I’m thinking of Frederick Douglass’ response to the Dred Scott decision:

“Such a decision cannot stand. God will be true though every man be a liar. We can appeal from this hell-black judgment of the Supreme Court, to the court of common sense and common humanity.

We can appeal from man to God. If there is no justice on earth, there is yet justice in heaven.”

“You may close your Supreme Court against the black man's cry for justice, but you cannot, thank God, close against him the ear of a sympathising world,

nor shut up the Court of Heaven. All that is merciful and just, on earth and in Heaven, will execrate and despise this edict of Taney.”

“As monstrous as it appears, we can meet it in a cheerful spirit.

This very attempt to blot out forever the hopes of an enslaved people may be one necessary link in the chain of events preparatory to the downfall and complete overthrow of the whole slave system.”