Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-12-17


no man, or set Of men, are entitled to exclu-
sivc public emotuments, or privileges from
the community - and at the same time ruth
lessly plumbers one class Of her citizens OF
their nights. and tramples them down, on ac-
count uta physical popularity; which fosters.
toward this class, a system of political des-
pOiism, the most wanion and fldgitious,
which says to this class, virtually, with a dis
dainiul smile. stand back from The platform
Of Equal Righls-come not here, for we re-
publican white menrate better than yei Such
republicans may be tchiie, indeed ay, whited
sepulchres. full of a dead and rDtton republic
caniem. Their hearts are not large enough
10 comprehend the great idea OF Liberty
they are in darkness. they prope at MONDAY,
Truly. the reputation Of the State demands
the expmging of this foul stain OF deSpotism
from her Constitution, and the obIiteration
OF all corresponding laws from her statute
books.
As the case now stands, the colored citl-
zens of this Slaie-amounting 10 about 5000
arc thrust into an attitude Of hostility, and
made the natural enemies Of the State. The
Constitution and Laws, by Wrestling from
them their political rights, and degrading
them to a condition of political vassalagc,
transformed the natural friends Of the com
monwealth into il, foes. Is Ibis d wise and
prudent policy so 10 treat a certain class of
citizens, as 10 ALLEVIATE their affections from
the STATE, and foster In their breasts the ran
hcst hale-tO make them feel that they have
no part or lot in its Institutions, and nothing
10 expect from peace, and everything 10 hope
from revelation! 1t is a dangerous, an inia-
tuated policy, which, on some emergency of
foreign invasion, tr intestine cotnmotion.
might seal our ruin. The grand aim Of all
wise legislation will be, to concentrate the
patriotic regards of every citizen, and fortl-
ty the Stlte with a circllng rampant Of true,
devoted hearts. The father, who should de-
press and degrade one part OF his family, and
permit another portIon'to ttample upon the
victims OF his injustice, would be regarded
as a miscreant or a %luuatic; and is this not
true of the larger family Of the State'
VI hat does Connecticut gain by degrading
colored population! Strength and glory
On the contrary, weakness and shame.
The despOtIsins Of the old orld are foun-
ded upon birth; there, a man must have roy
al blood in his veins to be recognized as Il
man, and rank with the privileged class-ho
must have an illuslrious pedigree in order to
have any rights: the despotism of Connect
cut requires a man to have a certain color, he
must he white-ay, white, in order TO be re-
cognized and treated as a man. ] confess !
know not which most to abhor, a despotism
which piedlcates itself upon the quality Of Il
mans blood-which is generally The impu-
rest in the realm-Cr a despolism which
makes color the standard of humanity, and
graduates a mans rights by the hue Of his
skin. Which is the meaner and more detes-
table, a European aristocracy OF birth, or a
Connecticut aristocracy Of the skin--a rctc
mucostm aristocracyl How impious thus to
make the complexion, which the All-wise
Creator has given to one part Of This children,
and fer which they are no more responsible
than for having been'created at all, the ground
Of our injustice, and charge it upon men as
a crime; yet, according to the Democratic Con-
s|litution Of Connecticut, the fact Of mans
being born with a dark skin, places him on a
political level with the c%onvicts in her State
prison. They forfeit their political rights
by deeds Of v|illainy, such as 'bribery, per-
Jury, duelling, fraudulent bankruptcy, theft,
or other o%fIcnSe, for which an infamous pun
ishmcnt is inflicted" the coIored man %forfrits
his rights on account of the complexion which
God gave him.
Is not this virtually impugning the wis
dom Of jehovah, and charging upon Him
guilt, in having created men with physical
peculiariiies, which the Constitution and
Laws Of Connecticut make ;antdmount TO
the blacklist crimes 7?
Not only does Justice to ourselves demand
the removal Of the political disabilities under
consideration, but Justice TO the Negro also
demands it,. Justice to the Negro! o, how
little has Justice been thought Of in such,a
connection Oppressed and scorned, the vic
tim Of pride and c~upidity-how lightly has
his humanity been appreciated How have
all the pillows Of adversely and sorrow rolled
darkly over him. The causes of his depres-
sion are not internal but external. His char
actcr is Our own hand ork, moulded and
stamped by the Constitution and laws of the
State. He has been the helpless victim of
our cold-blooded cruelty and Injustice. We
have legislated him down, and trowned him
down, AMI troddcn him DOWNS it strange,
then, that he has not risen high IN civillza-
ton. lie was unmanacled from personal
slavery only to receive the chains Of political
servitnde. 1t is said that the Negro is igno-
rant and degraded? Ignorant! Who has
doomed him to ignorance Degraded 3
who has degraded himl They, be it re-
m%tmbered, who have struck him down to a
level with felons in civil rights-,hey who
have sna,ched from him the key of knowl-
edge and thrown embarrassment upon all his
powers.
Lustily have the colored population Of this
State bpiieied the torrent which bears them
down, but its impetuosity has been resist
less. And after all our high-handed injustice,
does it become us to charge upon them deg
radiation as a ground Of continued oppression!
As well might the hawk taunt the dove in
his talcns, because she does not plume her
self and gaily fly away to the azure heavens;
or the wolf upraid the lamb in his clutches,
because he does not skip and play.
Litt from the colored population the heavy
embarrassmonts which crush them to the
earth amend that odious section of the Con
s%titution which subjects them to the pains OF
political ostracism repeal these disgraceful