Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-11-19

binger, in which A. Campbell gives his own
statement of the controversy, between him
and Robertson. .
y ~
Mr.. Campbell seems 10 have had a hard
time of ii in Scotland. Insulted and morti-
fled wherever he went. He consoles him
self, however for il all, by supposing that it
is persecution for Christ's sake.
So far as we understand Mr.. Campbell's
argument, it is that Slavery is an evil, moral,
political and social and he would be very
glad that Slavery could be abolished, but be-
lieves also that the justice of Slavery is es-
tablished by the Bible, therefore, he says
81 dare not with my Bible in hand, Join in
the Anti-Slavery crusade against the relation
Of master and slave in all cases whatever, or
prescribe from the Lords table, a Christian
minister, because he holds property in man."
The man is surely in a bad dilemma. He
seems anxious to have the slave set free but
his Bible gives him countenauce 10 keep the
slave a slave. Therefore slavery must be
perpetuated, until a new version of the BIZ
BILE. or perhaps a new revelation will give a
different meaningless. paper. i
We are very glad Alexander Campbell had
that every pro-slavery preacher that goes
there will have a hard time SO far as a full
and faithful exposition of his character will
make it hard.
Alexander however makes a great mistake
in the superstition that the treatment he re-
ceived at the hands of the friends of freedom
there, was "persecution for Christ's sake -
1t was persecution-if he insists upon the
word-for Slavery's sake, and Slavery will
doubtless reward him with a crown Of such
glory as il bestows upon its defenders.
The idea of posting a man as a defender
of Slavery-posting a Dici,ie, we suppose
we should say-was altogether new TO us,
and appeared to be the very thing that was
needed in his case. 1t commended itself to
our judgment, so did the challenge to debate
with him, and SO would every thing of the
kind but there was one procedure that we
had no unity with. The abolitionists of
Great Britain differ in their characteristics as
men from those of America in very many
respects-the state Of society there, is so un-
like what it is here, and all the circumstan-
ces that surround and influence them, SO We
ry different, that it could not well be other
wise. We have no doubt that the Secretary
of the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society thought
he was acting for the best when he prosecu-
ted Alexander Campbell for libel. We are
very sorry that such was his opinion and
such the course that he pursued, for it has
lessened the triumph of the Scottish ADOLF
tionists, and d~etracted from the grandeur of
their position-so, at least, it seems to U.S.
We have not sufficient marvellousness to be-
lieve that a suit for libel ever advanced a mo-
raj enterprise, or improved a mans private
character in the public estimation. Better
live down ISLANDERS than to fight them down
with law-better prove by a straightforward
course, and an unblemished life that your
character can't be injured by the falsehoods
of the Ignorant or malicious, than ask a Jury
to assess the amount of damages supposed to
be done it.
We repeat it then; we are sorry that Sec
rotary Robertson was disposed to prosecute
Alexander Campbell for libel, and feel that
it would have been better for the cause Of
freedom in this section of the Union al least,
had he not done so. Had it not been for
this, the disappointed and bafled Divine
would have returned 10 his Disciple friends
in this country, as one who had been treated
according to his just deserts, and many of
them would have seen it 10 be so. But now,
he will labor to awaken sympathy in his be-
half on the ground of the prosecution and
Imprisonment TO which he was subjected,
and will doubtless succeed to some extent.
We exceedingly regret that this advantage
has been given him, although we suppose he
was not unjustly treated according to the
usages of society, however much it may
conflict with our views of moral reform.