Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-05-24

pers as having said great deal, OF late,
preat deal that never did say and j have
been asked many times why did not correct
these reports. Let me take this opportunity,
when see before me a large body OF my
fellow citizens, gathered from all parts OF tie
Commonwealth, TO state why l do not at
tempt any such correction. These presses
lie, know that they lie, and intend to lie, III
the greater part of the statements made as 10
anti.savery meetings and speeches. Years
ago, when first commenced my anti-slavery
career | did attempt TO get some corrections
of gross misstatcments inserted in the very
columns where such misstatements appear
ed but being almost uniformly refused, l
have ceased all such efforts. The Daily Ad-
yertiser devoted two articles, in successive
papers, to abuse of the and misrepresentation
of my course. | asked the insertion OF one
short article in reply; il wus refused. (Shame'
shameD The Traveller some years since,
made me talk arrant nonsense about The
American churches. Through o friend, l
asked the insertion of dozen lines of correc-
ton. Ii was refused. Some of the other
papers which make so liberal Use OF my
name, 10 one would willingly confess to
having rend. Correction, therefore, is out oi
the question. Such have been my eXpe-
rence and observation Of the Boston press,
that affirm there is not a daily paper IN
Boston edited by gentleman, or by any one
deserving the notice of gentleman. ex-
ccpt from this remark the Commonwealth,
aud, in virtue of its occasional manllness, the
Boston Post. The abolitionists, therefore,
can fairly claim, that no one has right to
believe any thing stated in regard to them or
their meetings, merely from its being so set
down in tho Boston papers. Their purpose
is falsehood; their columns are closed against
all correction.
do not complain of these misstatements
because any thing has been attributed to me
which should have feared to have said. No!
i claim the right TO resist any law ! choose.
The Secretary of State cannot nuke law so
good that the meancst minority which ever
existed has not the right instantly, before the
Presidents signature is dry, to resist and OPP
pose il, aud ngtate for its repeal. j shall not
go to the press, nor to Mr. Webster, to learn
how, or when, or how far have the right to
criticise the action of government, and to
agitate for n change of its policy.
Now, know that this is very common
talk hut il is sometimes said that we never
need 10 claim rights until they are denied us.
The people are beginning to question wheth-
er they have right TO discuss these things.
1t is questioned now, in yonder barricaded
courts, by the leading influences ofth land;
and if the courts are TO stand where they do
to-day, the time may come when these qucs-
tions may cease to be so abstract rs they
now are, aud become purely practical. We
may vet come TO remember that we are not
citizens merely--come TO remember that we
were men before we were citzcns-that God
gave us something, aud we do not owe eve
ry thing to Daniel Webster and the Consti-
tuition. Mr.. Phillips took his seat amid ell
thusiastic and long-continued applause.