In the book Uncle Tom's Cabin find a sarcastic passage in chapter 8 that criticizes the laws which protect the slave trader and slave catcher.

All the slave trader has to do is lie about what happens; the slaves themselves aren't even considered.

"I'll manage that ar; they 's young in the business, and must spect to work cheap," said Marks, as he continued to read. "Ther's three on 'em easy cases, 'cause all you've got to do is to shoot 'em, or swear they is shot; they couldn't, of course, charge much for that. Them other cases," he said, folding the paper, "will bear puttin' off a spell."