Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-08-03

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hWillonlsts contend that American slavery
- nniul. You are shocked at the reproach
tntp thus cast upon the volume of inspira-
uor and It's Divine Author. To that bless
60 volume you call their attention, and in
uoluce them TO slaveholding patriarchs.--
iup prove by arithmetical calculation that
the Father of the Faithful owned gang Of
one thousand five hundred and ninety slaves.
wei, did that justify American slavery p
YOU answer, "What Christ has command
ed lis IS our rule, and not what the patri-
nrcps dld, who lived when the light was lust
begnning to dawn" z. 26. So much for
Apraham and his gang! Turning your back
upon the patriurchs, you advance to Moses.
You examine his laws, and triumphantly
pont to statute which, as you suppose,
authorlzes the purchase of slaves from the
neiEhboring nations. Well, does the former
boniage Of Syrian heather Justify the pres
ent bondage Of African heathen and their
descendants! Again you answer: "None
can reason from the case Of the Jews-the
one fhvored, pre-emiuent, secluded nation
to tne case of men who lived after the COM
ing OF HIM who broke down the middle
wall OF partition between Jews and Gentiles,
proclaimed one common God and Father of
all, one common Redeemer and Sanctifer
thnfthis God is no respecier of persons, and
that he has made of one blood all the nations
that dwell upon the face of the earth. say,
none can nop crave liberty to purchase
slaves Of the Gentiles or Jews on the ground
Of Mosaic permission" z. 36. So much
for Moses and his heathen slaves!
From the Old Testament you turn to the
New, with an air of most perfect confidence,
to demonstrate the lawfhlness of slavery
Christ, you tell us, took no special cogni-
zance of slavery, and if it were mdium in Sc
he cannot be free from I" the imputation of
gross neglect aud abandonment Of duty as a
preacher of righteousness" p. 45. Paul and
Peter expressly sanctioned slavery in their
epistes, and the former sent back runaway
slave PauPs Christian conscience would
not permit him to injure the vested rights Of
Philemon" Again, "The conscience of
Paul sends back the fugitive without any OBJ
legation at all on the ground of compact"-
POI. You mean Paups ancestors had not
formed Constitution by which they mutual
ly agreed TO surrender iugitives. Well, does
the course pursued by Christ and his apos-
ties prove the righteousness of American
slavery? For the third time you give q most
rational and satisfactory answer: alt" Anne
ricaR slavery ais a glaring contradiction ol
the fisS Ssnd fundamental principle, not only
of me Bible, which declares that all are Of
one blood, but of our Declaration of Inde-
pendenco, which nvers that all men are born
(created) with an inherent and inaliennble
right TO life, liberty, and property. As exist
ing among us slavery has taken its worst
Iorm IL degrades men made ia the image OF
heir God and Redeemer into brute beasts,
,r (which makes them still lower) converts
hem into mere goods and ehdtteis. In this
onn OF slavery all the sacred, social relations
# life are destroyed. Husband and wife,
'arent and child, brother and sister, are not
inown in law, nor protected nor recognized
" IT, In conformity with this, these rela-
ions are every day severed by some slave
Iealers, without regard TO the feelings of the
yretched beings who are torn asunder, and
ll their parental, conjugal, and filial sympa-
hles are the subject of scorn, il not derision.
lo invasion Of human rights can be worse
han this,-none more directly opposed TO
he will of God inscribed upon the pages of
he Scriptures, and on the very nature of
mankind" p. l03. And thus you 90 on
or about five pages, describing the horrors
nd denominations of slavery, and the lcen-
lousness and wickedness in which il involves
he whites. In short, the slave region is
'retty much of a Pandemonium. There is
me regulation which particularly excites
our indignation, but which is however in
'erfect keeping with the place aud the sys-
EN-; ain some of the Suites" (you might
ave said in almost every one) " the learning
ven to read is forbidden, thus contrayening
With high hand the command of Heaven
o search the Scriptures. In such case obe-
Iience to human law is CRIME, il is treason
gainst the majesty of Heaven" p. 104.-
ieally, sir, had my father, as you imagined,
rowned upon me for maintaining the duty of
Iisobeying sinful law, might have called
pon you to plead my apology.
And now, sir, if some poor wretch who
lad escaped from this bad place, where the
'ody Is tortured, the heart crushed, and the
oul perlshes for lack of knowledge, should
'e found in Massachusetts, even at Andover,
hat mount ofvision, where Bibles are plen-
y, Where schools are open, and where the
eryants OF the Lord teach the true orthodox
nitl, would you seize him and thrust him
ack INTO the midst of the pollutions, the
niserles, and the spiritual darkness you have
escrbedP Certainly,-in the fullness of
our gratitude you have publicly thanked
~ D"htOi Ntbbtef IOr recalling you 10 your
institutional duty. 1t would seem that it
'as by him, and not by Saint Paul, that you
ave been awakened to the duty of catching
lgllives; and now your conscience would
ot permit you to injure the vested rights "
BRuiN, or any other trafficker in human
esh. "The Constitution in respect to fugi-
ives held to service or labor MUST BE OBEY
ID. IL is useless TO talk about conscience as
citing It aside" P.7l. So the Constitu-
on and PauPs respect for Philemon's vested
Ights leave you no discretion; even Con-
clence may not interpose her veto. But |
would not have upon my conscience the
ult of turning Gods image, redeemed by |
he blood of his Son, and made free by the |
ord Jesus Christ himself into goods and |
hattels. would not bring on my soul that |
uilt for ten thousand worlds" z. NJ
certainly, sir, there are, as you say, various |
inds OF consciences, and some Of them have
he oscillations of a pendulum.
You have rendered any reply TO your |
arguments in behalf Of slavery un- !