Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-01
5 elertions n 6
SPEECH OF MR.. FURNESS,
AT THE TABERNACLE.

AT THE TABERNACLE.
Having been honored with an invitation tc
take part in this meeting, wish to say few
words, Mr.. President, about the meaning OF
this thing, this pestient thing, as it is con-
sidered, called Abolition. | wish to speak
of the aims or objects of a class oil men,
every where spoken against, denominated
aud denounced as Aboltionists And
shall be most glad if, by anything can say,
can help any one TO a better mind as TO
what the Abolitionists are about, what they
ore after, what il is that moves them.
Aud, first, let tne say that If | speak of
the Abolilionists in the third person plural
instead OF the first-if | say, they, the Abo-
litiOnists,' instead OF ace, the AbOitionists, it
Is not because j shrink from assuming the
name, or would avoid any obloquy that may
attach to it. My reason for speaking thus
is directly the reverse. 1t is because doubt
whether have fair right to the name, the
most honorable title now current in our
land.
am aware that people generally are not
backward in assuming TO be Abolitonists, al
least in private. Nothing is more common
than TO hear persons say that they are, and
always have been, Aboitlonists. But then
they are Abolitionists with very considera-
bic abatement. They are Aboltionisis with
But.
"Ido not like this Bat; it docs allay
The good precedence"
1t is sure TO bring in qualification, which
takes out all the marrow OF the meaning OF
the name of Abolitionist. IL reminds one of
Hotspur's gentleman, who would himself
have been u soldier, but for those vile guns.
So we have heard many man say, il not in
so many words, yet substantially in efiect:-
Il am an Aboltionist--always have been |
my father was one before me; bm--it will
never do to abolish Slavery. 1t can't be
done; and what's the use OF talking about |
it? You will only irritate the Shareholders,
make the condition OF the slave worse than
before, rivet their chains, and break up the
Union.'
1t would be really amusing, if it were not
SO very serious and melancholy. We ought,
in these Free States, all of us, every man
and woman and child-we ought TO be Abo-
litionists to the very centre and soul of u.s.
We ought to have the full principle of Abo-
lition III every breath OF our nostril, in every
drop of blood in our veins, i'll every fibre OF
our muscles. But it is not so. Free as the
air is which we hieathe, we are not born
Abolitionists. 1t is only at great cost that
this distinction eau be obtained. Hard work
and obloquy, and persecution and personal
danger-these are the things with which
alone this patent of nobility cau he purchas-
ed. And, in strict truth, it is only tile head
[pointing TO MIR. Garrison] on which price
has been set that eau wear the noble name
Of Abolitionst as crown of more than i'm
perial glory. do not forget MIR. Douglass
He is more than an Abollionist. An Abo-
litionist is one who labors to abolish Slavery.
MIR. Douglass has abolished Slayery-in his
own person. But he is not alone. Others
have done likewise, and sometimes by
strange ways. In one instance, slave,
worth few hundred dollars, was put into
box. The box was nailed down. and al.
ter being well shaken, and turned over n
number of times, it was opened, and out
leaped freeman, whose value no man can
compute. The box has magic in it. have
no doubt that if any man who loves and de-
tends slavery could be induced to get into
that box, and let himself be nailed down and
well shaken for some thirty hours, with AN
occasional turn, over aud over, the result
would be the same. We should gain anoth-
er freeman
But to return to what was saying. AL
though it is very easy to say and to persuade
ourselves that we are Abolitionists, yet eve
ry man of sense knows, or ought TO know,
that he has not sufficient reason to believe that
bis professed principles are real, unless they
have been tried, and have stood the trial. and I
proved their vitality and force. For myself !
let me trespass so tar on the good will OF the !
assembly as TO say, that all the discomfort or I
which the utterance OF Abolition '
sentiments has ever cost me has been SO S
lrifling, that | cannot consider myself as S
standing here by right, but only by courtesy, {
which, us il becomes me TO do, do most a
cordially acknowledge.
Ana al,