Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-05-01

week has passed away without its publications
and / now avail myself of this opportunity TO
get something on the subject, before a few, at
least, Of the readers Of the Herald. as they
seem very generally to be looking for an ex-
PLANTATION from me. ] am satisfied that Mr..
Lewis has not at any recent date, declared
himself to be a Liberty man, but not an Abo-
l%itionist. Others, I suppose, have taken this
position, and the mistake, no doubt, arose by
identifying Saml. Lewis with them, and from
an impression that is was formerly his po-
%sition an impression, | believe, that DR.. Bal
ley once had, himself: for if ] am not mis-
taken the DIR. has stated that Mr.. Lewis was
formerly merely a Liberty man, but had be-
come an Abolitionist.
Words are for the purpose of signifying
ideas, and the same words may be used so diff
ferently as to convey a very different mean
ing. No one, | presume, ever meant to say
that Mr.. Lewis was not in favor OF the en-
franchisement ofthe slave. Certainly Ibid not.
But yet his abolitionism, as ! understand ii,
amounts to this, and no more. He is willing
to say slave-holdiug is a sin and ought to be
abandoned slavery is a degrading and ini-
quitous institution which ought to be abolish
ed. and that he will act against it to such an
extent as his allegiance tothe pro-slavery gov
eminent which creates and s~ustains it, will
permit; and his connection with a pro-slavery
aauIa.;,.,;oo1 loJy ,,k;,b rnanuc,nturae n nrO.
slavery public sentiment that demands the
aforesaid pro-slavery government shall be sus-
tanned and continued, will allow. If ] mis-
understand him, no doubt he will be able to
set me right.
Abolitionists are not wont TO recognize ].
r. Giddings, c. NJ. Clay, and WIN. Seward,
as of their number. DR.. Baily and Samuel
Lewis would probably unite in denying to
these the title of Abolitionist, while they
would acknowledge that each of them does
oppose slavery in some of his acts, whilst he
supports it in others. BY a criterion of this
character, let us examine the claims of Mr..
Lewis to this title. Samuel Lewis has been
a member of the Executive Committee Of the
Ohio Anti-Sla2ery Society nearly two year..
| have in that time frequently been present at
the meetings of that Committee, but never
saw Mr.. Lewis meet with them or heard of
his doing so.
As a general thing tho Anti Slavery meet
ings of the people which he has attended,
within my knowledge, have been at times and
places where meetings Of the Liberty party
were also convened, and his aim has very evil
IDENTIFY been to use the former to make capital
for the latter. An Anti-Slavery meeting con-
tinuing ten days, was held in Cincinnati last
fall, at which Mr.. Lewis did not make his
appearance, so far as ! saw, or believe. That
he believes Liberty party an instrumentaliiy
for the overthrow of slavery, | cannot doubt;
and as little doubt is there that very many
Wings as honestly believe the party with
which they cooperate, is an instrumentalIty
for the same purpose. Yet, SOM there are
who will scruple 10 believe those acting with
either the one or the other to be abolitionists,
nevertheless. If Mr.. Lewis had attended and
participated in the various meetings alluded
to, which he did not do, it would have look
ed as if he were not unwilling to be idepti-
fed as an abolitionist. But DIR. Bailey says,
"if Mr.. Lewis is not an AbolitiOnist, there
is none in the State" Should it be made to
appear that with all his Anti-Slavery feelings,
with his acts and declarations before the peo-
pie, yet continuing as he does, in a pro-slave-
ry church, fellowshipping the Shareholder as
a brother in the Lord, and supporting by his
political action and influence, a slave-holdlng
governments; that he cannot consistently be
called an A5olitionist, it will be difficult, !
think, for him to make it appear there is not
one in the State, lie may come up to the
Doctors standard Of Abolitionism, but is it
not possible he has placed his standard too
lowl Too high it is, perhaps, to accept as
Abolitionists, J.R. Giddings and many other
men, largely controlled by Anti-Slavery feel
ing, when measured by it; and yet some An
ti-Slavery Wings probably will say, if >" Gid
dings is not an Abolitionist there is none in
the State" The man who fills the measure
Of my standard of Abolltionism, must be one
who refuses to acknowledge as fellow chris
tians, those whose countenance and support
is given enthusiastically to the continuance Of
slavery, and who refuses, by the political ac-
ton of himself or agent, to uphold and sup