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“It has, through the executive authority of the States, denied the extradition of murderers and marauders.

“It obtained its own compromise in the Constitution to continue the importation of slaves, and now sets up a higher law than the Constitution to destroy the property imported and sold to us by their fathers.

“It has caused the murder of owners in the pursuit of the fugitive slave, and shielded from punishment the murderers.

“It has on many occasions sent its emissaries into the Southern States to corrupt our slaves, induce them to run off, and excite them to insurrection. It has by its John Brown and Montgomery raids invaded sovereign States and murdered peaceful citizens. It has justified and exalted to highest honors of admiration the horrid murders, arsons, and rapines of the John Brown raid, and canonized the felons as saints and martyrs.

“It has burned the towns, poisoned the cattle, and conspired with the slaves to depopulate Northern Texas. In has through certain leaders proclaimed to the slaves the terrible motto: ‘Alarm to the sleep, fire to the dwellings, and poison to the food and water of the slaveholders.’