! I might occupy your time by exposing the unconstitutionality of this act. In denying the Trial by Jury, it is three times unconstitutional: first, as the Constitution declares ‘the right of the people to be secure in their persons against unreasonable seizures;’ secondly, as it further declares, that ‘No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law;’ and, thirdly, because it expressly declares, that ‘In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved.’ By this triple cord did the framers of the Constitution secure the Trial by Jury in every question of Human Freedom. That man can be little imbued with the true spirit of American institutions—he can have little sympathy with Bills of Rights—he must be lukewarm for Freedom, who can hesitate to construe the Constitution so as to secure this safeguard.