Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-08-13
Dis n MON.

tinel.
| 4a .DiSuni0n ST. xa q
The following is copy Of the pledge cir.
culated by Abby Kelley & Co. while in this
place and we presume wherever they GO:
| "DISUNION PLEDGE.
WHEREHs, in the formation and adop-
ton of the Constitution Of the United
States, the following criminal and dan
gerous concessions were made to the
Sloveholding power, namely:-That the
Foreign Slave Trade should be safely
prosecuted under the national flag, as a
lawful branch of American Commmerce,
for a period ofnot less than twentyyears;
that Fugitive Slaves should find no
protection from their pursuers, on any
portion ofthe American so,l;-that Slave
Instructions should be suppressed by
the combined military and naval power
Of the country, if needed in any pmer.
gency;-and that Saveholding oligar-
chy, created by allowing three-6ths Of
the whole slave population to be repre-.
sented as property BY their masters.
should be allowed a placein Congress: -
Therefore, regarding that Constitution
as 'scovenant with death, and an agree
ment with hell" the mighty prop that
sustains the entire slave system, we. the
undersigned, to signify our adherence
of injustice and oppression. and to clear
our skirts of innocent blood, do hereby
pledge ourselves not to elect, or in any
way aid or countenance the election of
a candidate for any Office, the entrance
upon which requires an oath or afarma-
ton to support the Constitution of the
United States; but in all suitable ways
10 strive for tho peaceable dissolution Of
the Union, as the most consistent. feasi>
BILE, and efficient means of abolishing
Slavery"
After the lapse of more than hal "a century,
during Which time the American Republic
as government has stood in high esteem
among the enlightened nations of the earth,
who have considered it important, profitable
and honorable TO be. on terms of amity with it.,
it is strange indeed that there should be those
among our own countrymen who denouncO
the fundamental law of the land, framed as it
was in the council of the wisest and best
men, and the purest patriots who have ever
had an existence in any nation--as "a cove.
nant with death, and an agreement with hell"
1t is no less strange that there SHOULD be
found in this country, any who have enjoyed
the blessings of our form Of government, who
should denounce it as the basest and most
tyrannical government upon the face of the
earth, and its trainers as base knaves, hypo-
critics, liars, thieves and murderers, because
they permitted an institution to exist, which
was not within their power to abolish? Yel
these are the sentiments of Abby Kelley 8
Co., those panders of Great Britains Philan
throp,sls u But the people of the Unitet
States have learned to value the institutions
of their country too highly, they love then
too well to be ever led astfay by such croak'
ing. .1r.+. -1ras- 5 s
Wemust confess that we have little or M
sympathy for the institution of Slavery, but
though we believed that the perPetuity o
that institution depended upon the existence
of the Union we could not abandon our coun
try and advocate doctrine fraught with suci
vast evils .twouldbe miserable policy 10 Gu
ones throat to extract a tamor, and equal
as miserable, toldestroy and uproota govern
ment that one Of its evils may be eradlcated
But we believe that if the institution of Slave
. ry can be abolished at all, it can be done with
: out rosortipg 10 disunion, by doing which,
is not certain that IL could be done. Bu
why isit, if chese scoundrels are so much op
posed to this government, that>they do nc
seek a refuge in the Queens Dominion.
!, where sorrow and suffering, and heaFt>rendin
anguish are never known. '7'' ~