Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-09-06

by force or by guile, the governing element
in the nation, does not infiame our zeal in
the behalf of Constitution of Government |
which begins by putting the foot Of our ma |
t,iral enemies, of the meauest and most exc |
cradle race OF tyrants that God suffers 10 ex-
list, upon our necks in the outset.
But the two first objections are quite e.
nough. II there are certain things specially
laid down in Articles of p, rtnership which
we are invited 70 subscribe, aud we find TINT
there are some of those certain things which
we do not mean, in any event, TO do; IL seems
to us the lhrest, indeed the only honest, way
of proceeding TO refuse to sign the Articles,
aud to ierego the advantages promised by
them. We think that there is good faith
due to the other parties TO the contract, how
ever bad, aud that il we take the considcra-
ton, they would have good ground to com
plain OF us, il we do not perform the cond-
tions. II we arc asked TO partake in a lucra-
tive business, in the benefits of winch we
can have 10 part unless we sign the papers
creating the partnership, aud we find on ex-
animation that the African Slave trade, Cr
the Domestic Slave trade, or any other less
recognised form of piracy, was among the
branches of the contemplated business, we
could not enter into the agreement, because
| IL NOulu Dt iuicC w ONIstlNtb W Culil u WV
and unfair TO our partners to refuse to do so,
| il we had made the bargain with them.-
And by parity of reasoning We decline up
pointing others to do these things for us by
Our suflrages, which we will not do ourselves
We do not agree with the philosophy of the
Quaker who applied to Judge Smith, OF Ex-
eter, when Governor of New Hampshire for
the Shrievnlty of Rockingham County,
"Why, my ifiend," said the Governor, "you
are not fit 10 be u Sheriff Suppose there
was man to be hanged you wouldn't do
| itw "Thats true," replied the applicant,
shut then ! would appoint Il Deputy that
tcould" We do not believe in appointing
Deputies TO do what we think to be wrong
for ourselves to do.
But then this impracticnbiity of yours
stands directly across the path to success and
paisies the very right hnud that you should
stretch out to help the Slave! In the first
place, this is begging the question, taking
for granted the very point we deny, TO wit
that voting at the polls is the only, or the
most efficient means of political action. But
admitting it TO be true, can there be any
question in the case, if our opinions are wha
we have affirmed? Though taking Office ol
voting for other men under the Constitution
should have the most direct and immediate
influence Oh the Abolition of Slavery, we ar,
, not to purchase even 30 great boon us tina
at the expense of doing what we believe tC
be wrong. We know men who profess Il
believe that the preservation of the Union
by obedience to the Fugitive Slave Law is
the best thing that can he done for ultimate
Emancipation. But nre they therefore ex-
cused for taking part in the commission OF
that Infamous crime? Things may be Right
which are not Expedient, but nothing can
be EXpedient that is not Right 1t might
seem to be the most cxpedent thing in the
world TO assassnate Nicholas of Russia, or
Francis Joseph of Austria, or the Pope OF
Rome; but no man holding assassination in
adherence would consent TO the crime for
the sake of the consequences. We acknow-
ledge the weight of our duty to the Slave,
but it is not the primary, the paramount du-
ty. The first and highest duty of every man
is TO himsel II, to keep himself above all taint,
ifnot above all suspicion. The Slave has a
right TO demand of us anything except our
honor. Our own integrity it is our first duty
to maintain. In short, the whole No Voting
Theory is simply n question OF personal
honor, of individual integrity. Whether be-
ing faithful to this first trust will be most
conductive TO the successes of our second
trust, the Anti-Slavery movement, we will
not affirm, though we believe it with our
whole hearts. But the slaves have no right
TO ask us to pay this price for their deliver
ance, admitting that it is necessary lott. We
may not be more faithful TO Man than 10
God.
These nre truisms, but they are truisms
that demand repetition. The simplest ideas
are often the most difficult to make Others
understand. We have tried to make our po-
slion clear in this particular. AT some fu,
ture time we will eXpound anew our doc.
lrines in regard to the Union and the Con-
stituton, which are AT least as easy TO I'M
derstand, ifthey are as hard to be received.
E.Q.