Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-12-01

Such a ono should be blamed, not tor refusing
to vote, but for conscnting TO sanction in any
way a wicked Government. But it may be re-
piled, that if voting is no more a violation than
paying postage, taxes, &C., then as by the for
mer he can benefit the slaves, while by the lat
ter we only benefit ourselves, there is less ex-
cusc for the latter than the former.
This brings the question to one OF mere ex-
pediency. Though not disposed to take the
position just here, that a wrong may never be
done for the purpose of e%ffecting a greater good,
We are safe at least in asserting that he who is
already in the practice of one sin, had better not
adopt the practice of tsoo, unless he has rery
strong reasons for believing that a greater amount
of good would result from such q course than
from an opposite one. Now the example OF
those early abolitionists who have tried to carry
on the cause of freedom, first by means of the
Liberty party, then by the Free Soil move
ment, and recently by a union with the Demo-
cratic party, has by no means been such as to
tempt us to follow in their footsteps The ef-
feet of their course either upon their own Anti
Slavery life and character, or the cause of free
dom, has not been to our mind the most dcsira-
bic.
We arc, therefore, by no means convinced,
that by voting we could greatly benefit the slave;
while we are quite sure that by using our moral
power to create a public sentiment against the
system that brushes him, we can do much for
his redemption. Hence if, as Mr.. Smith seems
to think, VIC could only carry out our princi-
pies fully by dying in this country or escaping
to some other-in either of which cases we
could do but little for the slave--it seems to us
that, if both voting and tax-paying be wrong and
if it is right to choose between them, we have
chosen " the better part not for ourselves on.
ly, but also for the cause of freedom
But, is it true that the act of paying postage
taxes, and duties, is the same in its moral char.
actcr, with that of voting under the Constitu,
ton: Certainly not. Is not the act of en-.
ploying the United States Government to carry
a paper or a letter, and paying a fair price for it
the same as that of employing an individual a
the same price to do the same thingi We see NJ
difference. Yet no one considers he endorse
the character of a man whom he employs to d.
an GRAND or a job of work for him.
The case of paying taxes and duties is per.
haps different. Yet those who live in thi'
country, and own property, cannot avoid tho
payment of taxcs-nor can those who use wha'
are generally called the neccssarics of life escape
the payment of duties, direct or Indirect
Whatever is necessary then to our well-bein,
and comfort, may we not rightfully obtain, ever
though the robbcr hand of a wicked govern,
ment docs wrest a portion of it from us: Tt
deny this would be to deny the right of a MAJ
to yield up at the demand of a highway robbie
a portion OF his money or goods with a view Il
!, preventing q greater injury to himself. 1t i
I understood in both cases that it is given, not Q
. choice, but because it cannot be safely withheld
We are acquainted with those, however, VIII
r deny the right of a man thus to give his none
, to a robber even to escape death, on the groun,
that it is consonting, in a certain sense, to tn
crime. Such a one, and such only, could con
= sistently condemn the act of paying tax for pro
/: perty to q wicked government, as the only mean
f of holding such property, or that of paying du
ties upon the necessaries of life, rather than t
/ suffer from the want of them. As to payin
t tax or duty for articles not necessary to GU
comfort and well being, as Mr.. Smith hints som
/, come-outers do, it seems to US wrong to bu
such-tax or no tax.
e Does the act of paying taxes, duties, &c
then, necessarily imply the same guilty sane
4 ton and support of a wicked government, sue
c as that of the United States, as does the act
voting under it Is there no difference in chal
: acter between the deed of the highwayman an
him who, to escape wounds or death, yields IL
= to his demand a portion of his money. Al
G the subjects of a government who are robbie
: thereby of a portion of their property-whic
they yield rather than lose the whole, refusin
i to the government at the same time all volur
c tary homage or support--necessarily partakei
with the members of that government in il
crimes: Are the free colorcd people and othel
: in his country who are forbidden by law t
t vote, yet hold property, responsible for tn
wickedncss of the government, merely becaus
s they pay taxes and duties upon those things ne
ccssary to their subsistence; None will cor
! tend that they are. How then can those who's
: ideas of duty forbid their becoming members c
r the government, and are, morally speaking, a
effcctually prohibited from voting as any othe
C class, be thus responsible Let those who agre
n with Mr.. Smith answer.
Who then constitutes the government of tn
h United Statess Those, we answer, who max
!, the laws-who execute the laws-who conduc
c the government. And who are they: Nc
t alone the Legislative, and Judicial, and Execu
t tive officers, but those who appoint them to d
t their work--the voters these swear thei
c agents TO execute the Constitution and laws c
r the United States-to deliver up the fugitiv
slave-to protect within certain limits the hate
full system of human bondage, and these wit