Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-12-08

lOIt blC SpiSAiutlOu, SuN lltN, ulln We III
called on to act under any of its bad clauses,
and then we will resign our office, and re-
fuse OBEDIENCE Doubtless, honor requires
you 10 resign, if you cannot comply with the
terms of your oath but what right nave YOU
TO adopt or Imagine an alternative i'm your
oath where the law has made nune,-whcre
the officer administering it will admit fnone
Who does not see a wide difference between
an honest oath TO support the return of tugi-
tive slaves, and an oath to p such re-
turn, but with a firm resolve on your part to
refuse such support when called on for it,
and to resign? What right have you to take
an oath which you have previously resolved
not TO keep, when called on to comply with?
You admit that u bad clause cannot be right
fully supported, else why do you not support
it? You admit that the oath obliges you TO
support the bad clauses of the Constitution
as well as the good; else why do you resign,
IT refusal TO support the bad clauses is CON
sistent with your oath ? You openly avow,
therefore, that, at the very moment you swear
TO support a clause, you determine never to
support it. You swear, and determine not to
keep your oath! Such a course seems to us
inconsistent with the plainest rules of homes
ty. We have no right to promise to be
wrong, even though we have resolved to do
right when the time for action shall arrive.
Others say, We swear to support the
Constitution rs we understand it, and we
consider it an anti-slayery Instrument In
other words, you swear to support an inter-
probation which is contrary to the plain, OBJ
vious, and common meaning of the instru-
inent; contrary TO the Interpretation put up
on it by its trainers; contrary TO that followed
by all the executive and Legislative depart
ments OF the government, from its first estab-
lishment until now; and contrary to that
which has been adjudgcd to be its true inter-
probation by the final arbiter of It's meaning.
Of course, you intend to support the true
meaning of the Constitution. Do you really
believe that the people OF the United States
did not mean by their words what those
words then commonly meant? Do you real
ly doubt the historical fact of the humiliating
compromise between the delegates from the
Southern and Eastern States in the Philadel-
phia Convention, by which the latter under
took 10 barter the moral sense of their con-
stitlents tor what was supposed to be their
interest? Do you really believe that the
people have suffered their servants TO go on
in ignorance of the true meaning for. sixty
years? In fact, do you venture to affirm, or
do you in perfect sincerity and truthfulness
believe, that your Interpretation has ever, at
any time, been considered right by the poo
pie OF the United States, or by any consider
able number OF them? You deceive your
self with words What is the Constitution?
Not the meaning which you or ! or any third
person, may please TO put upon it; but that
meaning, and that meaning only, which con-
sists with its being, whit it declares itself to
be-, the supreme law of the land. Until,
therefore, you can show that the Constitu-
ton may properly receive as many different
interpretations as there are are oaths to sup
port it, and still be, in fact, the supreme law,
the one, single, definite rule for all, States as
well as people, you have no right TO say, Il
will support the pro-slavery clauses as | I'M
derstand Them To- support them in any
other sense than that which is affixed to
them, as the supreme law of the land, is
merely to evade the true meaning of your
oath.
Others say, 'We took the oath before we
had any of our present scruples. We would
not take the oath now; but, nevertheless, we
shall continue in Office, and disregard our
OATH This excuse seems to us very objec-
tionable. How can you reap the honorary
or %pecuniary advantages of your office, and
honestly refuse compliance with your part of
the bargain? When you took office, you
were really told, that if you would swear to
support the return of fugitive slaves, &C.,
you should enjoy these honors and these
profits. The conscientious man, who, in
striving to benefit himself, not his condition,
discovers afterwards that he cannot rightlul-
" aid, or promise 10 aid the stakeholder in
retaking his slaves, will not think of claim
ing the reward which was offered to him,
solely because he swore to give such aid
He will make haste TO resign honors and re-
wards which he feels can be retained only at
| tho DYipn Of his own lpUrDIatiOD-
If we cannot rigltlully hold any office,
State or National, which requires of us a
promise to support the Constitution, it is
wrong to place, or voluntarily aid Ii in placing,
any other person in such office; for by so
doing, we ask him to do wrong. If we vote
for Horace Mann, by this act alone we say
to him, as distinctly us if the words passed
our lips,-'We wish to elect you as repre-
sentative TO Congress. If chosen, we expect
and ask you to qualify yourself TO act as rep
resentativc, by swearing TO give slavery all
constitutional support Merely by voting for
him, we ask him to do wrong, hoping that
good may come, almost knowing that good
will come! So little faith have we in the fl
nal triumph of right and justice, by pursuing
only right and just ways! OF so little con-
sequence do we consider il, that the earnest
advocate of freedom should commence his
holy work by promising very materially to
strengthen slavery! But a short time has
elapsed since we read one of his most elo-
quent rebukes of slavery. Gu heart beat
quickly as we read his earnest words. But
ii, in the midst of his address, some slave
holder had turned and asked him, How hap
pens it, sir, that you, who are so very earnest
and disinterested in behalf of the rights OF
the slave, have been willing to swear TO sup
port this terrible wrong, TO any extent or for
any time?' And what answer could be re-
turned? The eloquent tongue would be pal
sled! Surely that man who mas solemnly
called God TO witness that he will support
the oppressor, cannot fail, at some time or
another, to feel himself TO be unworthy to
plead the cause of freedom.