Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-09-04
For Tie CIercland .2mericnn.

Ma. RtcE will you suffer an old &C.
Qnalntancc 10 mako some upon
what appeared in your paper of February 25,
in reference to Mr.. and Mrs. Foster, and the
course pursued by them during their recent
visit to Cleveland ! refer to your editorial
remarks-to the statement Of E. Smith and
the communication of E. Wade.
Among the measures of Liberty party for
the overthrow of slavery, Mr.. w. specifies
roting and egisiatng, measures involving
the support of the Constitution of the United
States.) For these measures he tells us he
has no defense or apology to make. II is
for the enemies Of these to defend themselves g.
not to put Liberty men on their defense!"
One cannot avoid seeing the lawyer here
The point at Issue is adroitly concealed, and
an effort is made of the genuine Agcus gocu5
stamp, to take tho laboring oar from the hand
Of the Liberty man, where it belongs, aud
place it in the hands of the Old Organiza-
ZIONIST. What is the point at issue! 1t is
whether the Constitution sanctions or uphold5
the a~ccursed system of slavery. II Mr.. w.
is asked how he can, as an abolitionist, sup
port a pro-slavery Constitution, his ready am
swer is, 81 support no such Constitution
the Constitution Of the United States Ia an
anti-slavery document" Now the opiniun
Of old and new organizationists on this point,
are as opposite as the poles. And it was this
point which Mr.. and Mrs. Foster were anx-
ious TO discuss. The matter then stands
thus. The old American A.. s. Society
maintains tina, tho Constitution is pro-slaveTy
in several important specific provisions, and
therefore that no abolitionist Can coa,isienHy
swear, by himself or his agent, to execute
these provisions. To substantiate this POI
s~ition, they appeal TO the debates in the Con-
vention which formed the Coustitution-,o
the Constitution itself--to tho " unanimous,
concurrent, unbroken practice of every de-
partmen, Of the general government" and to
the "acquiescence Of tde people for more
than fifty years" On the other hand a POr-
tioa of Liberty party, so recently as TO be
WITHIN the lUtilOIO u tuO Cdltl ~ (cSbSid"Jp
and with a view, as some have charged, 10
; e~xtricate itself from an unpleasant dilemma,
adopted a principle of construction entirely
new las applied to the Constitution by
, which they would fAin mould the great char
ter Of our rights and the slaves wrongs into
an anti-sIavery document! And while one
possibly in ten thousand adopts tho ne"
t Constitution, this one rises up in the face o
: the ten thousand and says" Gentlemen,
y found out yesterday that the Constitution /
O an anti-slavery instrument. know you hav
l always thought differently; the whole cour
try has always thought differently /; and, IL
= deed, TO use the language Of G. Nj, Clay,
always acknowledged tho corn" myse
till yesterday; but a new light has hurst u
IS on ue, and ! now see the Constitution to /
- an anti-slayery instrument. have no reasc
N to give or defense to make, for the ne
- ground l have taken and if you see fit TO
tack, it is not for me to defend my positlo
Il but il is for you to defend your own. 7
n burden of proof lies upon you" viii II
ie process Of reasoning DO likely TO satisfy t
K ten t~houssn4l ], may, but as ono OF t
- ten thousand, cannot see lis fone'