Speech of John Hossack, Convicted of a Violation of the Fugitive Slave Law Before Judge Drummond, Of The United States District Court, Chicago, Ill.

In a February 1860 courtroom in Illinois, a determined immigrant stands before the judge after being found guilty of violating the Fugitive Slave Law. John Hossack, a former Scottish baker who helped build the Illinois‑Michigan Canal and later became a successful grain dealer, speaks not as a lawyer but as a conscience of his community. He recounts his humble beginnings, the hardships of a life forged on the frontier, and the responsibility he feels toward the nation he now calls home. His plea is rooted in personal experience, painting a vivid picture of a man who has labored for liberty while witnessing the cruelty of a law that denies it to others.

Hossack’s address weaves together a moral argument against the “wicked” statute, invoking the universal right of man to freedom and dignity. He challenges the court to consider the humanity of those the law oppresses, drawing on his own journey from the free hills of Scotland to the burgeoning towns of the West. The speech captures the spirit of early abolitionist resistance, offering listeners a compelling glimpse into the heated debates that shaped America’s path toward emancipation.