Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-09-13
From the Anti-slavery Standard.
The No Voting Theory.

In our last Number, we explained the phi-
losophy Of the Method of the American An
ii-4iayniy- Spciety, or the No Voting Theo.
| ry, as Il hns ecnrsometimes sneeringly do
nominated. We showed that it was me-
cessary consequence of our opinion that the
support OF the United States Constitution inn
piled a consent, when duly called upon, to
do certain pro-slavery acts. Not intending,
under any circumstances, to do those things,
we do not think Ut 10 swear that we will
Thus we are prevented from entering the
Eden OF Office as long as its gate is "waved
over by that flaming brand" aud, as an ethi-
cal corollhry, from empowering others as
our httornies or representatives TO do that
which we cannot do by ourselves. This
course we pursue entirely irrespective of it's
effect upon the Abolition of Slavery. We do
not, Ia the first instance, abstain from hold
ing or comforting office because we think
that we shall thus soonest abolish Slavery
but because we think that this is the only
way in which we can keep ourselves honest
men. Even if our conduct in this respect
should have the effect OF postponing or pre-
venting Emancipation, il should make no diff
ference 10 us. Even ii we were INSURED
TINT by the assassination of Mr.. Fillmore or
the poisoning OF MIR. Webster we should
greatly hasten or completely compass our
great end, we should decline the operation,
as long as we hold opinions adverse 10 such
modes Of disposing OF criminals. We look
upon the rendition Of an Innocent fugitive
slave, under any imaginable circumstances,
as much more enormous, as il is more
mem and cowardly, crime than the assassi-
nation or poisoning of any of the felon tools
oftyranny, and, therefore, as we never mean
TO comniil il ourselves, we neither intend TO
promise 10 do SO, nor to appoint deputy to
! do il for us.
But though our sober First Thought teach
es us that this 10 the courae pointed out by
Consistency and Honor, in the relations in
which we find ourselves, and with tho views
we are compelled to take Of them, our sober
| Second Thought satifies us that il is not on
ly the only Right, but the only Expcdienl
one for US TO pursue. We have an idea thai
no greet moral, or physical, revolution can be
accomplished except by men who act up 10
their highest ideas Of Right in the matter
| with which the revolution is concerned. In
other words, that il in not Expedient for a
man to do, for any object whatever, what he
thinks to be wrong. But, then, as this may
be one of those "prejudices" which we have
derived from our Emigrating, and Reyolu-
tionary ancestors, and Of which il is a main
part Of the mission Of the new Daniel (wbo
seals his mission, not like his predecessor, by
being cast into tho den of lions HIMSELF but
1 by casting others into it) TO disabuse the New
England mind, we shall not insist upon II,
bur look at il merely in business-like way
We think that our method is the one which
comman sense, rightly understood, and his
tory, as far as il has any analogies TO offer
indicate as the true way to go TO work. We
'hod that we proceed by putting the horse
before the cart; whereas orr political Anti
Slavery friends are for getting to the end ol
their journey by putting the cart before ihe
borse IL is worse than that for Il Is putting
the horse inside of the cart, TO Try TO get of
fee for oneself or ones friends, when the
very-getling ofit, ii exercised according tc
It's terms, must prevent any progress in tll'
desired direction wnsi 30 " flt'ii'.
\ The Abolition Of Slavery presupposes I
Revolution. twill be a Revolution. Fo