Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-03
From the Liberty Bell.
Come and do il Better.

Inc cry Is often raised against the Anti
Slavery folk, Their work { is a good one the
end good; perhaps the motive-but the me-
thod foolish and the spirit bad. We also
hate Slavery in the abstract; yes, more, we
hate in the concrete but we do not like the
measures of the Anti-Slavery men, and we
dislike their spirit"
10 all such we say-That sounds very |
honest. You like the aim but not the means.
Come and do it etter. There is room enough
and TO spare. If you hate Slavery, abstract
and concrete-let your hatred appear in your
action. II you like not our path, travel in
your own, with what progress you may, and
God speed you. say We. If you like not our
society, or our name, why, work in such
company as you will, and with such a name
as you shall get; only work.
There are two ways Of criticising an ac-
tion-one is TO sit down and tell how bad the
action is, how faulty, how inadequate the
other is-to set examples Of better actions
One is criticism by c%ensure, the other cri,i-
cism by creation. Now the An,i-Slavery
men have been so abundantly blessed with
the first kind of criticism that they are al
most afraid it is lost upon them. Pray give
them a little Of the latter criticise them by
example. Reform their bad hand by setting
them a good copy.
The politician-that is the party-man-
says, "But the Anti-Slavery men actually
abuse the State. We like their work, not
ihelr abuse" 10 such we say again: Come
and do 1t better. Oppose Slavery; prevent
It's extension; get il ended, and all that with
out abusing the State. Only oppose it man.
fully, openly. and with a continual front-as
the Democrats oppose Protection; as the
Wings, Free-Trade.
You say, "The Anti -Slavery men do not
like the Constitution, call it pro-slavery and
the like.-so they are enemies of their coun-
try" They have small reason for liking the
Constitution as it is now. 1t is no great
wonder that a man who believes ''all men
are created equal" ''endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain inalienable rights, '-should
dislike that part of the Constitution which
perpetuates Slavery, which binds men to de-
tend Slavery, to bear arms in its behalf, to
pay money for supporting it, to deliver up a
fugitive who makes his declaration of indie
pendence-setting up on his own inalienable
right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap
piness. Remove this blot out of the Consti-
tuition, and no Anti-Slavery man, as such,
will quarrel with it. But as things now 90,
the Defender of the "Constitution as it is;
as our fathers left it 10 u.s." is in danger of
becoming a defender not of Freedom, but of
Slavery; not a friend to his country, but a
foe who fastens about her neck a milestone
which must at last drown her in the depths
of that sea which swallows up wicked States.
Get a Constitution which does not protect
the robber of men, and what Anti-Slavery
man will wag his tongue against it! OPP
pose Slavery in your own way, without abu-
sing the State.
The sectarian-the man of a theological
Party-says likewise "But the Anti-SIave-
ry men abuse the churches, speak i'll of the
orthodoxy of our times, and have no great
faith in the clergy themselves. We like
their work, but not their abuse of the church.
es." To them also we say Come and do it
better. Oppose Slavery with the same zeal
that you oppose heresy, infidelity, unbelief,
and without abusing the churches, sighting
the orthodoxy of the day, or without underra-
ting the clergy,-only oppose it. Take as
much pains TO teach Christianity, with all
that belongs thereto-the whole counsel Of
God-to the slave and the master in the u
nlled States, as you take to send missionaries
to India, China, and the Sandwich Islands,.
Perhaps the negro, on the Gaboon river, does
not need a missionary TO help his soul more
~ SiN-uilNCl ou tuO 1 ObObinN W Wv
Cattahooche. The heathenism of Eastern
nations is very bad-no doubt; but the hea-
thenism of America is little nearer at hand
and more inexcusable. But oppose Slavery
IT you can, and not offend the churches.
is 1t true that the Anti-Slavery men speak
i'll of the churches except so far as those
churches uphold Slavery by speech or ST.
lence? 1t has not yet been shown. In OPP
posing churches, church doctrines, and
church-servants, the Anti-Slavery men only
meant to oppose them so far as they upheld
Slavery. Surely they never thwarted the eff
forts of any church which aimed 10 promote
goodness and piety amongst men. But sup
pose they have erred a little in opposing the
churches which never liked an opponent
and you see the error. Why, extend a little
charity toward them criticise them bravely
by setting a better example while sParing the
churches. Contend you, with all your might,
against Slavery itself. The old opponents
OF Slavery will never disturb you the slave
shall bless you. One day the Churches shall