Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-09-28
Letter from James N. Buffum.

LYNN, Sept 8, 1850.
MY DEAR FRIEND On my return from a
tour in Maine, found your lcttcr of tho 23d
of August, inviting me, in bohalf of the Load
ing friends of the West, to attend tho Annivor-
sary Of tho Western Anti-Slavcry Society, to
be held in Salem on the nth and 18th instant.
I embrace this the first momcnt could
spare from urgent duty, 20 thank you and your
friends for your kind invitation, and to say to
you, that although multiplicity of cares too
numerous and imperative to bo disrcgardcd,
will prevent me from being with you in person,
yet feel | shall be with you in spirit, to sym-
pathisc with you in all your trials, to rejoice
with you in your success, to congratulate you
upon tho favorable aspects of the cause at the
present time, and to resolve with you upon
firmncss and fidelity for the future, 1t would
be pleasant to meet so many of the true friends
as will be present at your Anniversary, to
shake their warm hands, listen to their inspir-
ing words, and feel their hearts beat high and
strong for liberty and equality. These arc
stirring times, and such as must move every
one who has heart to feel, and especially those
who arc the friends of the Slave. To those
who know no higher law than cxpcdioncy, and
no other wisdom than that which seeks tho
subvcrsion of the purposes of God, by the Graf
tiness of man, the times may sccm dark but
to him who has faith in the eternal principles
of Right, who believes that "Truth struck to
Garth will rise again." all is bright and full of
promise. Webster may not wish to- re-cnact
the Laws of God, nor to be governed by them,
but Gods Laws arc yea and amen forever,
and will rc-cnact themselves, and react upon
all who disregard them; and no amount of
talents or education can save those who disrc-
gard them from just condemnation. No, tho
truth Of this declaration is made clear in the
case before us. Wcbstcr's speech in the Senate
of the U. s., on the sdo of the Slave Power,
endorsing that dbomina5ic bin of Masons, Civ
ing up the Free States to be hunting ground for
shareholders, making it a crime to perform to
the flying Slave the duty which God has special
ly cnioincd, has rent the veil and revealed him
in all his dcformity as an enemy to the human
race, deadly foe to human liberty. The high
respect which many had for his talents, the
glitter of his genius, which vcilcd his sins, has
gone, and he he is now seen in the light of his
own mcanncss, dsmantlcd by his own acts, de-
based by his own words and deeds, monument
of Gods power to vindicatc his insultcd muics-
ty. Let those who would seek to be greater
than truth, and bid defiance to tho plain and
obvious requirements of justice, remember that
the strongest intellect could not do it, and for
such presumption tho man who was called
godikc' hath fallen. Let us then discard all
craitiness, all sclf-sccking, and cling to those
plain principles of duty, founded in justice to
all, impartial and eternal, having God for their
author and the universal voice of Nature for
their witness. On such foundation the weak
est may stand and bo strong. Hoping that you
may have large and enthusiastic meeting
ono that shall aid the cause of freedom and
give pleasure and satisfaction to all who partici-
pate in its proceedings, remain your friend
and fellow-laborer in tho cause of Liberty and
Equality, JAMES N. BUFFUM.
OLIVER JOHNSON.