:17:28
"To His Excellency,
John Quincy Adams,
:17:31
"Massachusetts member,
House of Representatives.
:17:35
"I have understood from Mr Joadson
:17:38
"that you are acquainted with
the plight of the Amistad Africans.
:17:41
"If that is true, then you are
aware that we have been,
:17:45
"at every step, successful in
our presentation of their case.
:17:48
"Despite this,
:17:49
"and despite the unlikelihood of
President Van Buren's re-election,
:17:53
"he has appealed our most recent
favourable decision
:17:56
"to the highest court in the land.
:17:58
"As I'm sure you are well aware,
:18:01
"seven of nine of these
Supreme Court justices
:18:04
"are themselves Southern
slave owners.
:18:14
"Sir, we need you.
:18:17
"If ever there was a time for a man
to cast aside his daily trappings
:18:21
"and array himself for battle,
that time has come."
:18:25
Thank you.
:18:27
"Cicero said, appealing to Claudius
in defence of the Republic,
:18:31
"that 'the result of this war
:18:33
"depends on the life of one
most brave and excellent man.'
:18:36
"In our time, in this instance,
I believe it depends on two.
:18:40
"A courageous man, at present
in irons, named Cinque,
:18:43
"and you, sir.
:18:53
"Sincerely, Roger S Baldwin,
attorney-at-law."