Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-05-31
Selections.
Anniversary Speeches.


Our limits will only permit us to give ex-
tracts from some Of the many excellent aud
eloquent speeches delivered at the recent an
nivcrsery Of the American Ant-Slavery So
ciety. The following is from Mr.. GARRr-
SONS Introductory address:
In the month of December, 1893, the
friends ofimnedatc and unconditional eman-
cipation, were summoned to meet in conven-
ton at Philadelphia, for the purpose of put
ting forth to the world declaration of senti-
lnents against Slavery, and to form an Amer
ican Anti-Slavery Society. That convention
was held. A declaration of sentiments was
adopted; and on that declaration as a basis
for all future action, national society was at
that time organized That society is the one
whose anniversary we are here to celebrate
For IL years, through much trial aud vicis-
slttde, through sunshine and storm,-very
little sunshine and good deal of Storm
this society has annually met at New York.
Iliis year we do not meet in the commercial
emporium, but we are here, as you perceive,
IN Syracuse. (Cheers.) We are not permit
tcd-nye, II has come TO this that we are not
permitted by power greater than liberty in
this land, greater than the Constitution OF the
country, and aspiring to be greater than the
law OF God, we are not permitted TO hold
our anniversary in the great city of New
York.
Not mecting-house, not q hall, can be OBJ
fnlned in that city for this purpose. We pre-
sent ourselves under these circumstances for
the first time to the good people in this part
oi the Empire State. II seems very proper
that we should make clean breast of it at
once, aud tell you precisely ioho we are, and
pIfgfxp xpn has l. a..
selves whether we are worthy of "bonds" or
of"death." [ therefore call upon one who
has been early in the cause, and who has
been most faithful, most untiring, and most
incorporating; one whose name is ap-
pended TO the declaration to which / have
alluded-my worthy friend and coadjutor,
Samuel J. May, to read that declaration.
MIR. SAMUEL J. MAY then read the Decla-
ration of the Philadelphia Convention.
MIR. GARRISON then resumed Such are
the sentiments, the purposes, and the inca
sures OF the American Anti-Slavery Society,
and from them, believe, that society has
never swcrved in the least degree to this hour.
Why then should not this society he every
where welcomed; if not in the midst of
Slavery at the South, at least all over our free
North Why is it that if shareholders, and
sayc-breeders, and slave drivers must COM
bine against us,-the friends of freedom
proiesscdly such, aye, the Christians of the
Tree States are not one with this Society, and
united for the purpose of abolishing Slavery?
We utter no new doctrne,-we promulgate
no new truths. There is nothing radical,
nothing ultra, nothing ianatical in all that we
aim at more than can be found in the decla-
ration of American independence, and in the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. And yet, as l re-
marked, at the outset, this society is not al-
lowed to hold its regular anniversary in the
great city of New York city with half
million of people "a city swarming with
churches built and dedicated to the worship
ofAlmighty God, and to the honor of his Son,
our common Saviour and Redeemer; city
supplied with magnificent halls, and yet not
one among all of them, can be obtained for
any amount of money, or on any other con-
sideration, because the spirit of Slavery has
entire mastery over the city; because the
mob spirit rules the city of New York be- |
cause they who are willing TO allow this So
clety to hold its meetings there, are overaw-
ed IN the presence of that brutality which
peryades that great city. 1t is not enough,
II seems, for the slave power in the slave
States to say 10 every man, "whoever under
takes TO lInpeach me, or to say ought against
me, shnll de-" You know that that IS the
case IN the slave States. There are brave
men and women too know all over the free |
States; but is there the man or woman brave
enough to 60 to the Carolnas, and there
stand up and protest against Slavery in the |
name of humanity, aud TO recognize the |
slave as brother man, and to arragn the |
elaveholder as man stealer? | will not
impeach the bravery of those who are here,
or elsewhere, but mean to say that whoever
should do this, he it man or woman, that
person would perish in the attempt. In all
that vast extent of country there is no such
thing as free conscience, free mind, free
speech. There are thousands of pulpits in
the slave States, heterodox, and orthodox of
all forms in religion, and yet there is not n
slhgle man filling any of those pulplts, who
dares openly TO remember those in bonds as
bound with them. There are multitudes of
churches in all the slave States naming the
name of Christ, and yet among all these
is there one that dares boldly and
to grapple with Slavery
on the spot? Fiji should make the attempi.
would it not perish? Such is our condition
in the year 1851, as pertains to the Southern
portion ofthe country, and to..those associated
with and interested in the slave power at the