Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-01-14
Appeal TO Women.
Adieu.

rfee daughters OF America, will You lend
your ears a moment 10 the sad recital OF a sis.
'ers woes! lis a mournful picture, and your
happy hearts, bounding with hilarity seem
reluctant TO be made sad by a tale of sorrow.
\ our laughing eyes seem not made for tears,
ana twere a pity to cloud your Joyous path
way with mournful ~recilals of wrong and cru
city.
And yet your tender hearts so often bea-
ting responsive to the call ofmercy, constrain
me if possible 10 reach those trembling
chords, and awaken a thrilling note in behalf
of humanity.
You enjoy Liberty. One and a half mil
lions Of your sisters know its sweets only
by name! Crushed beneath the iron hand
of despotism, the endearing word but AVA
kens a mournful feeling of bondage in their
bosoms; and if they dare seek that boon-the
favored prize, the baying of blood hounds, or
the crack ofthe slave drivers whip, calls them
back TO chains and slavery.
No naughty tyrant claims even the fruits
Of your industry; while your poor sable sis
ter is robbed of every right; her offspring
claimed by another, and rudely torn from her,
and her OWE body held as property and sold
at pleasure.
Home blesses you with its endearing
charms and around your hearth clusters eve
nv joy Of mutual love and fond enchantment.
Your colored sister has no home. How can
that be called home where a master claims a
superior right 10 her husband and children,
and who gives her them only on sulIrage!-
II in her humble cabin sometimes rises the
joyful revel of 1.-THE song Of love-" the rude
hand Of her master may all Unexpectedly still
the echo by tearing away the dear ones whose
voices composed the happy song; nay, she
herself may be torn from her family at the
caprice Of the slave proprietor.
You claim at least the ownership of self.
The slave woman knows not the privilege Of
raising her own hands at will. To keep
what she earned would be considered theft,
and even TO use her own feet al hbilum
would be called the highest crime, for which
she would be sentenced to the lash accor-
ding as her naughty lords cruel anger might
dictate. She is taught submission on pain
not only OF bodily torture, but on peril of her
soul. Her Christian master tells her she will
be subject to eternal fire if not obedient to
his every wish, no matter how diabolical!
You arc taught the beauties of science and
plunging into deep literary lore, may deck
your brows with unfading %laurels, while
your African sister for no other crime than
wearing an ebony skin, is forbidden to learn
to read the name Of God.
The laws of your country protect you from
wrong. But the female slave has no protec-
ton. The Christian people of this Christian
country have enacted laws which place her
beneath any protection save that Of property.
They have exalted the dealer in human flesh
to the highest office in church and state, and
around the accused alter of slavery, where
human happiness is made a thing of mer-
chandize, and human tears, and human blood
run down together, they have entwlned the
wreaths Of glory and under it they have pla-
ced the word of God, and over it az an en-
sign Of freedom, have raised the banner of
Liberty and Equality" in solemn mockery
of the glorious truths their lips but just ut
tered. In view Of these frightful outrages
upon her sex, how ought woman to stand a-
fected. Let her arise in the dignity and,
strength of her influence, and extend her hand
to save. Your Pleadings will not be in vain.
Raise your voices in behalf Of humanity, and
they will reach the ear of the oppresSor and
make him tremble in his guilt. Your tears
may cause the chain of slavery to rust and
those bound beneath its massive links to leap
up in The ecstacy of slave redeemed.
f.. C.
Wadsworth o.