Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-10-17

OSVCiinR- HdOltS oil ln0Oience, senuudllty.
talsehood, treacherv, theft, moral stupor and
perpetual childhood-by taking away Hope,
which God has appointed az the lightener of
toll the spur to e~xertion, and the seed Of
progress. and by destroying the sense of re-
SPonslblllty, which is the bond thar connects
the soul with God.
Because it tends to defle the soul of the
master as unlimited power must generally
produce self-indulgence, RIGHTEOUSNESS, cru
ely, arrogance AMI a d1mineprinr spirit
1%nlllties utterly opposed to the humility
meekness and selfdenial of Christ. We
cneertully admit that some, both of the
Si1veAol1ers and Slaves, have nobly resist
ed these Influences and shown MS virtues
which we should be proud to initiate. But
we know that Sne prevailing tendency of the
system Is nevertheless evil, and tint it must
nways offer manifold temPtltions and inevi-
t'ble occasions To sin.
because this systen rs the Indispensable
condition of its continuance, must restrict
education, keep the Bible from the Slave.
mike life insecure in the hands of i%rrespon-
sihle power, deprive female innocence of
protection, sanction adultery, tear children
from parents and husbands from wives, VIC.
late the divine institution of families, and bv
hard and hopeless toll make existence a bur
den.
Because Slavery. rs all history ~tpstifes,
eats out the heart of NATIONS, and tends eve
ry year more and more to se1r the popular
conscience and impair the virtue Of the peo-
pie. 1t neutralizes the influence which we
ought to exert on the world as a milton whose
mission 1t is to extend the principles of po-
lltlcal freedom. 1t degrades our national
character, making us appear before mankind
as solemn hyporrites who declare "thlt ALL
men are equal" and yet Persist in holding a
portion of them as Slaves--who declare
that GALL are endowed with certain inaliena-
Bile rights, among which are life, liberty, and
the pursuit Of happiness" and yet t1ke
these rights from a sixth part Of their own
community. Constantly to profess one thing
and constantly to practice another must de-
stroy the sinews Of national virtue.
In pure obedience to these principles which
no circumstances can obscure and no time
can chinge, we protest against any attempt
TO defend this system on the ground that
the Slaves are often treated Kindly. 1t is
not a question Of treatment, but Of riuht;
and the greatest kindness would be no COM
pe.sltlon for the rights which are withheld.
We protest against any attempt to defend
the system from the letter Of the Scriptures
or from practices recorded in the Old Testl-
ment as a libel upon God and Christ, which
would tend, so far as the attempt succeeds I'd.
to destroy our confidence in the Bible. If
this system was not prohibited among an
clent nations by positive wv, it was not for
the reason that it was right, hut that, like
p~olygamy and otaer evil practices, SIT was
suffered for a tine because Of the hndness
OF tlelr hearts" Ani If, from the imDcr-
feet knowledge under the old dispens ,tion.
'the time of this Ignorance God winked at"
| yet now in the light of the Gospel; s.He
comn7nds al men every where to repent"
Finally, while We prescribe no mans course
Of action, we earnestly implore all to put
forth their full energy, and in the most Elf
ci mt modes. to show decidedly their sympa-
thy with the Slave and their adherence OF
the system of oppression of which he is
made the victim.
We implore our brethren at the South, es-
peel lily those who hold the same faith
as ourselves, to show their faith by their
works; to come out from all participa-
ton in this sin, and, in the way they deem
best, 'to undo the heavy burden and let the
| oppressed go Free"
We implore our brethren at the North, who
may 90 to reside in the Slaveholding regions,
to go determined to make every sacrifice of
profit or convenience rather than become
abettors of this inhuman institution.
We implore all Christians and Christian
preachers to unite in unceasing prayer to God
for aid against this system, TO lose no oppor-
tnnity of speaking the truth and spreading
light on this subject, in filth that the truth is
strong enough to break every yoke. w
pray them to remember whose hearts
were IN this cause, who have assembled on
high. If Charming, Follen, Worcester and
Ware, are still mindful of what's passing be-
low, they must be looking 10 us to tike their
places and to do their work Wherefore see
ing we are composed by such witnesses. let
us lay aside every weight, and do the work
ofhim who sent us while it is day.
And we, on our part, do hereby pledge
ourselves before God and our brethren, never
to be weary ef lsboring in the cause of hu-
mln rights and freedom till Slavery is abol-
ishcd and every Slave made free.
We are the more obliged to bear this test
imoRy because the Gospel of Christ cannot
now be fully preached in the Slaveholding
Stltes. If It could, it might be less necessa-
ry to cypress our views in the present form.
But violent and and lawless men, as is well
Known, and as recent instances in our own
experience show, have made it Impossible
for the Southern Minister to declare the
whole counsel of God by speokin freely of
that particular sin with which the commu-
nifty he addresses is speedily concerned.
(Signed by Joseph Allen and Five Hun
dred and Sixty Min. others Unitarian Clergy
menu A few, whose signatures are aft xed to
this papeg, are occasional preachers and can
didltes for the ministry, havingat present no
pastoral charge.
"At a session OF the Rhode Island and
Massachusetts Christian Conference in New