Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-26

"Patriotism," ''public honor" sour Rights
are all the currency now. Just as 1t patrlo-
tism were a virtue, our rights were not a sha-
dow. or the public honor were not sleeping
with the dead Patriotism! what is 1t,
ask Allegiance TO such a government as
thisi Then ! pronounce it the highest crime
of which man can be guilty-treason black
as that of re evolving a~ngels-tfuason to liutnaE-
ity-troason to God. | speak adyisedly when
| saw that this confederacy is a league WIN
darkness and a covenant with helI.T 10 OPP
nose it is therefore the sacred duty Of every
lover of Liberty, Law or Right.
What is cur government but oppression IN
tho concrete! lis Executive, James Knox
Polk, stands this day before the world a con-
vic,ed man thief, a selG-declared nlrdte.T -
Corn and educated in a cline which liberty
never deigned to visit, he now avows HIM
self both in principle and practice the uncou'-
promising opponent Of the doctrines OF the
Declaration, and the bitter foe of popular free
dom the world over. It's officers are men
siaunch, true and tticd-openly sworn TO sup
port the principles which the autocrat OF the
i~sHssias would be ashamed to avow. Its
whole policy from its first organization to the
present hour, has been to crush the Liberties
Of the weak and strengthen the tyrants arm.
It's foundation is oppression; its supcrstruc-
ture gigantic crime. It's successive acts but
riyet frmer the hondman's chain, and drive
deeper The iron into his despairing heart
| God and liberty are battling against it--then
why should not II
What are our 'institutions'' but tho monu-
| ments of our shame and hypocrisy High
| handed wrong in the Slate--''robbery for
br rnt Offering in the Church-the pulpit ST.
lcnt-lie bar eloquent in defense Of political
iniusticG-,he Senate hall rcvcrberating with
the tacnacinE tones Of giant oppressors-tho
forum clamorous with the shouts of the Won
dering people crying, at is the voice Of a
God, and not of a man !"-all these things, |
say, mark us out as the special object OF the
worlds scorn, and Of Jehoyah's more terrible
Judgment.
What sro our laws but the eyponcnts of
principles whose origin is dated far back in
The Dark Agesl What is cur Legislation but
the bitterest curse of modern civilization?
What are our politics hut the epitomc OF ma
tional selfshness and the a~brogation of cter-
nal rightl What is our patriotism but rebel
lien against Jchovah's throne And what
are our liberties but an empty sound
o, my wretchcd country! dark are thy
crimes, yet darker is thy destiny The cry
Of Gods oppressed poor for three quarters of
a century has gone up necessarily 10 heaven.
The Judge Of all the earth has heard the bond
mans bitter prayer. Strong is the cruel arm
but His is stronger. The mingled groans
and curses that stir thine air shall gather in
darker storms of pestilence than ever burst
on devoted Egypt. A more dreadful Death
Angel riding on clouds and darkness shall
wave over thee his ayenging sword, than ever
breathed 'the purple blast Of death" over the
slumbering Assyrian host.
| hope--and yet l rremble when think
that a righteous God rules us. Fain would
| prophesy better things of the government
under which | exist; but know that against
it is arrayed every attribute Of Eternal JUS
tice.
p.