Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-01-08
TIE FREEDOM OF TIE MIND.

High walls and huge the body may c%onfine,
And iron gates obstruct the prisoners gaze;
And massive bolts may battle his design,
And vigilant keepers watch his devious
ways;
Yet scons the immortal mind this base con-
troll
No chains can bind it and no cell %inclose:
81 liter than light it flies from pole TO pole,
And in a fash from earth to heaven il goes!
1t leaps from mount 10 mount-from vale to
vale
It wanders, plucking honeyed fruits and
flowers;
1t visits home to hear the Preside tale,
Ori sweet converse pass the joyous hours:
'Ifs up befDre tile sum-, roaming dfar,
and in its matches WearieS erery star!
This remarkable little poem. to the last
two lines Of which we would particularly
call our readers attention, was the instanta-
npous outbreak Of feeling on his being i'm
INJURED in his cell. The itilor shot the bolts
and turned the key, and the prisoner, thrill
inc with the energy and inspiration of truth
and genius, inscribed this manly defiance Of
judicial tyranny on the walls which %enclos-
ed him.
On coming out Of prison, the Apostle of
freedom found new difficulties in his path a;
many hearts had grown timid, and no church
or hall could be obtained in Baltimore for the
delivery of a course Of lectures against Slav-
cry. The paper, also, in which he was as
sociated with Luudy could no longer be sup
ported weekly. lie retired, therefore, from
it, and its original proprietor again resumed
its management as a monthly publication.
For some time the American Colonization
Society had been exciting great attention in
the United States, and Mr.. Garrison, before
coming to Baltimore, was disposed to look
upon it layorably. He believed that its OBJ
locts were glorious, as representative abo-
lition of the foreign slave-trade, and the
evangslizition of Africa. On mingling,
however, with the most worthy and intelli-
gent free colored people of Baltimore. he dis
covered that the society in truth INDICATED
the right Of property in human flesh was in
favor Of gradual abolition only on condition
that the slave should be transported to Afri-
ca, from which his ancestors, not himself,
were brought; that it held the (~erocious pre-
iudice against a sable complexion to be nat
ural. and, as it asserted, one not in the pow
er of religion TO eradicate, because IL tcaS the
coordination IF Proridence." The society, in
fact, was only a cunning device Of the slave
holders to Danish the free colored people,
that the slaves might be held in more perfect
bondage.
At This time the society was universally
popular. The most eminent statesmen and
persons of all political parties gave it their
support, and fifteen of the states had official
" sanctioned it.; besides which, every reli-
Gious denomination was enlisted in It's cause
When the true nature Of This society first re-
vealcd itself to Garrison. he could scarcely
believe his senses. He stood alarmed and
astounded at view Of the tremendous conflict
which was opening before him against dis
guiscd cruelty, hypocrisy, and fraud. Wha
! WAS he, argued the weaker spirit within him
that he should Arraign such an august as SO
chiffon before the bar of public justice =
What was he-a young man without station
without influential connections, withou
; wealth, and without any supporters Wha
/ could such an one, Just liberated, too, fror
= prison, do against the million? So reasone
the human nature of the man; but the stron
= spirit said-"iiaise up thy voice for outrage
humanity-unveil the insinuating mischie
r and leave all to God
. Accordingly he went to the North, and {
i some time found it impossible to obtain
public hearing. In Boston, not a chapel
ID public hall would open its doors to him.
he Finding all his attempts 10 disseminate !
he doctrines in this way fruitless, he resolv
d. upon presenting himself as the apostle
is freedom on the Common-a sort of pub
c. park-and under the free canopy of heaV
h. 10 make the unfettered winds, as it were,
Ut heralds 10 carry abroad the hunder-tones