Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-04-20
GEORGE DOUGHTY.
Rocky HILL, near Brushville, L. l., !
April Sth, 1850.

ROCKY HILL, near Brushville, L. l., !
April Sth, 1850.
FRIEND GERRrr sMiru:
am an utter stranger to you personally, but
nave ever admired your disinterestcdncss and
great energy Of character. was much pleased
'nat you attended the Syracuse Convention last
winter of course do not approve of all that
was done there; or, in other words, think the
ume might have been better employed in con-
suitins and taking counsel what to do, and how
10 do 1t, and how to get the means to do it with,
than in discussing the meaning of abstract ques-
tons the result Of which will probably do very
little good.
hope YOU will attend the Anniversary Of the
American Society, and your friends with you.-
am in favor of political action--I have ever
been in favor oft. l think that the same trou-
Die and expenditure cannot be laid out any
where else so proiitably as this-and by this
means compel politicians to do Anti Slavery
work In the first place, propose to agitate
the country thoroughly by pcttioning Congress
to tax slave property enough to pay at least the
wages of the members that have their seats in
consequence of slave property This seems to
be so reasonable that think great numbers
would sign such petition and as this property
IS represented, l see no good reason why it
should not be taxed. 1t is especially represent
cd, and what good reason is there why it should
not be especially taxed sufficient at least to pay
the wages of the members or representatives
that hold their seats in consequence of their
slaves A petition of this sort, generally circu-
lated, l think would do a mighty Anti-slavcry
work. In addition to this, propose to circu-
late pledge something like this 1--WE the un-
dcrsigned do solcmnly and sincerely pledge our
selves that VIC will not vote for any man that is
willing to allow fugitive slave to be sent back"
This think is all that ought to be included in
general resolution, but where it will bear, and
people will sign the pledge, approve of inclu-
ding many others. By this means we shall act
politically, and holding tho balance of power
it may so happen that one may chase
a thousand, and tro put ten thousand to fight
and you and your friends viii be ten thousand
tzaea-nore likely to get the power to do what
can be done under the Consultation than you
would by forming party.
A negative pledge will have nearly all the
advantages of a positive one, and sec no good
reason why all-no-voters and all-may not
sign it. This kind of compromise think |
ought to reconcile all parties. You act politi-
cally, as think, in the most effeetual way, and |
the Garrisonians do not promise at all positively
to vote-now if the stakeholder is deceived as
to them, and thinks they will vote when they |
will not, should be very sorry to undeccivc
him.
My reasons for petitioning Congress for this
thing ure many. In the first place, 1 think that |
people will sign petition for thatpurposo more
readily than they would to abolish slavery and |
the next reason is, if Congress taxed slave prop
rrty for one purpose and for ono reason, they
might for another, and this would teach the |
people generally that Congress had power to
lcgislate on the subject of Slavery. l could |
many more reasons, but your fertile |
Imagination can point thom out much better to |
you than can. My reasons for the pledge are
also many. In the first place, l learn that Cass,
Clay, Webster, and many other leading politi-
clans arc desirous to have fugitive slaves sent |
back, and Giddings, Hale, Seward, and many
others will not allow them to be sent back. I |
think that those who sign the pledge will
strengthen our friends, and ioeaken our enemies,
IS certain. Another reason is, that in calling on
persons to sign the pledge the whole subject of
slavery will naturally come up for discussion
Another is, if it be possible, to unite and har-
nonize the abolitionists-that wo can all har-
nonizc, though VIC may not all agree as to the
pest means to accomplish it. In order to carry
,ut tho above, propose to raise fund express
y for tho purpose of publishing the number
md names of all that sign the pledge in at least
wo of the leading political party papers, as ad-
,erfisenients if they cannot be published in any
,ther way in each County in the State-and for
hat purpose pledge $50 to carry it out.
Yours, truly, in the cause of Humanity,
GEORGE DOUGHTY.