Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-11-28


States, and can never be abolished but by a
recognition of hnman rights. The spirit that
breathed the declaration ''all men are born
free and %equal,'' and then disappeared, must be
recalled, or all our legislation will be in vain.
When our revolutionary fathers compromised
the rights of the colored man for a Constitu-
ton to secure the blessings of liberty to them
selres and their ,Dhiie poSterity, the genius of
impartial freedom fled from our shores. She
did not stay even to preside over the forma-
ton of that Constitution, which makes slave
hunting ground of all the northern and west
ern States. Nay, she did not tarry even UNI
til the 30 years of slave migration from Afri-
ca ended.
That the Constitution of the United States
is a pro-slavery document, who can deny2-
The fugitive slave cannot denyi it! The con-
ductors of the underground railway to Can
ada cannot deny it! The twenty-five mem
bers in Congress who hold their seats by viz
tue of the three-ffths slave representation
cannot deny it! The members of the Con-
NtllllOus W III lSIuSCu ~ WV wi hhO uuOPbiOh
of the Constitution, cannot deny it! Neither
could those men who made flaming speeches
against slavery when it interfered with their
interests in the matter of taxation; but cast a
damning vote against human rights, in favor
of perpetual slavery, deny it. Hear them
Mr.. Patterson, (of New Jersey) says, "He
would regard negroes in no light but as prop
erty. They are no free agents, have no per-
sonal liberty, no faculty of acquiring proper
ty; but, on the contrary, are themselves prop
erty, and like all other property, entirely at
the will of their master. y \ n He was
also against such an indirect Encouragement
Of The Stare trafc; observing that Congress in
their act relating to their change of the eighth
article of confederation, had been ashamed TO
use the term Slaces, and had substituted "a de-
scription." Mr.. Morris, (of Pennsylvania
says "thai domestic sIarery is the most prom
'nent feature in the aristocratic countenance
of the proposed Constitution. The vassalage
of the poor has ever been the favorite off
spring of aristocracy. And what is the pro-
posed compensation to the Northern States for
a sacrifice Of every principle of right, of eve
ry impulse of humanity? They are to bind
themselves to march their militia for the de-
fence Of the Southern States, for their defence
against these very slaves of whom they COM
plain" | will call upon the stand but one
class Of witnesses more-the leading politi-
clans in the free States $50 called.) At what
period since the revolution, has the prejudice
against the cast and color of the African race
ceased to be rife! Let the broken up school
of Miss Crandell, the destruction of a New
Hampshire Academy-let the black laws of
Ohio-let the decisions of magistrates in IA
vor of claimants of fugitive slaves-let the
negro pews, and the echoes of pro-slavery
pulpits, tell the story. In view of a capitu-
lation of this mass of undesirable, though I'M
Improbable testimony, we cannot avoid
(though would to God we could,) the conclu-
sion that the Constitution of the United States
is pro-slavery. How then can | vote under
it, or swear allegiance . it, My duty to
God forbids it. My %,elation to my robbed
and down-trodden brother forbils it. Justice
forbids me TO strike hands with the robber,
and the oppressor of my brother and sister.
My complaint against the Constitution Is
not that it is obscure or imperfect, but that it
designedly consigns to unmitigated bondage
a large class of my brethren, nLtive born A
mericans, a portion of whom fought in the
battle fields of the American Revolution side
by side with our sires. Why then deprive
them of their portion of the boon! Will the
God OF justice wink at such hypocrisy, rob-
berry and oppression as this? In what article
and section of the instrument, drawn up to
Establish JUSTICE" is the grant of freedom
secured! If the Constitution does not secure
! freedom to the slave, it mn.ters not what i,
secures. 1t is a pro-slavery document, and
cannot be sustained with moral integrity.
J. S.