Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-02-09
r III Z B u G L E .
The Syracuse Convention.

This Convention, as our readers know,
was called by the members and friends OF
the American Ani-Slavery Society, but in
such terms as to invite the attendance of that
class of Anii-Slwcry men who call them
selves the Liberty Party, and who hold with
Spooner that the Constitution of the United
States is an anti-slavery instrument. At the
head of this party stands Gerrit Smith, and
the Convention being held in the region
where he resides and where most of those
who are Abolitionists at all hold his views,
a large majority of fthe persons who respond
ed to the call were opposed to the Disunion
doctrines of the American Ant-Savery So
ciety.
The letter of Parker Pilsbury, published
last week, gave condensed sketch OF the
proceedings of the first three days, at the
close of which he was compelled TO leave
the Convention. We have now before us
report OF the whole proceedings, filling three
and half pages of The Liberty Party Paper
published at Syracuse. This report, howev-
or, long as il is, is only an outline sketch,
md mos, meagor, it seems TO us, IN the
parts where il should be most complete
We were in hopes that the debate between
Gerrit Smith aud c. G. Burleigh on the
Constitutional question would be fully pre-
sented, so that the arguments on both sides
might be extensively copied and read; but
this has not been donc-perhops It was
hardly possible that it should be. If we
may Judge from the sketch of the reporter,
our friends have no occasion to regret the
debate. The leading points made by Mr..
Smith seem TO us grossly absurd, and we
wonder that they could have been gravely
presented by an intelligent man. We are
sure the discussion has done good. The
question was submitted to an audience, com
posed mainly of Liberty Party men, by
whom it was of course decided against MS
but on the following day, in the Convention
itself the resolution of Mr.. Smith (moyed MS
substitute to those from the Business Com
mittee) was laid OH the table. The ques
ton on the original resolutions was not Ia
ken.
Mr.. Burleigh's speech on the first day, OF
the Progress of the Cause, was excellent
and SO was that of the President, Rev. ,. J
NAV. The latter, however, made mistake
of one year in the age of The L'berator an'
of the New England lnow Massachusetts
Anti-Slavery Society. The first was startct
January LIST, lS3l-l9 years ago; and TN
latter was formed not in 81, but IN ~. In
g,ceess of movement commenced by
man unknown TO fame or fortune, and sneei
ed at by the then Mayor Of Boston us 'on
William LLOYD Garrison working in an oil
scure supper room, with "A black boy i'
helper, was eloquently depicted. we
docs MIR. May, alluding to the formation
the first Anti-Slavery Society by twelve me
and the results which have followed, say :
"Ifany of us show a want Of confidence
'the power of truth, call us infidels; for aft
'our experience, it is demonstrated, that
whoever will take up any truth, howev'
'humhle he may be, it is sufficiently powe
'ful TO make all its opponents tremble."
Douglass, Remond and Ward-the thr,
ablest eolored speakers in the county,
took part in the discussions, and the repo
er testi6es that they spoke with power al
eIoouence which enchained the vast asseI
bly,. Men and women stood for hours liste
ing with rapt attention to their words. o
ofthe best things in the whole report is
following passage from speech of Dou
lass:
The only power, worth snap of .yo
finger is the POWER OF TRUTH. Truth IL
power of God; the power of God unto $
vation. The grand lever OF the Almighty
raise man from slavery to freedom; nom
noEance to intelligence; from wee TO v,rt' l.
Here we stand, untrammelIed by poi'i