Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-04-07
GlimpScS of Slavery---SOujhCrn TCSil.
m0nY.

This day fortnight! We stood on our wharf.
1t was a bright and beautiful day. The air
was bllmy, aud al! nature seemed in swcG-
test harmony. Hundreds were enjoying the
scene, aud the man of business, all engaged
as he was, seemed disposed 10 forget its call,
and partake of its pleasures. Yet at this mo
ment-it was near mid-day-a gang of ne
groes, manacled and linked together by an
iron chain, a white man in front, and another
in the rear, was driving along, attracting all
eyes! A cold shudder ran through the crowd.
II was a sight which startled and shocked
all. Now suppose an intelligent stranger
visiting us had witnessed this sight-sup-
pose him to have known nothing of slavery
except what his friends avcr-what would
he have thought-what have said-when he
reached his free homel Bitter words would
leap to his tongue. Hot feelings of indig-
nation would burn in his heart. He could
not forget this sight, nor could he ever after
help speaking of slavery as the darkest of hu-
man wrongs. Yet this display may be wit
messed in all our commercial marls and at
every capital.
Further: suppose a man every way well
disposed towards US, and ready to do us full
Justice, in all respects, should for the first
time attendsa sale of negroes. None Of us
IN w w I've 4 hS'NA Sp'lhs chi' "i ~
t~elligent STAKEHOLDER TO us the other day,
''sland by and witness these sales as if they
were oxen" And such, we believe, is the
general feeling. Well, the stranger goes on
to the auction. He sees "A woman on the
block. Many persons surround her, wishing
to buy, and he hears questions as to her age,
her habits, her soundness. Not content with
this, he sees one rudely feeling her muscles.
TO be certain that she is strong and healthful!
AS a man, as a citizen, unaccustomed 10 such
scenes, never realizing that such things could
be, must he not be shocked! VIII not the
blood rush from his heart, and Jingle in his
veins, as if all were on frcl Yet there is
no slave state, no part of any slave state.
which is net forced TO witness scenes as sad
as this!
Nay, as TO that, a darker picture remains
to be unfolded. IN that auction room are ma
ny slaves. The old and young are there
Fathers and mothers, husbands and wives,
brothers and sisters, set side by side, fearing
everything, yet knowing not what they fear.
Are these family ties needed! As the father
ascends the block, does his wife
him, do their children gather round them
and do we hear the slave seller say, "This is
one ~family-they cannot be separaied!'-
Alas it is moi so! The father stands alone.
The wall Of his wife may he hcard-the ago
nizing sobs Of the children may ring in our
ears, it is of no avail; the sale goes on, the
hottest ties are rudely snap t asundef, and they
whom God had ORDAINED should love each
other and live together, fOrcibly and forever
separated! Tell us, friend, tell us, humane
Shareholder, if any stranger could witness 4
sight like this, or read, or hear of it, and mo-
denOunce the institution as accused! Can
we expect, do we ask, that men aiar of SHOULD
deal gently with it, write or speak kindly Of
it, when ii concentrates within itself terror,
which shocked the heather, and which, i
narrated 10 us of any other people, would
make our very blood boil with indignation!
And now imagine that the stranger SEEING
these things should turn to our statute book:
and look closely at our slave laws! Her,
the freeman may be sold into slavery forever
if he be unable 10 pay a trifing fine. There,
ii is a criminal offence TO teach the slave tC
read the word of God-that word which VT
are commanded to study and know-tha
word which the Saviour died 10 teach. 1t
one state, marriages are not allowed: the Law
making the offspring of any union among
slaves lllegitimate. In none are they legal
f lied. Everywhere is public opinion in ad
vance of our slave code. Everywhere ar,
slave-owners really more humane and Chris
tidn than the law. That, in spirit, is vindIc
tive, cruel. ineligious; no barbarian code is
so bad. Yet it is that, and that alone, BY
f which the great majority of the people ofth
world Judge us, by which they Judge the in
stitution of slavery. Ii is strange that they
should Judge harshly? They were more o
less than man if they did otherwise.-L0u
iSgiHe E.raminer.