Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-04-13
''FugitiveS from S.avery.''

An interesting article from the "Christian
Citzen'' will be found on our first page un-
der the above caption. We are clad the edi-
tor is beginning 10 more fully appreciate his
position as a member Of the Federal govern.
ment, and hope that a careful examination of
tue ground upon which he stands, will lead
him to abandon his connection with it. We
think he may now be regarded as under con-
v%iction, for in the article referred to, he says,
''ln our compromises with slavery, we
have not only nullifed Gods laws, bG, pla-
ced ourselves in a position more degrading
than the meanest subjects Of the worst des-
pots that ever cursed the earth"
Are not the compromisers who thus multi.
fed Gods law, guilty in His sight? Are
they not individually responsible for all the
evils and wrongs that may result from the
com promisel We presume The editor would
not desire to roll of the responsibilities
which belong to individuals upon the State,
or 10 divide the guilt of the act by the num-
her Of transgressors; and unless he does eth.
er the one or the other, we see not how he
con avoid crying ON, IL am verify guilty
concerning my brother"
He asserts that in the political bargain
Massachusetts made with The South,
she threw in her Christianity as a make
weight, consented that the laws of slavery
should be paramount with her TO the laws Of
God, and that her soil should ever be hunting
ground for The negTo-driver. Where does he
find evidence Of these disgraceful-these dam.
ming facts Unless he reads it in the L.. S.
Constitution, he can find no o'her binding re-
cord Of the terms Of the compromise and if
he does read it there, what, we ask, gives
force and vitality 10 that parchment which is,
in itself, poweriess for good or evil Does
he reply, The determination Of living men
to uphold and execute it. True, nu,hing else
can give efficiency TO it. But who are they
that thus make the Constitution the Supreme
Law of the land! Is it the Disunionists
who repudiate it and are laboring for its over
throw or the voters who personally or by
their agents swear 10 uphold itl Does the
editor of the 'Citizen" tain under the Disu-
ni9n bsnner, or rally 10 the support of the u
MON fl ig?.-the latter, we feel assured, unless
conversion speedily followed. conviction.
His picture of Mas achuseits religion and
morals is truly a dark one. He says,
"a Justices warrant for The arrest Of Il fu-
gitive slave, can oVerpower the religious sem
timent of a whole community, as easily as
the mountain iOrTeRl can overpOwer the fra
glle flowers that grow upon its bank. A con-
stables staff, ia the hands Of that official, is
more than Il match for the united moral pow
er Of the greatest cities. Before the writ of
the sheriff, made out in the name of the Com
%monwealth Of Massachusetts,' the wrts of
the Evangelis's, the precepts Of Jesus, the
stone tablets Of Sinai, become bat as waste
paper and rubbish"
The religious sentiment which is overpow-
cred by a Justices warrant, is no religious
sentiment, but mere cant which declaims a,
gainst wrong, bat consents with the wrong.
doer. The ''noTal power" of the greatest
cities which is swallowed up by a consta.
ble's staff as Aaron's rod swallowed up those
Of the maglclans, is miSnamed, for mora
power is always superior to the power Of law,
The sheriif's writ represents the authority oil
Caesar, and to that authority the people OIL
Massachusetts bow (; they know no higher
power-lhe Evangelisls, Jesus and the tables
of the law are not compelled to yield to the
Sheriff, for the people know nothing of them,
their christianity has been 'SwIpped OF" for
a union with Shareholders.
But we would not have moral power dis
paraged, or represented so inefficient as il
done in the above quotation. Let all the cit
liens OF Massachseits-except the Executive
oficers-be to-day converted to Disuniol
principles, but remain Otherwise unchanged
Would there then be any corner Of the Stat
in which a Justices warrant 10 arrest a fugi
tive slave could overpower the religious sen
timent Of freedom Would there be even
small village whose moral power could b
overmatched by a consiable's staff! Coul
a single man be found to whom the Sheriff
wit would be more than so much blank ma
peri We trow not. And should the Exc
cuilVe call upon other States to aid him i
exactlng compliance with The terms of III
TePudiated compact, there would be othe
battle grounds in the Bay State as renowne
as Bunker Hill or the plains of Concord
Who does not believe itl
If the editor of The "Citizen" regards III,
compact made with the South as pro-sIavery
and anti-christian, he must surely desire it
population; and we see not how he can bet
ter effect this, Than 10 DO individually wha