Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-10-23
Printed fur II. Publishing Commihes by
e.. n. UAPGOOD.
MIDrd, N. u. Sept. 81, 1916.

~ N"N
Strange indeed is that devotion which the
people of this country pay to their c%onstitu-
ton and union. We might suppose it was
framed by Jehovah and Moses in joint com
mitiee on Mount Sinai, and written on q
third table Of stone. Or that it was written
on Mount Calvary with the very blood that
lou ed from the veins Of Gods immaculate
son. Or at least, that it was SOME sacred
Amelia Of celestial origin, 10 be preserved at
the peril Of all humanity.
The constituticn-what is it7-A hundred
better ones have long since descended to OBJ
liyion: The union, a guilty covenant with
thieves and adulterers, by the terms of which,
some have the name Of freedom, on condition
that they aid in ensIaving o,hers. | never
read Of SO contemplate, despiclble, mean
ness, Ito say nothing Of the wickedness,) as
that p%rdcticed by the people of the Northern
States. The South said TO them, We will
join you in union, if you will aid us in hold
log our slaves, and catching our runaways,
aud then let US be represented in the nation
al councils for three-hfth of them. The
North consented to il. All the annals Of hui
man weakness and folly, furnish no parallel
TO such melnness. Its internal wiokedness
too, is nowhere equllIed in all the records OF
depravity. The horrors resulting from it,
could never be computed by all the arithme--
tic Of arch-angels.
They tell us the union was formed when
the country was weak, and in danger
from foreign aggressors. beg leave to say
that it had been Tar more honorable, and
more for the general veal of mankind, had
our country shared the fate Of Poland, if il
must be so, than TO purchase exemption from
it, at such a price. If the plea is sincere,
then were our fathers towards in the making
Of the union, and we are knaves in its con-
liuuance.
Liberty party says the constitution is anti
slavery. Under it, our country is now at
war with Mexico to extend and eternize tho
slave system nor has congress transcribed
its powers in making the necessary appropri-
ations. 1t is nowhere declared that 10 war
for, and in behalf Of slavery, shall ever be
made. a war JJr slavery is just as c~onstitu-
tlonal as one against it. Let Great Britain
send an armed fleet to cruise between the
Potomac and New Orleans, to intercept the
slave vessels of franklin, Armfeld, s. Co.,
and Hope H.. Slater, and the constitution
provides a remedy. So devoted is its at
~tachmen: to slavery, that it can at any time,
(and would.) plunge us into war with all the
.,,,, - I',r,,, -, H.. b,ob,Ic All ,Lo 80
sources Of the nation are pledg ed to it. And
whoever holds an office under it, or appoints
another, is bound to fulfill all the terms ofthe
contract, just as the nation understands them.
The Mexican war furnishes an ample and
signal Illustration.
But | am glad others besides ourselves are
calculating the value of the union.
The brilliant edi,er of the Boston Chrome
type, Mr.. Elizur Wright, an Ohio man, has
the following in his paper of to-day:
alt is now ten years since we have thought
the union of no value to the North, for its
own sake. Southern mail robbery, southern
gigs, southern principles imposed upon
northern presidents, southern reputation,
finished long ago every particle Of our res
pect for our federal government, as an actual
government. The Florida and Mexican
wars have more than finished it. We do not
see what government could be worse for the
: North"
i Mr.. Wright is not a disunionist in any
sense. Far from it. But he speaks as
above, over an extract he makes from the
- Boston Courier, which he says ''Ae is pleased
- D., ena -. No I,uJ,n, ,JI,r,-J - yys
! paper" | give a part of the Courier's arti-
{ cle-it is as follows:
'For our own part we see no advantage
that the free states derive from the union
l. 1t is easy enough for Il man whose property
e consists in negroes, who never brushes his
own coat, and who does not know how II
help himself 10 a draught of water, to tell
= what the value of the union is TO him; and il is
ID wise in him II defer the calculation. 1.-The
a value Of the union Ton gre0i 10 be calculated. y
TIN smgN, you should have said. Put down
= your decimal point, place fifty cyphers at thu
'" right, multiply them by the same number o
a c~yphrrS, and the product will give an ap
ar Proclamation to the sum required. 1t is pre-
"a posterous for northern men 10 talk of the val
ne Of the union. They must make up thei
~ mind Ia one of two things. They must sab
nd nit TO he governed by shareholders, or breal
O- up this union which operates so unequally
and has already destroyed every fragment O
~ political equality. IT to talk Of the latter
~ appal the hearts Of our young men, and sha,
nd ter the nerves Of the old ones, let Their
cir choose the former, and forever hereafter, hol
their peace. There is no alternative. an
the sooner you hoist the flag of dissolution
'n' or bend your knees for a negro-driver I
straddle your back, and tickle your hide
with his whip, the sooner you Will ecsss