Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-03-05

This he does not deny, yet in his argument
labors most zealously 10 prove that he who is
guilty of slaveholding is not necessarily i'm.
plicated in the sin of slavery.
3rd. That it has defled the entire people
that sects and parties have become tainted
by it-that it has corrupted the religion OF
the North as well as of the South-that it is,
SO FAR as this nation is concerned, an almost
universal sin.
This appears to us a plain proposition, and
one which all will assent TO who know how
slavery d~epraves a nation, and who are con-
sciOus that when one member suffers, all suf-
fer.
18th. That the character Of the STAKEHOLDER
is to be determined by the character of the
relation he s~ustains.
We do not suppose the community will
find in this doctrine, anything particularly
Objectionable, inasmuch as society is accus-
toned to determine the character of the MUIR
derer by the relation he ~suslains to the muir
dered man, of the robber by the relation he
s~ustains toward the one whom he robs. 1t
does not, however, follow that society, be-
cause it regards all murderers as murderers,
sees no deeper guilt in one than in another
nor is ii true, as the author asserts, that Come
cutters must adopt the conclusion he falsely
draws from their premises, that 'all slave
holders are Of the same hue Of guilt They
do not aspire to estimate accurately the degree
of guilt attached TO the stakeholder; that is
known only to Him who is acquainted with
the heart, and measures the strength of every
temptation that besets it, of every trial that
assails it; still less do they declare that all
are alike guilty, for the intellect which God
has given them, teaches that lie who sins
against light commits a more grievous wrong
than he who crrs through ignorance.
Another ergo which he hangs upon the 4th
proposition, and which seems to shock his
benevolence very much is, that "the best
stakeholder that can be found or fancied, is
a liar, a thief, ar adulterer, a pirate and a
murderer" If slavery, which asserts that
the mortal image of the immortal God is pro-
perry, be a lie, then is the STAKEHOLDER a liar
if it is a system Of theft, theft of the most
terrible description, then the STAKEHOLDER is a
theft it makes merchandise Of woman's
virtue, if it receives the price Of her %prostitu-
ton and symtematizes adultery, then the
STAKEHOLDER is an adulterer-if it robs man of
his dearest rights, if with pirate hand it tears
from him the last vestiges of humanity, then
is the STAKEHOLDER a pirate-if it destroys not
only the body by its lingering tortures or
more speedy vengeance, but takes the spirit
ual life of its victim, then is the STAKEHOLDER
a murderer. James A. Thome hinself en-
dorses these premises, but iepudiatcs the
conclusions. Speaking of the system he
says:-
sit comprehends theft, Calschood, licen-
tiousness of every form, las adultery, incest,
rape, seduction and virtual polygamy.) pira-
cy, violation Of every interest, abrogalIon of
the marriage institution, heathenism, despo-
tlsm, war, denial of the scripture doctrine Of
human brotherhood, PROCLAMATION of the Bible,
desecration of the Sabbath, rebellion against
God, treason against liberty, and wholesale
murder"
And yet he endeavors 10 separate the sin
ner from the sinful act, the system from its
supporters, and while c%ondemning slavery,
throws the mantle of charity over mullitudes
of shareholders. Hear him on this point.
"Something then is necessary beside the
TACT Of owning slaves TO constitute a man
guilty OF the sin of slavery lie must be a
Shareholder in heart as well as in fact, and
the latter may not always be a proof decisive
OF the former. y = d * Is it not sun
possible that a man may hold slaves without
once dreaming lie is converting a fellow be-
ing into property? X 4 = \ A man
may hold slaves and have ample light per-
tanning TO slavery; he may not only fullyu n-
dersland its outrageous wickedness, but he
may abhor it most heartily, yet he may under
peculiar circumstances hold slaves, and not
thereby be implicated in the sin of slavery"
Well may the writer feel the necessity of
d%isclaiming his intention of " weaving an in
genious apology for the slaveholder,'' for we
fear that many would otherwise so regard it.
lie declares that a man may own slaves with
out being guilty of slavery, or may hold them
without designing TO convert them into pro-
perty, or while understanding the true cha
racler of slavery, while comprehending the
height and depth, the length and breadth of
its iniquiiy, may hold slaves and not be i'm
plicated in the guilt of slavery! The Pro-
lessor appears exceedingly anxious to shoot
the hydrophobia while he lets the mad dog
run unmolested. His positions will undoubt-
eddy give great said and comfort" TO the
shareholders, for if tried by them there is
scarcely one in the land who will feel con-
demned. This mode of separating the system
from lis supporters is not an invention FLAMES
A. Thome, it is the plan which has long since
been adopted by those churches who ''are as
much as ever opposed to the evil of slavery"