Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-06-21
Agents and Their Compensation.

hbNh'N NhN ihNii NOliltHouhlUHt
! The communication of DIR. Brooke on our
first page, has suggested thought or two,
which our readers will bear with us for present.
ing, in reference to the relation existing be-
tween the friends of our philanthropic enter.
priscs and tho agents whose time is devoted to
heir advancement. The great mass of aboli-
tionists have correct views on this suject but nj!
have not All are under obligation to labor for
the overthrow of slavery, and all abolitionists
profess to recognize the o5igltion association is
necessary but associated effort cannot be con-
ductcd efficiently, without the undivided encr-
gies Of individual minds. Not more than rail-
roads or banks can be conducted by stockhold-
ers, or the government OF the country become
literal democracy, cnacting ard executing its
laws by the people in mass.
The work to be done is not the work of lee
turers, Editors or agents. It is one of COM
mon interest These are but the servants of
the whole, chosen to labor for their common
benefit. As individuals, they have a vital in
| torcst in tho success Of the enterprises but not
more vital than that of every other person, far
mer, mechanic or house keeper in the land.-
We arc all partners in the sad consequences of
the wrong which exists, and shall be like par
ticipants in the grand results of emancipation,
whenever it shall be achieved by our united
efforts. We arc brothers, equal inhcritors of
the toll and its rewards. Under these circum-
stances Of equal interest and responsibility at
tachcd to both agent and employer, for any ono
to refuse his quota Of labor or money, is to be
unjust to all his colaborers as we'll as the slave
The only claim that can be set up for exclu-
sivc devotion to this department of labor, is that
ofsuperior fitness, and the history of our enter
prise proves there is much less of this supcriori-
ty than had been supposed. And wherever it
exists, it cancels right to the means of life or
happiness which others possess. There arc
those who think that The agents Of this and the
like enterprises, have naturally, responsibilities
far beyond all others. They think tina! those
who like Garrison, Pillsbury, the Fosters and
others, have labored for years, must continue to
toll for piitance barely afording livelihood.
And if compelled by what seems to them a ne
ccssity, they withdraw their exclusive efforts
from the cause, and devote themselves to busi-
ness and accumulation, as everybody else feels
it necessary to do, they subject themselves to
suspicious, if not to absolute charges of uEfaith-
fulncss or dcsor;ion. If those making the re-
f QUESTION abide by it themselves, they shall at
least have the credit of sincerity. But if it is
right and desirable for them to have something
more than the necessarics of lifc,-if it is right
for them to accumulated is equally so for ALI and
to require any one to labor in the cause Of their
common interest, without giving them the same
= opportunity is neither generous nor just.
1t may be said, this is advocating hirelng
ministry. Granted. If you want ministry
you ought to hire 10. Your minister has every
thing to hire or to buy. You do not scruple tc
receive hire for your own time and servicos.-
Why should not he do the same lie should
, have enough at his disposal to enable him tc
pay full equivalent for all he needs to buy -
, that thus he may be independent in thought anC
q bearing. For our own part, we are not in thu
a habit of paying the ordinary priesthood of thu
n country, but then it is solely. because We have
$ no use for their wares; and We don't care t
= encourage the vending Of these, to us wors
: than useless commodities-the theological dog
v mas Of the land. But the sectarian who take
a the fruit of pricstly toll without rendering
! something in the way of pccuniary equivalent
s is unjust--not to say mean. For though h
\ may get no real consideration, he processes tina
! he docs, and thereby conycts himself Of rober
% or fraud iet
D, Wcmny perhaps subject ourself to misapprc
is hension or censure, for what We have said an
u published to-day. But we are satisfied nothin
~ good can come from that false estimate of char
70 actor and duty, which requires agents in on
4 philanthropic enterprises to labor eSclusivcl
from what are called benevolent motives. Il
IL tendency is to foster on the one side the spir
~ ~ of tho priesthood which says, stand by, for
.. am holier or wiser than thou and on the othc
s. ahabit of responsibility and negligence. FL
IN our own part at least we are quite unwilling
III have credit for what We do not possess, and
~ this arc not different from others. As tho rel
n, resentative of the class of laborcrs to which
l." belong, we will say, that VIC are not material