Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-09-05
From the ", Y, Tribune,
The Lexington Outroge-s-Opinions I'm


Eentucky.
We have waited with no common interest
to see how the late outrage at Lexington
would be viewed by the Press in other parts
of Kentucky, where the people are less ex-
cited and in a condition to look upon the
matter with some degree of caimness and
lmpartiallty. Our desire has heen met and
grdtifed in part by the following article from
the Louisville Journal, which no doubt ex-
presses the sentiments of a large and high
ly influential body of citizens. We publish
it with great pleasure, not because it accords
in every respect with our W opinions, but
as an evidence that the conduct of the citi-
zens of Lexington will meet the decided
condemnation of many of their most intelli-
gent fellow citizens, and that the cause of
Peaceful, Lawful Emancipation, SO far from
being overthrown, will be greatly a~ccelera-
ted by the very means intended to check its
! progress.
1t will be perceived that the Editor of tho
Journal is Inclined to give credence to the
stories told him at Lexington Of the inso-
lence and insubordination of the Slaves con-
sequent upon tho publication of the True
American. Our own convictioni is, however,
that these reports were greatly exaggerated,
that, in fact, they had very little foundation
except in the excited Imagination of men
hostile to the rights of the Negro and bent
IL
upon his enslavement at all hazards, That
MIR. Clay's paper had excited hopes of ultf-
mate emancipation in the mi IDS of many
Slaves is probably true, and it is easy to see
how any manifestations of interest on their
part in his movements would be regarded by
their jealous masters as indicatians of an in-
solent and restless spirit; but that there was
really any danger of lnsurrection on this ac-
count we do not for a moment believe, If.
/ hpNypvpr fbnra uyac ,lapnos 20 ,,.I -'
trophe before the outrage, there is infinitely
more now that the Blacks have witnessed
this illegal assault upon one whom thew
deemed their best friend. But we detain our
readers too long from the article of which
we are speaking, Here it is;
From tie Louisville Journal, Mug, 81,
The LEXINGTON DISTURB SUD-
preston of the ''True American by the peo-
pie of Lexington and the surrounding coun,
try, and the manner in which it was effect
ed, are acts of which we are compelled to
disapprove. We never will sanction the ex,
ertion of mob-power in any instance. Ours
Is a country of laws, Freedom of speech
and action are to be restrained only by law.
Whenever the safe exercise of these priyile-
ges Is made to depend upon the sufferance of
the populace, their value becomes insipni6-
cant, the majesty of the law degraded, and
sooner or later icentiousness will supplant
sound morals. If, on account of the absence
OF legal restriction, an individual chooses to
pursue a course of action annoying to the
community in which he dwells, we think it
is better, temporarily, to suffer the evil, than
to set the bad example of taking its summa-
ry punishment into hands entitled to no le-
gal power Of restraint, The Lexington case,
we know, is marked by great regularity.
yet, we think, some other course would have
been preferable to that which was deternin-
ed upon and pursued, and, that the last hand
bill of Mr.. Clay and the assurances of his
friends, should have induced the peopIe Ia
withhold their hands from an Unauthorized
control of his private property. The man.
agement of Mr.. Clay's paper has been very
indiscreet. He has inflicted injury where he
designed to do good. His exertions have re-
tarded a movement which he wished to ac-
celebrate. His hasty temper has involved him
In personal q%uarrels, conducted through his
paper, and embarrassing the question with
which he had connected his publication
lie did not assume the tone in which to adj
dress this people with effect or 10 awaken
them to a sense of their true interests upon
the subject be proposed to discuss. He seem
ed to have forgotten that slavery did not ap-
pear to every one as a sin to be atoned for,
l and to be abandoned at any and every sacri-
r fee, He became impatient at what he con
t Sidered the perverseness OF the people, and
2 suffered his temper to master all discretion
in his use of language. We think the edi
torial in the last American, which spread
5 such alarm and created such Indignation il
+ the bosoms of the citizens, was, 10 saw IN,
l least of it, a foolish flourish of rhetorical fir
: among combustibles easy to be ipnited b,
9 the application of just such means as Mi