Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-07-28
WHOLE NO. 154.

vail. From the talk in the newspapers, and
in banks and insurance Offices, one would
think it would soon prevail, and that there
soon would he no ideal, no actuar democracy,
only an historical one. But someLo w things
turn out differently. Power gets more dis
tributed, education wider spread, and the to-
ries find themselves at the years end in a
small minority. Some men have no conf
dence in American Institutions. But the inn
mense mass of the people have an Increasing
confidence in the best institutions of Ameri-
ca. The people of the North have a great
confidence in two things: first, Christianity;
and next Democracy. They aspire for the
righteousness that exalteth a nation, for per-
feet religion and perfect government, some OF
them consciously, but the mass Of men with
out any consciousness The American prob
lem is To make ideal Christianity actual in
the Christian Chruch to make ideal demo-
cracy actual in the national institutions of the
State.
Now look a moment at The cause which
most powerfully binders us from solving this
problem, and obtaining that righteousness
which exalteth a nation.
The first is WAR.
We have Just ended a war of two years
duration. We have conquered peace" and
] suppose, got what has been commended for,
HluelDHlty lOI AHH past, StCuTily lI lHe Iu-
ture. Seventy-fve thousand men have been
in arms. We have lost $4,000 Americans,
and have slain. 5000 Mexicans, amounting
to a loss of 80, 900 lives. We have expen-
ded $500, 200, 900 in this wal. But very lit
tie seems to be thought about its wicked
ness. We stand here upon the vigil Of the
nations birth day, and how many men have
for a moment considered the condition in
which we have left our sister State, Mexico
How few have thought Of the wickedness of
the terrible conflict we have Just ended. No
one act which the nation has ever done has
been so great a departure from the righteous
ness which exalteih a nation.
Wa increases the central power, and,
therefore. the army has always been feared
by the friends of man as the last engine of
tyranny. An army appeals not to justice but
3 to force. Three years ago the hest encoIn-
3 ium passed on American institutions was,
| that her army, all told, contained but 7244
men. An increased army increases the Off
i ces of profit and what is called honor. And
e as the government fills these Offices it fur
If nishes an additional bride to corrupt the peo-
y pie. We know how it has been used, with
n. what effect how it must be used favorinl
T. the paItisans Of the central power. If mel
On shall sell beef for a cent a pound more whel
or their politics are the right way, you will fin
IL men enough who will sell their conscience
Sc for the additional cent. And SO it is wit
he any other article furnished to the government
tie The national yearly earnings of the America
Ut people are, | suppose, about 50 ,000, 900 900
of and in time of peace we invest some 3 pc
I'd cent of this or $50, 200, 900 in permanent i'm
IN provements which go to increase the nationa
We capital. But during the two years past w
at have spent more than our income, and, there
ut fore, instead of having added to the wealth o
n, the nation, we stand some 800, 10000 be-
III hind hand. What corrupts a nation gives q
Il. few men distinction, marked by epaulettes
Sc the titles of Captain, Colonel, General and
III the like, for men not distinguished by any
S. real merit or real service. The farmer, min
p lister, tinker or boot-black has an honorable
Ut work to do. will not say that one work is
10 not as honorable as another; before God |
" believe it is if honestly done. But the sol
Or dier who fights for his pay, and nothing else,
Of or for glory or for love of the calling, has not
t. an honorable work to do, and certainly cor
rupts the nation and is foe in the path of
1t freedom.-Let him do what he may from
these motives he does not carr his salt. This
is the worst class of idlers. BY the war the
d nation teaches injustice, robbery, MURDER
l. The political action of the people is one of
l. the strongest educational forces Of the nation.
@ The school-master, the minister, the mother
E. teaches that justice is sacred, that life is sa-
cred, and to love one another. But the ma
ton by the example of war teaches that life
is not sacred, justice is not sacred. truth is
not sacred, and that we should hate one anoth-
er. 1t teaches that men who kill for seven
1t dollars a month, for glory or love of the sport,
are to be held in honor, and then what do
10 you suppose will come of such teachings p
,r / hate tn geo fFeaeura uactad life sacri6ced
ID but this perversion of a nations morals is faI
ID worse, is a deadlier blow at our liberty, and
q for this reason ] have d~eplored the Mexican
Mt war, and lifted up my voice against it, loud
is and long.
le We have conquered Mexico. We need
~ only to stoop over her to take her whole ter
e. ritory. But it seems TO me VIZ have hurt
1e ourselves more than we hurt her.
~ The next great obstacle is SLAVERY.
Of lnalienable right is a trust which cannot
is be transferred. You may possess yourself
IN Of my body as easily as of my coat. But In
SIS alienable rights, take them, they are not yours
is they are mine. You gain no new rights,
a. though l have lost the enjoyment Of mine
Ii We have three millions of slaves whose rights
Is are not enjoyed. Suppose the other seven
We teen millions enjoyed their rights perfectly,
IS which is not SO, in the average Of all each
re man will enjoy only seventeen twentieths Of
e. a mans rights, and the nation will have only
A seventeen twentieths Of a nations rights
Il, Then take the people of Protestant Switzer
or land, there is not a Canton in the whole land
III but will give a greater average than seven
ty teen twentieths of a mans right, to each CT
ne tizen. Take the free States alone, We are
. freest people that ever lived. But take the
he South alone, there is not a single nation il
lg all Europe, with the exception of Russia, no
IS, excepting Turkey, which has not for the
as whole body Of citizens a greater amount o.