Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-04-06
fugitive Slaves.

IH
The Independent 1--WE pres,ime the wri-
ter is HENRr WARD BEEcHER) in trumpet
toned Editorial on the late Speeches in the
Senate, thus touches the question of Slave
Reclamation a1a nsf t.fa rtt .
Does Mr.. Webster believe that he is the
Exponent OF Massachusetts, or ofNew-Eng-
land, in this monstrous inhumanity2 Pass
enactments enough 10 fill all the archives of
the Senate, and your slave-catcher shall not
bulge an inch faster or further than he now
does in the North. Every yeoman along the
valleys will run the slave and trip tho shame
less hunter. Bread aud shelter, protection
and direction will be the slaves portion
north of Mason and Dixon's line with more
certainty and effect every year that clapses,
until the day of Emancipation. II will he
20, not from any special liking to the blacks,
for they nrc not favortes; not from nny hos
tility to the South, for on every other ques-
ton than Slavery the South will find no tru-
er friends than In the North. 1t will be so,
because since the world began the sympa-
thics of common men have been with the
weak and oppressed. In that sympathy they
have CONFIRMED to fundamental law of
humanity which lies deepcrin the conscious
ness of honest men, than any national com
pact can ever go. Man cnnnot plant parch-
ments as deep rs God plants principles
The Senate of the United States is august I;
and such mon as lead her couneels are men
of might. But no man, and no senate of
men, when once the eyes of a community
arc open TO n question of humanity, can rea-
son and enact them back again TO a state of
indifference, and still less can they enlist
them along with the remorseless hunters of
human flesh. And of all the very men who
will justify Mr. Webster's adhesion to the
South, if q trembling woman, far spent with
travel and want, holding her babe to her
TRY bosom, true in her utmost misery TO
motherhood, should timidy beg nIorsel of
bread, place to sleep, or nights hiding
place from swift pursuer,--is there one of
of them all who would hesitate what to do ?
Is there n New-England village that would
not vomit ont the wretch that should dare
harm the slave-mothcr? There are thou
sands of merchants that will say Mr.. Web
ster is right, who the next moment will
give fugitive slave dollar to speed on with
There ore thousands who will say we ought
to stick 10 the Constitution, who, when the
cnse omes,would sooner cut their right hand
off than be party 10 slaves recovery.
"A few weeks ago, lad of fifteen years
OF oge, escaped in a schooner from Norfolk.
Arrived in New-York, in the dead of Win
ter, with only slaves clothing, he lay hid
in the hold Of the craft for week, actually
freezing, and STRIVING, but enduring both
rnther than moan or show himself. lie
would die by inches rather than 20 back
lie was discovered, and is safe enough now.
Is there consignec, is there an overseer, is
there merchant 10 be found, that would
hive discovered this wretched, heroic figi-
tive TO his owners7
"Mr. Calhoun, who is seldom at fault in
his facts and Judgments; though in his prin-
clples he is crazy enough, declaredth truth,
that no enacfments would be of any use u
1ss people, Of INC North were indisposed 10
arrest fugitive slaves. The people ARE OPP
posed 10 siace.eaich',g on free soil! No
enactments iciH be of any use? Ten thou
sand puipts are every week pouring light
upon the public mind Every religious pa
per (save few whose subscribers are in the
Wiley Of vision, great army of dry bones,)
Is standing for the right Some few there
he that dare not speak for the oppressed
but they are equally too cowardly TO speak
against the public sentiment of humanity
which lives in the North. Aud Daniel
Webster might us well pour oil on Niagara
10 calm il, as honeyed words on the true
conscience and outbursing humanity ol
Northern ffcemen and Christians, TO quiel
them. II is because Mr.. Seward has done
what Daniel Webster ought to have done
and did not do-representcd the sentiment;
of the yeomen, the merchants, the religious
men of the North; it is because he has trieC
the great question in dispute by tests of jus
tice it is because he has spoken manillly
and right, that we commend his speech L
our readers. IL Mr.. Seward has adopted
for his policy evermore the simple policy o
Right; if disowning selfseeking he will
seek the public good, he will have ere lonl
brought TO him those honors which other
have stripped themselves bare to race after
and who, having lost their moral principles
for the sake Of the prize, lost the prize also.