Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-12-08
From the Anti Slavery Standard.
Things Political.

WI nv ~ ~ ENN y w Eltll
out our Desiinics. Their imperfect utter.
ances were flashed from Maine to Louisiana
almost before the last lingering voter had
torn himself from the scene of his imagined
victory or defeat, and all may read them as
they list. 1t has OH the whole been q tolera-'
bly, comfortable season for us impartial look
ers-on, because the Elections have, as a gem,
eral thing, resulted in the disappointment of
all parties. The Democrats III New York
have not quite carried their point, while the
Wings rejoice with trembling over a victory
which they foresee must grow into a Defeat.
In Massachusetts the Taylorites have had a
rebuifsuch as they little expected and which
must have materially qualified the pleasure
of their absolute success. While the Free
Sellers, everywhere, have had a lesson as 10
the ineiliciency of their Method to accom-
plish any sufficient End. They have not
only been taught, if they have the grace to
learn, that Slavery is not TO be reached by
the means they use, but that their men are
not to be relied upon so as to deyelope what
virtue there may be in them.
We sincerely wish that the success of tho
Free Soil MovementAad been greater. Net
that we think that it is of any particular mo-
ment TO the Slaves, or to the Country, wh@t-
er Zachary Taylor or Martin Van Burc "
the Chief Gaolcr at Washington, or whether
George Briggs or Stephen G. Philips be set
to keep the Massachusetts, SyaES of the Ma
tional Prison-honse bat bccafse we believe
that many OF the sincere AD4 tSlavery men
of that Party will learn the MVity of their
attempt only through the Disappointment of
Success. We have no objection 10 their
Coalitions and A~malgamatjbns where they
had the honest object of defeating the party
which is now the especial Representative of
the Slave Power, for sucli is the only means
by which political success can be achieved,
and it is absurd, having accepted the pro-
cess, TO quarrel with the Necessary steps,
Politics is a very coarse and clumsy ma
chine, at best, and they who are too fine
gentlemen to bear lis legitimate and ncccs-
sary workings had better let it alone. In.
our Country it is only to be fed by votes,
and people who wish for a grist TO their
minds must not be too particular as to what
goes into the hopper. Nothing can well be
more comic than TO see gentlemen profess
ing TO believe that the Country is to.be re-
deemed by a majority of votes, turning up
their noses ar the very votes that are essen.
tlal 10 the redemption they seek.
The first thing which a Voter has 10 swal-
low is the Constitution under which he votes.
and which is the Commission he gives to his.
minister whom he appoints by his ballot. If
ms htsophagus has been enlarged by the
deglutition of this nlonslrous Camel. with all
~ 'Hihlo Va 1OIuluOllISGS anu
concessions, one would think that he would
hardly strain at n poor little gnat of a Demo-
crat,-or a Wing either, when, "the wliirli-
gig of Time has again brought around his
rcycngcs." We wish to see all the elements
that principle or policy can unite brought
together for political onslaught upon slavery,
not because we believe that they could do,
any thing to the purpose, as long US they are
encountered by the fctters of the Constitu-
ton; but because we believe that this is a
stage that must be passed through before a
large class of minds will discover that moth
ing can be thus done. We believe that
many of the leading Free Sellers, who came
out of the Wing and Democratic parties, are
since, men who have made actual sacrifices
of personal position and political promotion
for what seems to them a high iduty. We
wish they could be put in a position, for
once, in which by trying what they can do
they will find that they can do nothing, and
that they must begin their work over again.
But the fearful falling off of tho crop of Free
Soil votes, even in the localities most tavora-.
bic TO their growth, since the last harvest
time, looks i'll for the future. 1t looks as il
the constitution of the Free Soil Party were
too queasy for prolonged life, unless it can
get a large infusion OF fresh blood into its
veins.
We have never expected that anyj large
portion of the American People would come
up TO the ground occupied by the American
Anti-SlayeTy Society, in relation TO the Con-
stitution of the Union. That ground was
discerned and is maintained by men who.
have looked at the Constitution and the
Union with tie eyes of the Slave, aud with
the single purpose of discharging the grand
duty of this Age and Country, as far as they
were concerned, 10 him. Such are. not the
views or purposes Of the mass of tho
Northern People, not even of that portion
that goes TO make up the Free Soil Party.
The motives and arguments that have been
urged 10 influence It's action, us far as-they
have come within our notice, have been
chiefly drawn from the selfish interests of
those addressed. The predominance of tho
South, her injustice TO tue North, the une-
quail distribution of high Office, her hostility
TO Northern interests, and other similar top
les OF a personal or sectional nature, have
been the main springs which the managers
OF tins Movement have played upon. This
Is the natural course of things and one not
to be complained Of But these considera-
tons do not come home to the daily BUSH
ness and internal lives of those addressed,
and therefore their influence is but transient.
witness The diminution OF the Free Sod
Vote in Massachusetts. There are tho
Slaves, and here Is the political punishment
of permitting them 10 be such; why should
Zeal diminish and love grow cold? The
existence of an Ultra, Fanatical, Anti-Slave-.
ny body is as essential TO political Anti-Sla-
very as the Steam III the Engine is TO the mo-
ton of the Train.
Ii is true thai an enlightened sclfiuterest
or am intelligent s~elf-respect would lead to
political action that might result in the en-