Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-02-15

of the Lecture Of Senator Hale before the Lii
brary Association of this City Ito which re-
ferred in my last) was "ths last Glsdiatorial
Exhibition at Rome" lie introduced the sub
ject by remarking that historians too often neg
lect the remote causes, the original springs OF
great events or radical changes in society, be-
cause illustrated by obscure men, or on compar-
stiyely small sphere. The great outlines are
presented. the achievement of military heroes or
the intrigucs of statesmen, while the moving
causes of revolutions are to be found in the he
roic acts or steady impulses in behalf of free
dom Of men in humble life, whose merits are
entirely overlooked in the record of the more
stirring events following-sometimcs genera
tions after.
When the Emperor Constantine publicly en-
braced Christianity, Paganism still prevailed
among the people-old ideas and customs were
intcrmixed with new ones, and constant effort
was necessary to cary into practice the great
principles of the Christian faith. Among the
old customs was that OF the gladiatorial COM
bats in the Coliseum, which the Christians of
that day thought inhuman and contrary to the
precepts of their religion. Some of them
thought il proper to interfere, and deputcd one
Of their number, Prudcntius, to visit the EN-
peror Honorius and persuade him to put stop
90 these combats. The envoy failed in his mis-
sion, and expressed the opinion to his brethren
that nothing could be done. At this moment
Monk, called Tciemaehus, arose, and declared
his conviction that more could yet be done TO
yindcato the power Of Christianity, and this
with Gods blessing he would attempt. His
brethren were much in doubt as to his purpose,
which, whatever it might be, seemed to take
possession of his mind. At length he attend
cd the exhibition which was got up in Rome in
honor Of some distinguished man, and just
when the gladiators were engaged in deadly
conflict threw himself into the arena, cndcavor-
ing to separate the combatants. lie was in
stantly killed by order of the Emperor, but by
sacrificing himself thus, he turned the current
Of feeling, called attention to these sacrifices Of
human life, and by order of the Emperor an
end was soon after made of these shows.
The whole of this narrative was pictured to
che audience, and the games described, in chaste
and beautiful language, aud the speeches of
Prudentiu, and others given with fine effect
The objections urged 10 the abolition Of the games
By the Aristocracy and those concerned in their
profits, were advcrted to such as that it would
interfere with the rights of property-that
Christians If they did not like them need not
atien1-that this was none Of their business at
any rate--and there were other evils of greater
magnitude that should claim their attention.
The moral to be learned from the narrative was
then drawn-the duty of ekf-sacrifce in prefer
snce 10 the spirit of seif-seekiag-and the ques-
tion asked with much emphasis, whether in
s~r day and our country there were no evils, no
t~stitution existing contrary to the spirit OF
Christianity, and requiring the efforts Of ali
good men to remover The subject of Slavery,
Sy name, was not mentioned in the lecture, but
the drift of the whole and the application at
shc close were SO obvious that no one could
mistake them, and were received with marks Of
appreciation by the audience. The lecture was
listened to by crowded audience with the
closest attention, and was delivered in clear
voice and impressive style. Mr.. Hale does
not appear to be q man Uf profound or very
original mind but is we'll calculated for off hand
speaking, or to make good impression ON a
popular audience. During his stay here
number of our colored friends had the pleasure
Of taking him by the hand at the tea-party and
elsewhere.
You will have seen the action taken by the
Constitutional Convention of Indiana, on the
so-callcd NEGRO question" 1t has resulted
at last in Incorporating in the new Constitution
provisions banishing "ncgrocs and mulatocs'
from the State, fning heavily any who may
employ them, and instructing the Legislature
so pass the necessary laws for their colonization
beyond the State. This provision for colonial
tion is in perfect keeping with the rest and
comes in as an intended excuse for the cruelty
Of the mandate for the expulsion of this un-
fortunate race. at is true these provisions
sound rather harsh, but VIC arc going to provide
for their safe settlement in Liberia, and aid in
the Eyangelization of that benighted country"
Tho whole scheme is more worthy of the dark
ages than of the middle of the Nineteenth
Century, and those who have engaged in it will
be heartily ashamed of it in few years. The
Convention, unwilling TO take the responsibility
OF the fnal incorporation of these provisions in
the new Constitution, have left it to the people
to vote Yea or Nay on the expulsion and colo
nization of the blacks. Whatever the decision
Of the people may be, (and it is very likely to
be on the side of oprression,) certain it is as
that right shall finally prevail, that all such un-
righteous enactments as these will be swept
from our Constitutions and statute books in
very few years by the advancing tide of en-
lightened civilization and true religion. Such
things as those, though the oppressor may tri-
umph for day, should not for moment dis
concert or discourage the friends of human
rights. On the contrary, they should act as
incentives to renewed exertions for humanity.