Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-01-12
The Work 10 be Done,

ABBY KELLEY FOSTER, in q letter to the
Anti-Slavery Standard, designed to arouse
the Abolitiouists of New York to the impor-
tance of attending the Syracuse Convention,
makes the following timely remarks, which
cannot be too earnestly pondercd by Aboli-
tionists at the West:
Allow inc suggestion touching matter
of the greatest moment, but which is too of.
ten entirely overlooked. refer to the severe
labor necessary to DC performed before Sla-
very can be abolished. ] fear most Abol-
lionists have not given this subject due de-
liberation. Instead of sitting down and
counting the cost before we entered upon
this warfare we rushed headlong into il,
thinking Slavery would fall in a day. But
the days of miracles are past, and whatever
of good we accomplish for ourselves or for
others, in these latter times, comes of close
calculation and unremitting industry. Had
the Abolitionists who composed the Ameri-
can Anti-Slavery Society at the outset, duly
considered the character and strength of the
enemy they were marshalled to assail, many
of them would never have enlisted to suffer
the modification of being compelled, for
lack of moral courage and Christian princi-
pie, to desert our ranks and Join our enc
mics. Others, whom these deserters drew
off with them, would never have been delu-
ded into the folly of attempting to drive from
the country through the narrow aperture of
the ballot-box system of oppression which
had entered it through the broad aisle of the
church and still held undisputed sway in the
pulpit.
But what is the work which must be done
or Slavery bo left to curse our children as our
fhthers left il to curse us? Ii we can sec
how Slavery exists we can easily see how it
can be destroyed. Does it derive its life
from compacts and statutes ON parchment
and paper? These are but the Signs of
things. Is it because of the character of leg
islative, executive and judicial Offices These
too we know TO be only the supple tools of
an overruling power.
Where then resides the living spirit of
Slavery that gives up three millions of our
countrymen for prey? Is it not in the
hearts of the American people who have,
from their infancy, drunk in at every breath,
contempt and hatred of the slave and admi-
ration and affection for the stakeholder? Has
not the term negro always been but another
name for mcanness and brutality? And has
not stakeholder been but another name for bra
very, magnanimity and wisdom? Can we
SApctt ptOpit vi ulc INOItn Will ever put
away Slavery till they shall change their es-
timate of its character? And how shall they
be brought TO hate and loathe it? Only by
having it kept constantly before them painted
in its true colors. But who shall do this?-
We know the church never will. She is
"given over to rebrobate mind and left to
believe a lie, and her damnation is sealed"
From the nature of political parties they ne
yer can do it. Their mission is to take the
world as it is, and not to make it what it
should be.
1t is left then to the Abolitionists to do this
gigantic work. Ii is theirs not only TO make
the people see but to make them feel that
Slavery being the greatest of sins the slave
holder must necessarily be the fouIest and
blackest of sinners. And in order to accom-
plish this, teachers of moral science must be
sent into every city, town, village and school
district in the North