Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-02-09
A Word to the People on Slavery Extension,

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A Word to the People on Slavery Extension.
Why are the Northern people opposed 10
the extension of slavery! Have they not
some broad principle for their footing, or is it
a mere local prejudice, an unreasonable freak
of willl We can imagine the answer rising
ftom millions Of hearts like the voice OF ma
ny waters,' mingling with the roar Of two
oceans, and breaking the silence Of far dis.
tant mountain ranges "Slavery is a sin
slavery is a curse-a blight to the soil, the
foe of the lahorer-the ruin Of the master
a terrible evil to the State which tolcrates il!'
Amen! is our response. Slavery is no less
a sin in Mississippi than in New Mexico
no less a curse to the CarOlinas than it
would be 10 the Californias-no less ruinouS
to soil and laborer and society on the banks Of
the Santee. than it must be on the Sacrament
to. 1t lisa sin, a crime, a Uherc;
every where an unspeakable wrong and q
crushing burden to the slave, a source of cor
ruption TO the masters, a moral pes,ilence to
community, a blasphemous insult 10 tie Gre.
ator.
We are opposed to its extension into new
territory, not because the soil is more sacred,
man more divine, or God more holy there
than in older States, bu; because it is SiaUery,
and because also its extension will help 10
perpetuaie the system. Not the extension
of slavery over soil, but its continuance over
man, is the evil we depreciale, and in proper
ton as any policy tends to this result, we alb
hor and oppose it. Whatever Iengtheus its
existence for an hour is a curse to the world
IA treason to humanity.
Time is not less sacred to Freedom than
soil, New Years need as much a Wilmot Pro.
viso as New Territories. What is the con-
s~istency Of our attempt 10 limit the acres Of
the system while we give a solemn pledge
to ertend its day or of our profPssad loalh-
ing for the ahomination in New Mexico,
we swear to perpetuate in Virginia Bruis-
ed and torn limbs, broken hearts, suHdered
affections, crushed minds and hopeless spir.
its, are rot less hitter 10 bear-no less discords
in the universal harmony-no less adherence
to a pure God and good men-in our midst
than far from AS.
1t ia a slight matter TO the slave whether
he is worked up 10 Louisiana or Chihuahua;
il is Of vast consequence TO him whether he
must bear through all his future life, and
his children after him. the slaves woes and
agonies and despair; it is Of infinite moment
10 us whether we are leagued with his ty-
rants to help continue his doom, OF are CON
sistenily working for his release, wherever he
wears the chain.
We ask you, then. TO direct Your main as
saults upon the existence rather than the err
tension Of slavery, and that in every effort to
prevent lis enlargement, it shall he with an
open and honest purpose TO secure its des-
t%ruction. Let your blows fall upon slavery,
as il is, and where it is. Aim to excite to.
ward j, The adherence Of every human heart,
to awaken and array against it every generous
-.l ,,.II, T..l,.. =, 1905, ,,.ro ,,,,x, -,
est interest in society. Opposition 10 slavery
extension based upon policy, and weakened
by compromise is not TO be trusted; in the
hour Of trial it will prove treacherous. We
must give no truce and no quarter to the sys-
tem,--never parley with it-never ask or
give a compromise with it treat it as an en-
envy every where, carefully ever not TO di-
rect our hatred of the system and the deeds
Of its supporters oward the men themselves.
This is the only true method to insure the
non.extensIon Of slavery. This course will
soon produce a public sentiment which will
no more tolerate its extension than a license
TO murder. 1t will, as it ought, carry the
war into the enemy's camp, and very soon
give Shareholders too much work to defend
their system at home, TO think about any ex-
tension of it. All compromises with it,
where it is, all liberation of il, in reverence
TO old arrangements, and all apologies for its
continuance, must insidiously corrupt and
poison the hearts Of the people, weaken their
love Of liverty and horror Of oppression. and
fit them to betray the cause of freedom
whenever it shall seem 10 promote their i'm
mediate interest 10 do so.
Talk not Of any old guarantees and con-
stitutional compacts to sustain human slave
nv. No obligation can be more solemn and
bin1:pn than tbat uhich rpctS nm ararv I'm
man being to oppose it, "wiihout conceal
ment and without compromise" No pro-
misses can bind us no political compact can
justify us in tOlerating it, in letting it alone.
much less in sustaining it, any where. 1t is
a perpetual war on the human mce, on the
principles of Justice, Truth and Love, on
God himself. A promise to blaspheme His
holy name, or TO murder his children would
be as obligatory as a promise to supper
slavery. 1t tramples all moral principle nm
der foot, and to talk Of rights and duties in
connection with it is to confuse all ideas of
right and wong. 1t is all evil and wrong.
The moral law which makes a promise to do
right sacred, makes a pledge to sustain slave
Ty a sin, and requires that it be repented and
abandoned like all other sins. Our fathers
had no right to make such a promise, and we
aggravate the sin by endorsing it.. Sixty
years OF the curses ana crimes OF slavery
ought to have taught us to avoid their fatal
error. 1t is a long and terrible lesson. and
thrice dull must we be not to learn wisdom
from it.
We may be told that the Limitation of
slavery will secure its ultimate aboIitiop.-
Were this true, we would still urge that the
surest way 10 obtain its limitation is 10 aim
at its entire extinction. But where is the
proofl How soon will it secure that RESULT
The bounds of slavery were limited by ma
ture in Cuba centuries ago, and it lives there
still, with all its untold horrors. So in some
Of the British West Indies, the svstnm. re.