Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-04-12

tious speeches and writings.
Is il not extraordinary, too. that this inter-
dict Oh discussion should he applied TO sub
iect which touches the highest interest OF
man, aud calls into lervid action all the mo-
blest faculties of his nature which, more than
anything else, tests the question whether
man is man? We may discuss the ques-
ton of bank or sub treasury, of tariff or of
free trade but the only subject too sacred
TO be approached, is slavery and its aggran-
dizements. This is free country, except
when a man wishes TO vindicate the claims
of freedom. All other parts of the temple
may he entered hut slavery is the ark of the
covenant, and whose lays his proiane hands
thereon must perish.
Sir, how comes it 10 pass that an instiiu-
ton which even the enlightened heather OF
old pronounced to the iniquitous, aud which
eighteen added centuries of Christian illu-
mnaliou, have proved TO be the sum OF Of
fences against God and man, should now bc
projected. not merely 10y constitutions and
laws but that general warfare should he
wagcd against all those who would restrain
il within its present limits, and keep il from
nrming itself with new weapons OF opprcs-
sion? How comes il to pass that this should
he done, not in the dcspoiisms of Austria
and of Russia, but Ia republican America r
Sir, il is not 10 he done, and cannot he dore.
Almighty God has so constituted the human
soul, that while wrong exists upon the face of
the enrth, all the nobest impulses OF that
soul will war against il. The order of ma
turo will war against it. "Thc stars in their
courses" will war against il. Discussion, or
! agitation, if you please so to call it, is one of
the lleaven-appontcd means by which truth
| is 10 he spread until il covers the face of the
earth ms the waters cover the sea. Ii was by
| discussion aud by agitation, in synagogue
and in temple, in distant cities aud in differ
ent empires, that Christianity was carried
from its cradle in Jerusalem TO the ends of
the earth. Did not the disciples of Jesus
Christ go "ngitating" from city TO city, from
Palestine to Greece, and from Greece TO
Rome, notwithstanding they were imprison-
ed and scourged, flnyed alive and burned,
aud prosecuted as incendiaries aud fanatics,
by scribe and pharisee aud high-prcst ?
The very accusation brought against the Sa-
yiour was, lie stirreth up the people, teach
ing throughout all Jewry beginning from
Galilce to this place" The subject on which
ant-slavery men now "ngilatc" is inferior
only in importance TO that OH which Christ
and his disciples "agiutcd." Nay, the only
cause why Christianity has not prOSperCd as
it ought, during the last eighteen centuries,
aud why il has not already overspread the
Whole earth with It's blessings, is, that LIBER-
rY lias not been given il as sphere to work
in. 1t is because SLAVERY has existed among
men; and Christianity never will and never
can pervadc the earth until the barriers OF
slavery are first overthrOwn. II was by dis
cussion aud agitation that the prevailing re-
ligion of this country,-the Protestant re-
ligion,- through the double phaunX
of civil aud sacrcdO,u power, and triumph |
ed throughout the leading nations OF Europe, |
under the indomtable energy of that old he
ro OF Wiltemberg, who did not heed nor lenr |
that prince of the slave power, the incurnate
devil himself Ii was 10y discussion aud agi- |
tdtiOn that the first glowing sparks of liberty |
in the bosom Of the Adanlses, of Hancock, |
aud of franklin, of Thomas Jefferson, aud |
of Patrick Henry, were famed into flame |
that consumed the hosts of the tyrant,-that |
tyrant who sought to put down this dreaded |
agitation by means not II whit more repre- |
hensibe ia his day, than those by which |
certain leading men are striving to silence it |
now. Where was there ever written or pub |
llshed II more incendiary and unaticnl docu- |
ment than the Declaration of independence |
IA torch 10 set the world on fire. In the |
present century, what but discussion aud |
agitation, through all the realms of Great |
Britain aud of tls country, could have sui- |
ioulest blot upon modern civilization? No, |
sir; agitation is part OF the sublime order |
of nature. In thunder, il shakes the stag |
nant air which would otherwise breed pesti- |
lence. In tempests, it purifes the deep |
which would otherwise eXhale miasma and |
death. And in the immortal thought of dlI-
ty, of humanity, and Of liberty, il so rouses
the hearts of men, that they think them |
selves inspired of God and not the merce-
nary clumor of the narket-place, nor the |
outcries of politicians cutching at the prizes |
Of ambition can suppress the utterunces
which true men believe themselves Heaven
commissioned to declare.
The Presidents message tells us that tho |
compromise measures of the last session are |
"FINAL." take the liberty TO say of that |
declaration IN the message, with all due re-
spect TO the high source from which il comes |
that adopt the sentiment, that those meas
ures are final, in one sense only. Their sub |
stance aud object were, in an extreme de-
gree, pro-slayeIy and anti-liberty. They |
marked the passage of this Government |
through another long stage in the gloomy |
highway of oppression. They furnished |
another argument for those. who despair Of
human nature; and they supply the misan-
thrope with plausible reason for hating |
mankind. They affixed another stain upon |
the country, and set in deeper shade the
contrast between the theory Of our Govern
ment and its practice. They belied still |
another time the Gospel of Love and HUI
man Brotherhood. Once again, they def
ed the vengeance of God who is no respec-
ter of persons, and who will bring the sim
ner to Judgment. If such measures are to
be ".fnGi," in this sense only do accept the
propositon-that these are TO be the last of
their kind; that here, at this point, the ca
reer of this iniquity is TO be stayed; that
here, the coniederated powers OF ambition
and of wealth-oi those who aspire TO office,
Il