Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-10-17
PROTEST AGAINST AMERICAN SLA-
VERY by ONE HUNDRED AND
SEVENTY UNITARIAN MINIS

We, the undersigned, disciples Of Christ
and Ministers Of his Gospel, 10 bearing sol
emn testimony against the system Of Ameri-
can Sllvery, deem it proper ia the first place
to declare the grounds Of our action.
We owe it to Three Millions Of Slaves,
our fellow men and brethren, to do what we
rirhtrullv Gun to undo their burdens. The
wrongs Of the Slave, however distant he
mly be. are our wrongs; for Jesus has tiught
us that every sufferer whom we can relieve
is our neighbor, thoughn strlnger, OF another
race and in a distInt lInd.
We owe it TO the SHAREHOLDERS, our fellow
men anil brethren, whom W. believe to be
in a position hostile to the influences OF
Christianity. 10 speak a wor1 Of warning
concerning the mor,l evil AMI inhumlnlty Of
the system with which they are connected.
Consequently Southern men OF better
character who would not, perhaps, them
selves sanction such constr lint, are never
theless left without instruction as to their
duty in relation to slavery. And If neither
religion nor he instincts of humanity, nor
the first principles of American liberty have
taught them that the system is wrong, their
ignorance may not be wholly their fault, but
it would be ours if we were to suffer il to
remain. That they have been educated to
believe that Slaveholding is right, may be a
relson why we should not severely blame
them, but it is also the reason why we should
show them the truth; since the truth on this
subject must come to them, il at all, from
the free States, through books, writing and
public opinion.
These reasons would induce us to speak,
ever if the North were doing nothing to up
hold Slavery. But our political, CONNER
cial and socill relations with the South, by
the long silence Of Northern Christians and
Churches, by the fact that Northern men,
going to the South, often become Slavehold-
ers and apologists for Slavery, we have Civ
the 81 lveholders reason to believe that
it is only the accident Of our position which
prevents us from engaging in this system as
fully as themselves. Our silence therefore
is unfolding Slavery and we must speak
it in order not to speak in its support.
Especially do we feel TINT the denominl-
which takes for its motto "Libarty, Ho-
illness and Love-" should be foremost in OPP
posing this system. More than others we
hive contpnded for three great principles
individual liberty, perfect righteousness, and
hum1n brotherhood. All of these are gross
ly violated by the system of Slavery. We
for ment freedom; shlll we not de-
nounce the system which letters both mind
and boly? We have declared righteousness
to be the essence Of Christi nifty; sh II we
not oppose tn t system which is the sum f
all wrong! We claim for all men the right
Of brotherhood before a universal Father:
ought we not to testify against that which
trdmplcs 81 many of ourbrethren under foot!
These reasons would lead us to sneak in
dividually and scp1r,tely. But our combin-
ed voices may be heard mora widely and be
more regarded and we therefore speak in
company. As we do not, as a denonini-
ton, combine in subscribing creeds and fv-
ing systems of theology, the more should
we be ready to unite in practical endeavors
to remove moral evils. As our principles of
religious liberty do not permit us to exclude
our brethren who are Shareholders from our
Christian fellowship, the more should we
testify against the Slave system itself. Some
individuals may think they hold slaves for
the good Of their bendmen, in order to give
them their liberty under more favorable cir
cumstlnces. We cannot regard such Slave
holders as we do those who hold their fell
low beings as property for the sake of gain
or personal convenience. Leaving to God
to decide on the comparative guilt or inno-
cence Of inliyi1uil Shareholders, we pro-
nounce the system unchristian and iuhu,nan.
And more especially do we feel bound to
lift up our voices al the present time, when
the Sonth has succeeded in compromising
the nItion to the support of Slavery; when
it has been made a great national interest,
defended by our national diplomacy, and to
be upheld by our national arms; when the
nation has, by a new measure, solemnly as
sumed the guilt and responsibility of its con-
~tinuance; when free Northern citizens, with
out any alleged crime; are thrown into South
ern prisons and sold to perpetual bondage;
when our attempts to appeal respectfully to
the Federal Courts are treated with con-
tumely, so that the question is no longer
whether Slivery shall continue in the South
ern Stltes, but whether Freedom shall con-
tinue in any of the st tes. Now, therefore,
when our r%elilnce on political measures has
failed, it is the time to trust more fully in
the power of Truth. To the schemes of
party leaders, 10 political m~aiorities, to the
united treasures, arms, domains and interests
of the nation, pledged TO the extension and
perpetu ton Of the system, let us now
oppose the simple m,iesty of Truth. ''For
who knows not that Truth is strong--next
the Al nighty!"
We, therefore, Ministers of the Gospel Of
Truth and Love, in the name of God the
UNIVERSE Father, in the name of Christ the
Rede,m,r, in the nlme of Humanity and
Hum n Brotherhood, do solemnly protest
against the system Of Slavery, as unchriStilr
and inhuman-
Because it is a violation of the law nj
Right, being the sun of all unrighteousness
which man can do to maI, depriving him moi
only ofhis possessions but of himself. And
as ia the possession of ones self areincluded
al other possessions, and in the right OF
ones self are included all other rights, he
who makes a man a slave commits the great.
est possible robbery and the greatest posi-,