The Great Case

This was an action for trespass alledged to be committed on the rights of the Plaintiff by the Defendant in the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law.

Plaintiff appears and makes the following declaration in support of the action;--

1.  That, by the laws of its being, it is its right and privilege to love and do good to all and each of the human race.

2.  That the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law prohibits the exercise of this right in many cases, and requires the use of passions and feelings which Plaintiff does not possess.

3.  That this being an open and palpable violation of its rights, it demands exemption from the requirements of this law immediately, henceforth and forever, and expects judgment accordingly.

To this, Patriotism, the defendant, replies:--

1.  That “all and each of the human race” includes whites as well as blacks, freemen as well as slaves.

2.  That, granting the right of the Plaintiff to extend its benevolence to the [three illegible words] race, Defendant claims the first exercise of this right towards our own countrymen.

3.  That this exercise would naturally be to secure to every citizen of this country the benefits of a just and stable government.

4.  That in attempting to secure this benefit, we must begin with the world just as it is, and remembering it is not what it ought to be.

5.  That in the world as it is, we find many evils, individual, social, and political, which cannot at once be abolished, but must gradually fade away, before the light of truth, and all we can at first attempt is to secure the greatest good to the greatest number.

6.  That this greatest good can only be secured by the submission and obedience of all to the laws of the country, as long as they are laws, and till they can be regularly repealed, and that contrary course, by involving anarchy and misrute, would destroy all law and order, and would never be recommended by true philanthropy.

7.  That by encouraging disobedience to one law, however obnoxious, we accustom the public mind to the disobedience of other laws, salutary and essential to the public good.

8.  That the Fugitive Law is but one of a series, all the rest of which were favorable to freedom, and so far as it is the price of freedom to a great area of our country is worthy of regard.

To this, Philanthropy, the Plaintiff responds, That there is a “higher law,” which commands it to do good to all men whenever it has opportunity, disregarding consequences.

 Defendant replies, that the “higher law” does not disregard consequences, but commands us at all times in aiming at reformations to “so run as to obtain,” and in fighting against evils to “fight not as one that beateth the air.”

Here the case was submitted.