Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-01-02

thus instead of purifying the political at
mosphere, and inducing the people to vote
from moral principle, there would he danger
OF diminishing the moral feeling of the friends
Of human rights.
II. Because wc should lose, 10 a urea, de-
gree, The sympathy, prayers, and aid of abo-
l~iilonlstS in other countries, if we descend
from our present position, as experience has
taught them that the anti-slavery cause has
pro5Pcred when abolitionists have kept aloof
from political partvism.
10. Because w should necessarily array
against US all the party feelings of leading
politicians throughout the country, whereas,
by not adopting separate organizations, NUM-
bcrs of the different parties can act in concert
with us on this subject, refining their pres
ent predictions on ether subjects.
ALLOW me to add, that, in this city there
are other objections peculiar to this place.
IG. Oar numerical force is comparatively
small-though far from being so small as the
aggregate Of abolition votes thrown, in the
estimation Of our opponents, indicstcs-and
viii probably continue to be small until the
country is regcneratad, rs large cities are the
theatres Of physical but not Of moral revolt
tons.
II. The annual disclosure Of our small nu-
mcrical force, at the central place OF action,
necessarily carries the impression that our
moral force Is ProporIionably weak, whereas,
a small number Of active aud unyielding abb
olitlonists with the means entrusted +. them,
at the centre Of foreign and inland ~intelii-
gcnce, may, with the blessing Of God, set in
motion the physical, Intellectual and moral
energies of hundreds Of thousands dispersed
over the country.
IL. Defeat, in SO large \ city, is ~calcul9-
ted to dIsheaTten coad utors in other PARTS of
the Union, and to encourage opponents, more
than the defeat of ten times the numerical
strength Of aboiitionists elsewhere.
And permit me to say, that | have somo
personal reasons in addition to the foregoing:
|. The following resolution was adopted
at HE Fifth annual meeting (l535) on my
notion
"Resolre5, That we shall dopreca.a the
organization Of any abolition political party,
but that We recommend to abolitioaists
throughout the country to interroylto caudi-
dates for Office with reference to their opin-
ions on subjects connected with the abolition
of slavery, AMI to vote Irrespective of party
for those only who will advocate the princi-
pies of universal liberty"
,. | have strenuoualy asserted, for years,
that it was no part OF the design or policy Of
abolltlonists to form a distinct political par
ty, and that could not retain my situation
in the Executive Committee if such a mate
rial change was to take place in the meas
ures Of the Society; and | vas among the
large majority, at the National Convention at
Albany, that opposed the project OF separate
political organization, bat resolved that we
would vote only for those who are For inmc-
date emancipation, and deemed it my duty,
| rYo,,tlt- in tifs aIs,r 10 ,,DpNrp tho .Atnftpn
| Of an abolition ticket.
Now, dear brother, I nave not the vanity
to suppose that the foregoing are all the rea-
sons, or all the principal reasons that should
deter abolitionl5tS from forming a third pOlit-
ical party, nor have | the presumption to
think that they arc Of equal weight, or that
very plausible objections cannot be brought
against some or all Of them. But ! may be
allowed to say that the reasons on the other
side, offered b. those experienced politicians
Myron FIo!iey and Alvan Stewart, Esqs.,
(the first in the Rochester Freeman, and the
other recently in this city,) have failed to
convince me, and many other aholitioaists
who have iorcsworn all alliance with either
the Democratic or Wing parties, that it Is
either good policy or sound wisdom, TO abaE.
don the high, disinterestcd, and morally sue
lime ground originally taken, and for SO long
a time pursued, by the members Of the Amer
lean Anti-Slavery Society, and to come down
to the organization of n distinct political par.
ty. Both of those distinguished gentlemen
have proved, with great force Of reasoning
that a moral obligation rests upon every alb
olilionist to vote-to vote for good men an,
true-but neither of them have, so far as
have seen, given cogent reasons why sepa
rate political action is necessary, eXpedien
or obligatory.
With esteem, your associate and fellow
laborer,
LEWIS Japan.
Nsw York, Nop., II, 1889.