Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-12-15
Sketch Of Anti. slavery Labors.
CoIumprAsA, Nov. Doth, 1s4e.

Ant-Slavery labors. had a meeting at Biz
mingham on Saturday Oct. goth, a village
about ten miles west of Oberlin. The meet
ing was small on account of the notice not
having been much circulated, but what was
lacking in number was compensated, to a
considerable degree, in the good spirit and
generous feeling of those who were present.
l left notice for a meeting on Sunday evening.
A Disciple Minister, Rev. Mr.. Dixon, who
had been in this country but a short time,
was present. His English heart never hav-
ing been corrupte by American institutions,
naturally sympathised with the oppressed
slave. He seemed much interested in the
discussions of the evening, and expressed a
desire to have me show in my next lecture
that the Bible was against slavery. i told
him that belonged more appropriately to his
'sphere,' as an %expounder of the book that
l had a shorter method of demonstrating the
wrongfulness of slavery, and the hypocrisy
of oil who defended it with propositions
either from above or beneath. A heavy rain
on Sunday evening prevented us from ope-
ming the doors, and our effort proved a fail
ure. Monday evening ] spoke at Brown
helm, at a school-house on the Lake shore.
The most of the people here belonged, for
merly, to the Liberty Party, and many still
hold the same position. ] gave my views of
our slave-holding Constitution, and the folly
of swearing to support it to gain power to
abolish slavery. This called out many ques-
tons from different individuals Of the audi
ence, and at the close one attempted to make
a reply, but his attempt was as futile as his
cause was unjust.
S and Wednesday evenings I had
meetings at Florence Corners. OF this place
| have nothing encouraging to say. Instead
Of meeting with manly arguments, l was
assailed by a shower of eggs. They were
thrown only by boys as l passed from the
place of meeting to the tavern the last eve
ming; but / have reason to believe that they
were upheld by the older class. Fortunate
ly l was not hit directly, but my clothes were
considerably soiled with the loathsome filth
as it splashed from the ground, the fence and
the tavern door near me. In the morning
the landlord found his door pelted with eggs.
He complained of this most bitterly, and
said he "knew that they expected to give it
to me, but he did not think that they would
throw their eggs in any body's house." lido
not say that i sympathised with him, for he
gave me not the least warning of the trick
/ .l,o. ,,,o. 60 la vla,oI ~, ar TLrrS.tnx, ap1
Friday evenings spoke at the Centre of
Berlin, in the Town Hall. The meeting the
first evening was large. At The close we gave
notice that the church question would be ta-
ken up next evening. A voice in the audi
ence was heard to say, "if you take UP that
question you will have but few hearers
The prophet proved right, so far as the church
was concerned, for / was told that it had
but two representatives; but the " sinners"
turned out about as well as on the evening
before.
My next meeting was held at Keelers Cor
ners, in a school-house, about three miles
East of Norwalk. An Oberlin student had
an appointment for a Geography school at
the same time and place. AS no notice
could be given him of my appointment he
came to the place of meeting with the view
of teaching his class, and we made a COM
promise of the time. The Geography exer-
else we agreed should occupy the first hour
and a half of the evening, and the lecture
the rest. The interest which the children
manifested in their study and the joy which
their success gave to their parents, gave me
a good opportunity to speak of the thousands
in this country who are deprived of all pri-
vileges of education, as a necessary result of
the bondage under which they are groaning.
Let the slaves be taught as your children are
and mon they will stand up too big for their
chains. Let them understand Geography
and forthwith they will make their escape to
some land of freedom.
Thursday and Friday evenings l had meet
ings at ~Steamburgh, a beautiful village, so
called on account of its many steam mills.
B. T. Hunt, one of the leading Free SoiIers,
showed himself an opponent. He justified
the suppression of slave instructions on the
ground that in such an event the innocent
would be compelled to suffer. My reply
was, if you aid either aid the ~wronged party.
There is not much danger of the innocent
suffering from the resistance of the slaves in
our country, for nearly all have aided, either
directly or indirectly, in expressing them.
But ] find that my communication is get
ting too long, and l must cut short my COM
ments. After leaving Steamburgh / held
meetings at Fitchville, New London, Log
Abby, Potter's School House, Smiths School
House, and Clarksfield Hollow. All these
meetings, except the last, were well attended.