Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-07
COMMUNICATIONS.

w. p.

h'1Nf 80
standing my pursuits in life have not beer
congenial with those Of a public writer.
have no disposition TO enter into a discussion
OF the merits Of the queslions-I ask for in
formation. ! have but recently entered int
the aRii-slavery enterprise; therefore they
may have been answered in the Bugle OIL
elsewhere without my knowledge. / am al
times exceedingly perplexed with them, and
l am aware mat others are in the same dilem-
ma. When urging anti-slavery principles
upon those with whom ! converse, l am ask
cd, Why do you seek to make an Adolf
zionist Of me, whileyou yourself aid and abet
the system by the purchase of slave-grown
productionsl De consistent with yourself,''
say they, "then we will hear YOU" must
confess | am weak enough 10 let this biting
retoTt non-suit me; SO that ] am compelled
TO seek information Of those who are more as
tute than ] am on this subject. In the tenn
perance reformation we are told by acute To-
gicians ito stop cur drains, cease to bu" the
poison; and the source from which emanates
so mGch misery and crime will be dried IN /;
- ,
distilietios will die a natural death" May
not the same reasoning be grated into aboli.
tion arguments Cease 10 purchase slave
grown productions, and, slavery will die a
NATURAL death" Whomill doubt the efficacy
OF the prescription il all men will act uron
II! In tho temperance cause, we are called
upon 10 act separately and alone. The COM
nhuniiy is made up Of individuals. Then is
il not the duty Of each member Of society 10
labor 10 bring about that vlrtuous reformation
that would be so easily effected by the united
action CT the whole? If all men were 10 act
upon this simple principle, how long would
slavery continue!
Twill proceed 10 the examination Of the ar
ticle referred 10. "%Ilaying been requested
by certain friends 10 express cur views in re-
gard 10 the use Of articles raised by slave Ia
Dor, we shall endeavor to do SO in a very few
words, as indicative, on our part, Of the com-
paratiyely small importance we attach 10 the
discussion Of a subject which is ontanoled
with inextricnble difficulties, and which can
not, therefore, DO made a test Of moral charac-
ter" would ask, with due Difference, what
has en,angled this subjectin such difficulties
I believe it is conceded by farmers generally,
that they can grow food and raiment sufficient
for home consumption, with the exception Of
a few supeihuities. This being the fact, |
can conceive of no difficulties in which this
subject is involved, save our unwillingness
10 come away from-the sins and fashions Ct
the world, by retrenching a few superiuities.
The Liberator says this subject "%cannot be
made a test Of moral character" Aflerward
it admits that there are some among the most
intellectual, tie most courageous, the most
selfdenying, ard the most sincerely ccnsci-
e%Etious, who do abstain in the manner sta
ted
Then of course tley make it a test of nor
al Character. Does The Liberator make slave
holding a test OF moral character Ia like
manner those self-denying uen make aiding
and abetting The STAKEHOLDER by the purchase
OF his slaye-grown goods, a test Of moral cha
racter. Why uot9 Again he says lat an
early period of The anli-slavery enterprise, VIC
were led, for a time, 10 regard the use Of
slave productions as personally involving 4
direct support Of the slave system; but were
soon satisfied that we erred in judgment on
seen fit to give us the process OF reasoning
by which he discovered his error. We most
sincerely wish to avail ourselves Of every f-
cility 10 keep out of error. That "no man
can refrain from purchasing slave-grown pro-
ductions," | regard as an ipse diriI, needing
proof. The Libefator itself admits there are
some among :" the most Intellectual that do
abstaih." "There were a thousand strong
and vital issues that could be made with The
slave power;' so also there are a thousand
strong and vital issues that could be made
with the manufacturer of alcohol without
stamping the brow Of the retailer and consul
Iner with perpetual infamy. We could tell
the dlstiller Of The wickcdness of his employ
ment, Of the wretchedness and want he cle-
ates around him; we could point him 10 the
worse Than widowed wives, the worse than
tatherless children; we could point him TO
the lnebriate whose sensibilities are all lost
in drunken Tevelry, and 10 the thirty thousand
that annually 90 down through all the grades
of q ~druLkard's degradation, to a drunkurd's
nnhonOred grave. But what will the high
Priest Of Baeehus replyl Why, he will
gravely tell US 'by this trade | gain my liy-
ing, by ,this traffic | get gain" I'VE have
prostrated ourselves at the feet OF ihe'' slave
holder, +" @e have peiitioned, we have suppli-
Gated, we have demonstrated" we have set
his sins in dismal'anay before him TO what
parposel Why, lie has perPetually cried,
forsooth, "Greal is Diam of the Ephesians;