Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-09-28
I H E B U G L E +.
Letter 10 th, American Slaves
Nomtao,e ,oho haze fed from .1u,ericun SlGue

ADOPTED br THE cAzENovIA CONVENTION.
AFFLICTED AND BELOVED BRorRERs -
The meeting, which sends you this letter, is
meeting OF runaway slaves. We thought
il well, that they, who had once suffered, as
you still suffer, that they, who bad once
drank of that bitterest of all bitter CUPS,
which you are still compelled to drink of,
should come together for the purpose of
making a communication to yon.
The chief object of this meeting is to tell
you what circumstances we find ourselves
in--that, SO, You may be able to Judge for
yourselves, whether the prize we have OBJ
timed is worth the peril of the attempt to
obtain il. 4i.
The beartless pirates, who compelled us
to call them MASTER" sought TO persuade
us, as such pirates seek TO persuade you,
that the condition of those, who escape from
their clutches, is thereby made worse, in
stead of better. We confess, that we had
our fears that tlis might be so. Indeed, SO
great was our ignorance, that we could not
be sure, that the abolitonists were not the
fiends, which our masters represented them
TO be. When they told us, that the aboli-
tionists, could they lay hands upon us,
would buy and sell us, we could not
certainly know, that they spoke fhlsely I;
and when they told us, that abolition
lists are in the habit of skinning the black
man for leather, and of regalDg their can
nibaism on his flesh, even such enormities
seemed to us TO be possible. But owing TO
the happy change in our circumstances, we
are not as ignorant and credulous now, as
we once were; and il we did not know il
before, we know il now, that shareholders
are as grent liars, ns they are great tyrunts.
The abolitionists act the part of friends
and brothers TO US and our only complaint
against them is, that there are so few of
them. The nbolitionsts, on whom it is safe
TO rely, are, almost all of them, members of
the American Anti-Slavery Society, or of
the Liberty Party. There are other abol-
tionisis; but most Of them are grossly in
consistent; and, hence, not entirely trust
worthy ,abolitionists. So inconsistent are
they, as TO vote for anti-abolitionisis for civil
rulers, and to acknowledge the obligation of
laws, which they themselves interpret 10 be
pro-slavery.
We get wages for our labor. We have
schools for our children. We have oppor-
tunities to hear and TO learn to read the BIZ
ble-thot blessed book, which is all for free
dom, Notwithstanding the lying shareholders
say il is all for slavery. Some of us take
part in the election of civil rulers. Indeed,
but for the priests and politicians, the infu-
ence of most of whom is against us, our
condition would be every way eligible. The
priests and churches of the North are, with
comparatively few exceptions, in league with
the priests and churches of the South; and
this, of itself, is sufficient to account for the
fact, that caste-religion aud negro-pew
are found at the North, as well as at the
South, The politicians. and political parties
OF ule worth are connected with the politi-
clans and political parties of the South; and
hence, the political arrangements and inter-
ests of the North, as well as its ecclesiastical
arrangements and interests, are adverse to
the colored population. But, we rejoice to
know, that all this political and ecclesiasti-
cal power is on the wane. The spurious
ness of American religion, and American
democracy, has7become glaring; aud, every
year, multitudes, once deluded by them.
come 10 repudiate them. The credit of this
reputation is due, in great measure, to the
American Anti-Slavery Society, to the I.iber-
" Party, and TO anti-sectarian meetings, and
conventions. The purest sect on earth is
the rival Of, instead of one with Christianity.
1t deserves not to be trusted with deep and
honest and earnest reform. The tempta-
iions, which beset the pathway of such re-
form, are too mighty for it to resist. Instead
Of going forward for God, il will slant off
htoNih AANu'Nh Siottg tilul SOOD, UOL n
shred OF the current religion, nor a shred of
the current politics of this land, may remain.
Then will follow, ay, that will itself be, the
triumph of Christianity; and then, white
men wlll love black men, and gladly ac-
knowledge that all men have equal rights
Come, blessed day-come quickly.
Including our children, we number in
Canada, at least, twenty thousand. The TO-
tai OF our population in the free States far
exceeds this. Nevertheless, we are poor.
we can do little more to promote your de-
hyerance than pray for il to the God of the
oppressed. We will do what we can to sup
ply you with pocket compasses. In dark
nights, when his good guiding star is hidden
from the Tying slave, pocket compass
greatly facilitates his exodus-Besides. that
we are too poor to furnish you with deadly
weapons, candor requires the admission,
that some of us would not furnish them. If
We could; for some of us have become nom
resistants, and have discarded the use of
these weapons: and would say TO you " love
your enefniesi do good TO them, which hate
you bless them that curse you and pray
for them, which despitefully use you.n such |
of US would be glad to be able 10 saw. ihnt
all the colored men of the North are non |
reslstants. But, in point of fact, il is only n
handful of them, who are. When the in
surrecton of the Southern slaves shall take
place, as tako place il will, unless speedily
prevented by voluntary emancipation, the
greet mass of the colored men of the North.
however much to the grief of any of us, will
be found by your side, with deep-stored and
long-accumulated revenge in their hearts,
and with death-dealing weapons in their
hands II is not to be disguised, that a col
ored man is as much disposed, as a white
man, TO resist, even unto death, those who
oppress him. The coIored American, for
the sake of relieving his coIored brethren,
would no more hesitate to shoot an Ameri-
eau STAKEHOLDER, than would white AIneri-
can, for the sake of deliyerinn his willie