Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-04-07

which II could righttully exist. To cOntin-
ne in a communion which only cOuntenan-
ces the evil without any tendency to its re-
moval, Is IN all It's aspects unjustiiahle. Let
the church Of the North separate from the
slavery Of the South, testify against it, and its
doom IS sealed. The earth would loatha it,,
II IT could once he seen in its naked selfish
moss striped Of the sanctiiy which The
church has given it.-LiJerfy HcrQii.
S%Ith y he opening remarks If UtndeH
LHtnlpi' 6ejprc lite ComRsiHe NJ The Mass.
Le5iSlliure on Tie Disuhion petitions.
Ma. CHAIRMAN&As one Of these petit
TONERS, | appear bNore you this afternoon to
enforce, as may be able. the reasons stated
Ia the petition itself, for a dissolution of the
Union. | observe that one of the morning
papers rresunes 10 dictate 10 the Committee,
and expresses the opinion that any attention
paid TO these petitioners, is waste of that
time which is paid for by the public 1t
would be idle to look for candor, indepen-
dence, or consistency, in that or any other
political press; but perhaps we might he par
doned for Imagining, that a decent respect
FOR the common sense Of readers, would lead
the papers, just now, to touch with a reyer-
ont hand, any thing relating to tile rigM Of
petition. The grave has just closed over An
ANS, amid testimonies of national respect but
once, II ever oqualled on this side Of the o.
cean. What is it that has blotted from our
memory the many disputed acts Of his litel
What has taken his name from the list of
every day statesmen, and made it a house
hold word-lulling the strife Of parties, and
turning every angry tone into eul0gy1 1t is
the last ten years, the heroic years of his life
years, during which he has linked his me.
mory forever with freedom of speech, with
the right Of the humblest human being to be
heard by the Government. 1t was for pre-
senting the petitions of the few and the des-
pissed that he vas threatened with censure.
II was for presenting petitions whose request
he thought the Legislature had no authority
to grant, that he was threatened with expuI-
sion from the House of Representatives.
Let us hear no more, then-at least till the
SHOWS Of one winter have melted from his
~grave-of disregarding petitions, because, in
the opinion of the majority, the object itself
is not constitutional Sir, the majority me-
ver ~peiition-they l~egislaie. or course, it
must always be the minority that petition
1t is through this channel, that the first hum
BILE utterAnce Of a new thought, or an unpop-
ular and unheeded principle, finds its way TO
the Legislature Whoever limits the right
OF petition destroys it. Through it, the hum
blesl and the most unpopular must have leave
10 speak on all subjects, and propose mea-
sures of every character; otherwise the right
is hut a name. If they are to receive atten-
ton only after they have grown numerous
and powerful. the right Of petition is a mock
cry; for then they can command it in reader
ways. If they are to be allowed 10 ask only
what every body thinks best and legal, they
may as well be SILENT; since it is nothing but
an interest in principles, generally denied.
trampled under foot, or lost in the clamor of
interest and party, that brings them TO the
door of the Legislature.
Whatever, therefore, Mr.. Chairman may
be the opinion of the Committee, as to the
expediency or even legality Of our request, at
least while these walls are shrouded in mour-
ming for Adams, you will not make that epin-
ion any reason for refusing us a candid and
attentive hearing.
Mr.. Chairman, you may think it idle to
urge upon the Legislature, the consideration
of a measure so generally denounced as the
Dissolution of the Union. But this is not
the frs, time that the abolitionis,s have ap-
preached the Legislature of Massachusetts,
While these seats are filled year after wear,
with different individuals, we may be said,
in the French Convention phrase, to be in
permanent session. Under a sense of duty
which Will not allow us to rest, we have
come up here, year after year. Our first APP
pearance, with any new proposal, met with
the scorn ofa weathercock press-the half
indifference, half indignation Of the Legisla-
ture-and sometimes the insults Of its Com
mlttees. But we have yet To- meet our first
failure. All that we have hitherto asked, has
, been granted. Twelve years ago, a few wo-
men asked the State 10 change its law as 10
, marriage,-a statute a century and a half old.
r Iou remember the insulting epilhets and la.
bored contempt, with which they were visi.
ted. II you will open the statute book oil
1913, you will find, in four short lines, the
result. We shall certainly persevere till our
ardor is damped by one defeat; and we con.
fdently trnst that the time is not distant,
when the Legislature. recognising lis owH
principles, will be willing TO draw from. them
the very differences which we are to urge an.
on you this afternoon.
We ask for Disunion, and we are ready "a
meet all the obloquy which such a PROPOSE.
ton begets. Dlsunion is not a rare word in
: our national history. Disappointed ambition
has oilen, for a moment, longed for separate
2 eonlederacies, In which there would be more
j presidential chairs than one. Parties, in
The hour OF defeat, have talked of revolution,
e when revolution was their only chance Of
) success. And sometimes even a state, thwar,
ted In ITS fayorite purpose, has threatened to
! shooi madly from its sphere. But The abU,
j llonlsls are the only men, who have eyeI