Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-09-07
Is slavehclding a Capital Crime /

~ - efuitf cupitut tiltilts OF 10 Ciiffit ~ |
OIL lsmurdcr capital crimcP but who |
would not he murdered, sooner than be held |
slave for life? Who would not sec his |
deareet friends, his wife or his chil,lrcn, mur.
dered, sooner than see them Slaves for life |
ob the most favored plantation IN the South |
is not man-stealing capiiul crimcP And |
what Is slaye-hoidng but man.steaiing pro-
longcd--persisted IMP One man steals me, |
makes me slave by fraud and violence |
Another holds me in slavery by the same |
means. Is the latter more innocent than the |
former2 Does he perpefrsie upon me
less wrong7 No. Is not the African slave
trade a capital crime, so declared by law
But all shareholders keep possession Of their
victims IN virtue of such original kidnapping.
They have no better title. In fact they them
selves kidnap overy child born Of slave
mother. In itself slaveholding is a capital
crime. Nay more, il is complication Of oil
crimes capital and petty. God so accounts it,
The best OF men so regard it. And all man
kind will soon be compelled to admit that il
is such. Shame on the creature that pre-
sumes TO deny il even no,o.
But if fslaveholding is capital crime, think
ofthe American government and people,
What are they? What is their morai char
acter? Look nj their Constitution and laws.
Look at their magistrates, judges and legis-
lators Look at their Congress and Smte
Legislatures. Look at the whole mass of
citizens, sworn confederates with slavehold-
ers sworn slave catchers. Look at their
church, fellowsllipping these capital criminals
as Christians. Look at their stale, holding
capital criminals in full fellowship and bon
or, as entitled TO the elective franchise, and
eligible to every office Of houor aud cmolu-
ment. Look again, and you shall see that
they are invested with more political power
and place, in proportion as they are greater
criminals in slaveholdiDg! Is this the troat-
ment other capital criminals receive Are
murderers, robbers, &C., tolerated, honored
and exnted thus? But why not? Can any
mortal tell? Are shareholders less danger
ous to human life, liberty, rights and wei
fire /? Is slavcholding less cruel and abomi-
nabe? IsitIess dcmoralizing What black
and foul crime under heoven is there, ihnt is
not naturally supermduced by alayehoIdingl
Why then not regnrd and treat il according
~? Christians, why do you not treat slave
holding und Shareholders - capitrliy cfimi-
NIL Can you tell Is il because the fash
ion is oihervisep Poor excuse! Kepuhli-
cans, pretended devotces Of civil government,
\ liberty. human rights md moral order. why
don't you repress this capital crime OF siavc-
holding? Why don't you regard and treat
shareholders ns you do your less capital cri-
minals' As you do those who commit mur-
der, robbery, rape, arson, burglary, forgery,
or even as you do petty thieves? Can you
tell? Are you afraid of them? Do you
stand in awe of them for their wealth, learn
ing, chiyalry? Or are you in league with
them? Is there a systematic conspiracy be-
tween you and them, TO punish all the rest
of the worlds criminals, and uphold them ia
their niquites? This is justice, is ii y I'm
partial justice This is republican equal-
~, is it? This is the equity and conserva-
tism of civil government, is il? This is the
way in which TO repress crime, and protect
injured innocence, is it? But il is accord |
ing TO our Constitution, laws aud usagesm
So it is, worthless. And who made your
Constitution aud your laws? Who estab
lished your usnges Who sustain oil these?
Can't you alter or abolish them, if you
please? "But we don't please" Whyi-
" Because we love our glorious Unon."-
Cau't your glorious Union he preserved with
out slavery-without tolerating capital crimes
without making voters, and Legislators and
rulers out of capital criminals? Why not ?
Can you tell? Is slaveholding the supreme
interest of the nation-thc crowning glory of
your government--the only cement of your
Union? Is itiniquity, not righteousness, that
exalteth natioi in these days? Can't you
have great country, and glorious Union
ofupright tfeeme', covering the whole CONT
nent, if that be your destiny? Or must your
Union be with shareholders, to be great aud
glorious? "But we are in covenant with
them, we have sworn 10 be in union with
them, and to respect their rights of property
in their slaves" Just So and therefore you
mean TO remain forever in covenant with
those capital criminals, forever their sworn
watclI-dogs 10 help them keep their slaves
secure "Would you have us violate our
oath, trample on our sacred compact, aud
cast away our consciences ?" COnSeienceS
you have, Then, have you? And the best use
you can put them to is TO keep inviolate your
solemn promise 10 fellowship, uphold, honor,
aid and abet slaveholders-is 10 stand sentry
for man-stealers over their victims-is TO out
rage humanity, insult the God of heaven,
and spit deliberately on his fundamental
laws Is this the proper use of conscience
Is this your highest idea of moral obligation?
You have no conscience prompting you TO
love your neighbor in slavery as yourselves!
No conscience prompting you TO do unto
him in his anguish as you would be done
unto! But your conscience is all subser-
Went to shareholders! Most puritanical con-
science! Why don't you obey conscience,
and repent of such wickedncss9 Why don't
you honorably declare to the shareholders that
YOU can no longer fulfil wicked compact,
and insist that the bond is henceiorth on
your part annulled? This is your duty,
your imperative and Indispensable duty
Will you do it? 1t has got to be done by
you or your children.
1t ,oih be done. And they who do il will
extort honor and applause, even from the
STAKEHOLDER himself Will you deserve that
honor, or persist in carrying out the old con-
spiracy to maintain slavery "You are n
fanatic, mad man, firehrand incendiary, a
swift emissary for the destruction OF our
glorious Union. The shareholders are us
good Christians as you are. Moreover they |
pre scholars, gentlemen, statesmen. Go