Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-02-04
Gidding'S Resolutions.

1t is a cause for rejoicing that the public
mind has had the subject Of slavery SO forced
upon its attention, that turn which way ii will
it is compelled to see it. Neither political
nor ecclesiastical bodies can shut it out. Ii
ever will up and often comes when least en-
pected, and in a form wholly unlocked for.
We opine that Congress felt this to be true
when Joshua r. Giddings presented for its
consideration the following preamble and re-
solution, and asked for a direct vote upon
them:
Whereas, 1t is represented that, on Friday
last, three armed PERSONS, engaged in the in
tcrnal slave trade, entered a dwelling in this
city, and violently seized a colored man, EN-
ployed as a waiter in the boarding house OF
several members Of this body, and in the pre-
sence Of his wife, gagged him, placed him in
irons, and with loaded pistols, forced him in
to one of the slave prisons Of this city, from
which it is reported, he has since been dis
patched for the slave market at New Or
leans:
And whereas, said colored man had been
employed in said boarding house for several
years, had become well and iavorably known
10 members. of this House, has married a
wife in this city, and under a contract TO pur-
chase his freedom for the sum Of $500, had
by great industry paid that sum within about
500.
And whereas, outrages like the foregoing
have been of common occurrence in this Dis
trict, and are sanctioned by the laws of Con-
gress, and are extremely painful TO many Of
the members of this House, as well as in
themselves inhuman. Therefore,
Resolred, That a select committee of five
members be appointed to inquire into and
report upon the facts aforesaid also, as TO
the propriety of repeating such acts of Con-
gress as sustain or authorize the slave trade
in this District.
1t is well TO sometimes have the vision con-
ceutrated upon a single point of wrong, to d.
rect it to a single case OF suffering; indeed,
there are some minds that seem so contracted
that they are unable to grasp more. Talk ( c
them of the miseries of a WORLD, and they
cannot appreciate the language; tell them o
the destitution of an indipiduaL, and they know
what you mean. Do not facts show Their
are many such minds in community! Can
not reformerS testify to this? On our way
up from the river last week, we met with
case which illustrates this point. Anon,
our travelling companions was a colored mar
and his wife whom he had recently purchas
ed at Nashville for 5000, most, or all of whic
sun was raised by contributions from variou
r persons on the Western Reserve. Many
the donors would probably have refused
give a cent of their money TO abolish the 81
tenn which e~nslaves a million and half of W,
men-their minds cannot comprehend so gre
an idea--but when their vision was fixed VI
on this particular woman, they saw her wron!
o and were willing 10 do something for her d.
liverance.
The preamble and resolution of Mr.. Gi,
dings appear to be predicated upon this pri
= ciple, for they present a single case, a poi
sufficiently near to be within the contracts
0 vision of even an American Congress. Ar
0 then what a case! One that we should thir
: would appeal to the humanity of every No
v thern member at least, and to his pride
country, and make him eager and prompt
withdraw all Congressional sanction fro
y such outrages. And how did the membe
= of the American Congress receive this info
S nation of the seizure and sale of an AmeI
If can citizen in the American Capital? d
e they stigmatize the perpetrators as traitors
e humanity, as oppressors of their fellow ma
1t Nay, verify they hardly so far forgot III,
10 allegiance to slavery as to speak outlike me
ot when she forbids them even to "whisp
is low" What is it TO the Congress Of Dem