Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-11-23
PrO.Slavery Plety in Belmont County.
CoLERAIS, Belmont Co., !
Nov. llth, 1850. (


Nov. llth, 1850.
FRigNp JOHNSON 1t may not be unintercst-
ing TO the friends of freedom to know how wo
who are situated upon the very borders of Sla-
very, under the immediate influence of a
Slaveholding city, feel and act upon this great
question.
Pro-Slavery as is the moral atmosphere which
we breathe, callous as arc the hearts Of the
people generally, to the melting and moving in
lucnce of human liberty, yet the Fugitive
Slave Law" has created no little excitement
among the most enlightened part Of our COM
munity, and has elected from them no little
disapprobaton. We have held several in
dignation meetings" in Coleruin tp., of spir-
tied and cheering character, and we confident
ly believe, that the agitation resulting as a con-
sequence will ultimate in much good.
But we will now turn to picture of less
pleasing aspect. With the Church have al
ways endcavored TO avoid controversy. Hsto-
tory has taught me, that the men and organi-
zation that shield their prejudiccs, their corrup
tons, their sins under the sacred garb of rclig-
ion, are the most imperyious to truth-thc last
to renouncc their dogmas. But when the
Church wilfully and deliberately obstructs the
progress of truth-lends her influence to the
daming up of the rolling tide of humanity,
surely she should be held up to public gaze
with all her odiousness-al her vile pollutions.
l would say to her as Diogencs said to Alexan-
der the Great, Stand little out of my sun
light" if she docs this, am content. But to
the facts.
A meeting to consider the Fugitive Law"
was appointed to be held at Methodist Church
four miles West of Wheeling provided it could
be obtained. was appointed to see to it, and
took particular pains to see moro of the Trustees
than was usual in such cases, (of whom there
were nine,) and obtained consent to occupy the
house. The meeting was accordingly advcr-
tised but 10 it was soon whispered about
that the subject had some connection with An
ti-Slavcry. We went to the house and found
it closed. The names of these prominent
Methodists, most active in opposition, were
Townsend Frazier, Jacob Enlow, Calvin Has
son and Noah Scott. Mr.. Frazier told me that
he believed Slavery to be right; Mr.. Enlow,
that the Bill was just the thing needed. and Mr..
Hasson that he would not sign petition for its
repeal. These mon arc all, believe, or have
been Glass leaders, " Shepherds in Israeli
After some parleying portion of those as
scmblcd concluded to adjourn to a dilapdated
School house, with but little glass in the win
dows and no stove. And here, to cap the cli-
max, Joseph Hicks, Quaker in regular stand
ing in the Church, appeared as the apologist of
the Law. He told us that it was premature to
ask its repeal now that the Anti-Slavcry agita-
ton never had done any good, but harm that
the Abolitionsts annexed Texas, brought about
the Mexican war, defeated the Omnibus Bill,
which would have secured peace and happiness
to the Nation and lastly passed the Fugitive
Law itself. lie said rather than that the other
measures of the Omnibus should not have
passed, he would have this law enacted and
then risk its repeal afterwards. He further
said that he thought it would not be a difficult
matter to get upright, moral, intelligent men,
to act as commissioners under the law. Judg-
ing from the tone of public sentiment in your
part of the State, 1t will certainly be difficult to
find men who will accept this dirty Office. Your
correspondent would therefore respectfully sub
nit That in his humble opinion, Mr. Joseph
Hicks would make a capital commissioner, and
sundry Methodist Glass leaders whom he
could mention, admirable RUNNERS.
1 have endcavored to adhere strictly to the
truth, and in order to give these men a fair op-
portunity to defend themselves, you will oblige
me if you sec fit to publish this letter. by send
ing one or two of them paper containing it.
Yours as ever,
j. W. NEWPORT