Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-26
From The Plea for The Oppressed and Ensiarcd.
A Chapter for the Times.
Ely A CITIZEN.

sion has been its policy, Cancellation ours
Whilst 1t has played the subtle tyrant's part,
We, just like the crazy old dotard, have tame
ly yielded IL every successive encfoachment
upon our rights, till the prerogqiices of De-
mocracy are no longer ours. So LONG as it
dictated 10 us, that overbearing inso.ence has
become its essential characteristic ;-and so
long have we rendered implicit obedience TO
1t, that severity to us is now a second nature.
| affirm, without the fear of successful contra
dictlon, that there is not on record a more H.
l%ustrions example of bold. uncompromising
oppression on the one hand, and of cripginr,
unmanly subsection on the other, than is ox-
hibited to the world in the history of the
Slave and Free powers of this pseudo Repub-
lie. Our Fathers thought it Unsuitable to rise
In stern rebellion against the British throne /;
and for a self vindication they published to
the world a declaration, which we are accus-
toned 10 call the Charter Of our Rights
But there is not a sentiment contained in that
immortal document-nor a doctrine for which
our ancestors died-that is not virtually alb
rogated by the Legislation Of the Dynasty
which controls our nation. For the vital
principle of that declaration is the absolute
equality of mankind ;-Whereas the law Of
the land-nay, the Constitution itself, which
is the fountain of national law--5y treating
tllS pilllClpIB d . d pure dDStIdCliOl W .Iittl
neither does nor can have any objective real
ity in human government, has pronounced it
to be absolutely nugat0ry. Indeed, the great
exponent of the Oiigarchy has expressly af-
frmed the right of government to chaitelize
men. What the law declares to be proper
IT," says he, SIS property" 1.-Two hundred
years of legislation have sanctioned and sane
tilted negro slavery" Then pronounce our.
condition TO be TO better than that of the
Southern bondmen. We hold our rights by
the suGeranee OF iyranis, not by the delega-
ton of God. Erpediency alone prevents our
experiencing at this hour the rlrcrs Of the
African yoke. This is the spirit Of the A.
merican government; against which if we
rise not up in speedy and %eflectual rebeilion,
the day draws on when it will be compla-
Gently said of our children's children, "Two
Hundred years of legislation have sanctioned
and sanctified the enslavement of whites."-
Whenever the terrible arm of unrighteous le-
eislation is lifted to crush a single human
Iight-whenever government itself binds the
heavy chain upon limbs that God created
free, then letters are laid upon ecery citizen.
True, they may not be felt at first yet it
wants but time to rivet them eternally sure.
| announce no paradox when | affirm, that
every self-declared reeman in these northern
Republics is daily whipped and branded and
handcuffed and chatteIized in the person of
the American slave. An injury done to the
meaneSt subject is treason against the whole.
Our present condition is truly a deplorable
one. A naughty dynasty, with one foot on
the necks Of Gods own poor, and the other
iercely spurning the free laborer, yields the
rod of empire over us.* And what can we
do! Stir we cannot; for in Church and
State, in Constitution and creed, in religion,
revenue and laws, in internal policy, in char
acter, in destiny and alt, we are fast linked
to the car of the stern oppressOr.
Do you fondIy ask, " Wherein has the
South oppressed us! Are we not still as free
as our fathers" Poor fool then you are
one of those who can naver feel the weight
of tyrant's chain, because IL is made Of sola
Greece had just such citizens as you, when
the saglciouS Macedonian monarch was
clinching rivet after rivet of those stern iet-
tiers which locked her fast and forever in sia-
very's sluggish embrace. 1t was in the faces
of just such men as you that DemostheneS
Numbered his immortal PHILIPPE s-immorta
only as the last oulburst of expiring patriot
ism. Their utmost power, enough TO withe
the tyranl'S heart and stir the graves of 4
chald's early heroes, was all expended, when
upon the lips of luXury-loving Athenians
played the smile Of incredulity and the eX
preston OF scorn. Now if those lofty words
tinged with poetic fire and cleaning will
vengeance, were to fall upon your ears to
day, would they be any more likely to rous
your soul from its leaden slumber?
Aspiring rulers always love to have Jus
such subjects as you-men who will neve
speak in defense of the right, when a brib
is put in their hand but who will babhl
about tariffs and banks, compromise and Gu,
rency, so long as their threats are stuffe
with gold. Go on in your cherished delu
sion, if you will. Ina zine yourself to b
free, whilst the lordly oppressor is film
your pockets tor the privilege of splitting i
your face and trampling on your God-give
rights. But | reserve to myself the preroga
tive of speaking when | am trodden dowr
and of talking to ungodly tyrants about lii
erty and right. Prate no longer about Free
dom, when the public press is chained by
stronger arm than legislation; when the pu
pit and the bar and the forum and the Senat
hall, that should echo day and night with tn
doctrines OF the Declaration, are silent as tn
v~oiceless tomb. Utter no more the wor
"Liberty," when man may not lift his vote
*Witness the ~insolent boast Of John Ran
dolph in the debate upon the Missouri que.
ton: "We do not govern the people of tn
North by our black slaves, but by their oc
tUhite slapes. We know what we are doing
We, of the South, are always united from til
Ohio to Florida and we can always unite
but you of the North are beginning to divid,
We have conquered you once, and we ca'
and we WiH, conquer yOw again. Aye, 81
we will drive you to the wall, and when W
have you there once more, we mean to kee
you there, and nail you down like has
worms"