Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-09-29
From The EmanciTa tor.
Human Sacrifices for Slavery.
A CONTRAST.


When we read of the sacrifice Of human
beings by heather nations, on the aliars Of
their gods, or the burning Of widows on the
funeral pile of their husbands, our souls are
stirred within US. We pity their ignorance
and superstition, we abhor their abomina-
tons, we invoke Heaven and Earth TO inter-
fere and put a stop TO such absurd c~ruelties /;
and we make the most heart-stirring appeals
to all christians and philanthropists, to con-
tribute funds to send the Gospel 10 these poor
benighted nations, that they may be taught
from its pure fountains the way Of life and
salvation.
But let US look nearer home. Reflect a
moment, upon the lunar sacrifices which
have been laid, and are continually being laid,
upon the altar of Slavery. Where one poor,
ignorant heather has been sacrificed 10 his
country's gods, to expiate their supposed
wrath, in time of national calamity, or as a
bonus 10 propitiate their protection and fa-
vor in times of ~perilous neutrality-suspicious.
sands, yea hundreds Of thousands have been
sacrificed upon slavery's altar, to crafty
the Unsuitable lust and %avarice of wicked
men.
The poor heather is actuated by a super
%stitious fear and reverence to his gods. He
believes his religion requires this at his
hands. 1t is a dark and fearful requirement,
but fidelity to his religion. the most sacred of
all motives, leads him TO the sacrifice. But,
who are they who have heaped their thou.
sands upon slavery's Atari Enlightened,
intelligent, and professedly Christian men !
those who can see the wickedness of the
heather, who know what are the require
ments of true religion, who nave no igno-
rance that can be winked at but who are &C.
tuated solely by the most selfish, base and
sordid of all motives,--the love Of money,
and the love o: power,--and are, therefore,
without excuse.
Think, if all the victims Of this murderous
system, which have fallen since the world
began, could be presented at once to the eye,
how many square miles would be covered
with their bodies |! How large a lake would
be filled with their blood We cannot SON.
ceive of it. The mind revolls from the hor-
rid thought.
But let US %conine the vison 10 modern
times. Look at the wrongs done by the
most enlightened and Christian nations, 10
the poor sons and daughters of heather AZ
RIGA. That weak, defenceless nation has
bled at every pore. The strong and the
mighty have made her their prey. On the
side of the oppressor there is power, and
10 ~ Adh hOoNo u I
she has furnished for the great human slaugh-
ter house Of Slavery ! How deeply are we,
as a naticn, involved in this guilt! And yet
how coldly, unfeeling, and Indifferent we
are, in view Of our responsibilities
Go to the peaceful villages Of Africa,
where, unconcious of danger, sleep The ma
tives in happy repose. Darkness has thrown
her mantle around them, like a pail Of death,
No voice breaks the silence. No murmuI
of discomfort is heard, Innocence and affec-
ton embrace each other. No fear of danger
present or remote distuTbs their Dreams
Bnt, alas ! a dread fate awaits them. The
slave dealer and his myrmidons approach
and surround them. The torch is applied tC
their dwellings. The kindling flames, faiI
types of He'll, writhe round their habitations
and light up with horrid glare, a prospective
view ofthe dread fate which awaits them
Hear the cries of despairing agony, from the
wretched natives as they strive to flee. Vair
effort. The Demon of slavery is there, anC
his fangs clutch his victims his manacle'
are fastened upon their limbs, and they arr
driven 10 the coast, or left welteTing in thei
blood.
Look at the horrors OF the middle passage
The slave ship is crowded to suffocation.-
Every morning the matches are opened Il
disgorge the dead. The trackless deep is n
longer, trackless. The path of the slave
ship is marked with blood. The " man-eat
err, " the ravenous shark, follows in its track
and fattens on the bodies Of these murdered
dead. Fit copartnership! l had almost said
fit companions, are these monsters Of tn
deep, 10 those human monsters who traffic
in the image of God!
But surely the slower ANIMAL" who i
-. l. .lzl l. IL
not be degraded so low, as to rank with in
telligent man, who prostitutes all the talent
and faculties which God has given him I
distinguish him above the brste, and VIII
preye upon his kind.