Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-08-25
Erom he LiberalOr.
The AbOlitiOniS:S and the Free Soil
Party.

htionists have been looking forward to the
state qfahings which is now beginning to de-
velope Hself. They have always known that
the effect Of their labors would at last be
seen in the disturbance of the political ele-
inents and the reconstruction Of the political
parties. They have seen and said, for long
past, that there were no principles upon which
parties could divide, at this day, in this coun-
try, excepting Slavery and Anti. Slavery. In
point of fact, for near thirty years there has
been but One party the Slavery party
which has governed the country through the
factions springing from local or economi-
cal interests, into which the population
of the country has, from time to time,
divided itself. The better portion OF
those factions, who sincerely believed that
vital principles were wrapped up in their or
ganizations, were slow tn believe that they
were powerless for good-mere "slavish Of
ficers Of vengeance, "-devices having as
little to do with the regulation of our super
incumbent despotism, as the Green and Red
factions Of the Byzantine circus with that Of
the later emperors. But their eyes have been
torn open by the insane fury of the tyrants
themselves. They now begin to discern in
how vain a show it is that they have SO long
been walking. And they are bestirring them
selves to do what they may towards undoing
the work of former years.
1t is not too much 10 claim these results
as largely owing to the labors of the Aboli-
%tionists Of near twenty years. For nearly a
score of wears have they been preaching the
Gospel of the Wrongs of the Black Man and
the Guilt Of the White Man. They have
shown how the machinery Of the State and
the Church has been prostituted for the com
fort and encouragement of the master. and
for the crushing and despair Of the slave
How political and ecclesiastical jngglers
have endeavored, and with what fearful sue
cess, to scar the consciences, 10 deaden the
sensibilities, TO confuse the moral sense, 10
perplex the intellectual perceptions of the
American People. How the National Go.
vernment has ever been, and must ever be,
in its present shape. a grand Conspiracy
against Freedom and Humanity. How there
is no innocence for the individual, except in
refusing to use political power when it must
needs be directed for the sustentation of Sla-
very. and no Redemption for the Slave, and
no Regeneration for the Free, except in a
Revolution which will utterly Separate Sla-
very from Freedom. These truths they have
enunciated and enforced as they successfully
arrived at them. At every successive step
have they been resisted and Teviled, and men
and presses of all compilations Of politics
and Of every shade of religious discrepance
have united in casting out their name and
their doctrine as evil.
But the bread which they had thus cast
upon the waters is returning unto them. after
many days. The protest which they have kept
alive against the National Crime, the con-
tinual claim which they have maintained for
the rights Of the slave, the Truth which, line
upon line and precept upon precept, they
have reiterated in mems ears, whether they
would hear or whether they would forbear,
have not been uttered in vain. A public sem
timent has been, slowly and with difficulty,
created by the operation Of A~nti-SIavery pa
pers, meetings aud lectures, which reaches
many who know not whence the influences
which they feel went forth, and which is
now beginning to be seen in Congress, in
State legislatures, and above all, in the dis
organization which is at work in the old po-
litical parties. These are things to make the
hearts Of Abolitionists rejoice. 1t is not the
end, but it is the beginning of the end. 1t
is not the harvest, white for the sickle, but it
is the bursting forth of the green blade in
which the prophetic eye of Faith sees fore
Swallowed the full triumph of the Harvest
home. 1t is a state of things which makes
no difference in our position or in our duties,
though it is full Of fresh encouragement and
new hope.
1t makes no difference in our position or
duties, because the new movements, onward
and hopeful as they may be, are yet far be-
meath the level of the Anti-Slavery platform.
Our business is to marshal them in the way
they should go-to lead them up to yet lofti-
er heiphts-and not to fall back upon their
imperfect point of progress. We hail theiI
honorable rebellion with JOY, and we hold
ourselves ready to do whatever we may, con
s~is,ently with our higher duties, to cheeranC
help them. But we may not acknowledge
them as leading the van of the Movemen
against slasery-for they not only do not &C
enpy, but they do not claim, such a position
1t is a Joyful sight to see honorable and infu
entail men trampling upon their old part
banners, and falling into line with their 70
mer antagonists, in order 10 present a mol
formidable front to a common enemy-tl
common enemy of the human race. But
is, after all, only cutting off the outposts, an
preventing the occupation Of new country b
the enemy, that these new allies propose
themselves. Useful as this service must b
If honestly attempted, whether successful
not, it can be regarded only as very second
~ and subordinate to their own office /
those who have sworn eternal hatred to Il
Adversary, and whose war-cry is, " Deenc
et !"-Slavery must be extirpated, let VIII
will perish with it!
Surprising the question of the Extensic
of Slavery to be settled Gas it is very like
be) in favor of the shareholders, before t
next election, what will the Free Soil par
do? Repeal will be more hopeless than
was in the case of Texas, which Mr.. Lin
Clarke proposed legislating out of the Unto
Will they submit to it, or will they be rea
for the alternative Of Disunion If tn
should be, and could make the South belle
it, it would prevent the completion Of her
signs. For she knows right well, that WI
Their Slavery be the cornerstone of our
public or not, our Republic is the corner-stc
af Slavery. = But with the example of TIE!