Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-08-28
John A. Collins.

IL may be Interesting TO some Of oul read
ers to know that John A. Collins who for
merly lectured on anti-slavery in this State,
has assumed the editorial charge of the
"Daily Daytonian,' a Wing paper. Some
thing OF his cratic course may be learned
from the following article from his W pen.
OURSELVES.
The ways Of Providence are truly mystic
rlous. Results are brought about. and
changes produced, by causes beyond the ken
OF man. As we take a retropect of our own
course, we are filled with admiration for that
Providence which holds and governs the des-
tiny Of all things. Up to 1887, we were a
wing. At that date we left the wing party. We
left all political institutions. We renowned
our belief in the rightful existence of human
governments. We regarded them as at war
with the laws of God, the teachings and spi-
rt of Christianity, and the practices Of the
Apostles. Strongly imbued with feelings of
sympathy for the poor, the afflicted and the
oppressed, we espoused, most heartily. the
cause OF the slave, the Inehritte, and the toll
ing, laborlng masses. With a zeal, and en-
ergy peculiar to ourselves, we pressed these
questions upon others, for their consideration,
approval, and adoption.
Time passed on, and we were recognized
a confirmed Sceptic. We cherished, as in
the first days of our christian love, a profound
admiration and respect for the holy precepts
and principles Of the Saviour. 1t was with
us, during the whole period we were left to
grope in darkness, at all times our highest
ambition to reduce them to practice. While
we clothed nature with the christian attri-
butes, we denied the authority and divinity
Of their author. We worshipped at the shrine
Of reason. We listened to her o%racles. We
were led astray. We disbelieved in a divine
and special providence, in a revelation of God
to men. We forsook God, but thanks TO his
name, he forsook not us. His hand support
ed us, and his right hand led us.
In process of time, we became fully i'm
bued with the doctrine of a Community of
Property. Faithful to our convictions, and
determined at all hazards, to follow them and
to live the true life, we resolved, against the
most urgent and solemn protests of our friends,
at the sacrifice of our money, our health, our
comfort and that of a feeble wife, and many
helpless children, to reduce them to practice.
We had no more doubt of their truthfulnesS
and practlcability, Of the Tightfulness of our
own course, than of our ACCOMPLISHMENTS
We secured a domain. awe gathered a small
multitude upon 1t. We established a COM
munlty upon the principles of a Community
OF goods; upon the no-government, or nom
resistance principle: upon the largest liber-
ty; upon the broadcast principles Of demo-
cratic equality. With a faithful and honest
trial Of nearly three years, we were compell-
ed to renounce the principles we entertained
both IN relation to governments and religion
and society, as false in theory and pernicious
in their practical tendencies.
They might, so far as governments are
concerned, do very well if men were angels,
and angels Gods; but human nature is toe
low, too selfish and too ignorant for relations
so exalted.
With the same earnest desire to promote
the great cause Of virtue, equality, temper
ance, freedom and the brotherhood of man.
kind, we seek TO cooperate with the two
great inslitutions-the conservators Of man:
earthly and heavenly interests-relIgion and
government-the Institutions which, in the
folly of our wisdom, we had cast aside. Fol
nearly ten years we devoted ourselves, the
very best of our days, to works of philanthro
py. Less than a year since, finding ouI
schemes for benehtting the world to be worst
than useless, to bring about the same results
we identified ourselves again with the whis
party.
We think we bring to our present position
a most valuable experience an experience II
us, worth more than all the untrleG theories
eXtant. la uniting our interest with that 0
the wing party, we by no means regard it al
perfect. Human institutions from their ori
gin, have in themselves the seeds of imper
lection. We regard it, however, as baseC
upon a practical and comprehensive view o
man, of human nature and human institu
tions, and capable, as far as human inlrmi
ties will admit, of spreading its broad arms o
protection around society, and uniting, inhar
mony and fellowship, its extremes. Believ
ing this, we shall give it most cordially on
feeble assistance.