Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-07-13
Another Letter from Tcnnc Sce.


which a crowd of well dressed people, on foot
and in carriages, are vending their way to their
respective sanotuaries. Nashville is decidedly
achurch- going place, and the people are remark
able for their strict attendance to the outward
forms of religious devotion, there being a
law in force strictly prohibiting the sale of Ii
quors or the keeping open Of grog-shops OF
groceries on The Sabbath and the City should
be called the City of Churches, as there is one
on almost every corner, and the most conspi-
cious building in the place being church, the
towers of which, stretching far towards llca-
ven, seem to admonish its builders to think Of
Babel and beware. These Churches keep preach
ers with fat salaries, too, and these preachers
keep fat Slaves to do their bidding--to go when
they say go, and come when they say come.-
Tho Pastor of the first Methodist church in the
placc--a noted preacher, who has made his for
tune by his holy calling-kecps several OF his
brother men as his lawful property, and his
flock are not backward in following the exam
pie set them by their venerable and godly Pas
tor.
The great Southern Convention held its grave
deliberations in Methodist Church, and was
each morning opened by a solemn invocation Of
the help of Holy Heaven, in their pious seek
ing after plan to pcrpetuato their God-or-
daincd institution. Yes, its deliberations were
held in house of God and while its great
plans were being concoctcd men endowed with
God-givcn rights like themselves, were being
H. aI.,oct ta,itbfu fhp
hearing of their voices. On the 9th of June, /
left the Convention room and wcndod my way
to tho Market House, where according to an
advertisement posted up at the door of the
Court House, there was to be sold for cash to
the highest bidders: one negro man (not bruto)
Green, also one negro man Jerry ono
work mule, one old wagon and harness &c.,
Sale to commence at IL l-2 o'clock. And they
were sold, bid off at auction along with mules,
old wagons and harness, MEN sold at auction
to ono Of whom at least in natural cndowmcnts, l
felt myself inferior. Sold, too, almost within
sight of the house of Cod in which were as.
scmblcd couple of hundred of the wise men
of tho South, seeking in their wisdom some
means to defeat the plans of northern fanat-
les to put stop to such accurscd spcctoclcs.
My feelings have been shocked and my in
dignation reused to the highest pitch, by wit
Messing four such degrading and humiliating
exhibitions during my brief stay in this City,
and might behold them weekly, by going to
the Market House, but have no wish to see
moro. Ihave seen cno,s TO strengthen ten-fola
my vow Of eternal hostility to such system
a system of which its supporters, according to
their own assertions, would gladly be relieved; !;
for nearly all with whom have conversed on
this subject, tell me that they would gladly be
freed from the institution of Slavery, If they
could at the same time be rid Of the slaves; but
as to setting them loose like pack OF wolves
right among themselves, they can't think of
such a thing We'll, ask them If you would
be so very glad to get clear of your Slaves, why
do YOU take SO much trouble, make yourselves
SO much expense, and offer such great rewards
for the return Of ono when he makes an attempt
to relieve you of his presence and support p
To such question cannot get satisfactory
answer. Although probably their pursuit OF
fugitive is only to chase him off effectually, so
as to preclude all possibility of his returning to
trouble them, and the moderate correction
which is generally administered in case of his
recapturc, is only to convince him of the ncccs-
sity of using his heels more nimbly and to bet
ter advantage in case he should feel disposed to
repeat the experiment. They don't want to be
Free is often the story they know their own
interest too WE'LL This was very strongly as
serted by the overseer of the quarry where the
stones are cut for the now State House, now
building in this city, and whcro about 70 ne
groes and so Penitentiary convicts arc employ
cd. The negroes, said he are the happiest set
in the world Just come out here when the
bell rings for dinner, after which they have ono
hour to themselves you will see as merry a
gang rs ever lived. 1 asked him carclessly if
the convicts were not rather sober set of men }
No, said he, as merry as crickets. / inquired
if he believed these convicts wero happier than
if at libcrtyl To which he very promptly an
swered no. Then the fellow stared at me
through his spoctaclcs for nearly a minute,
when 1 told him could not see much differ
ence in the condition of the two, and if there
was any difference, considered that the pm
soners had the advantage, as most of them had
only short term of years to serve, then they
were free whereas slave was slave for life,
with no prospect, even the most distant, OF
freedom. A long argument on his part was
tho result, to prove the difference, which he pro-
badly considered me a very dull individual for
not seeing as clearly as he did, although he had
glasses on and l had not and with the naked
eye it was impossible for me to perceive it,
which / attribute to my inability to see through
a solid mill-stone, to which inability candidly
pleaded guilty. it being feat was never able
to accomplish, and begin to despair of ever
being able to do SO.
There are many phases of human character
which, with the limited power of vision before