Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-07-17
NO. a..
Examination Of The ehurgs against The
American Anli.Sldyrry SOrrIy.

american Anti SdveTy Society, by EdmunO
Quincy Ttce President Of Me Sotiefy, ana
Corresponding Secretary Of he hdssocia
dna- Starefy SOtiety.> Daoiin, 1852.
Such is the title page of pamphlet OF twcn.
~ seven pages, for copy of which the author
will please accept our thanks. 1t is trum-
phsnt refutation of tho ISLANDERS against this So
ctety, with which, its pious and reverend cne-
mics in this country are endeavOring to ill
Great Britain aud who unfortunately nave in
Tire Rev. John Scoble help meet for the work.
As one in the series of efforts Of this character,
there has been circulated in Great Britain a
pamphlet written by Lewis Tapran, with an in
Production by John Scoblc. This pamphlet un-
der the guisc Of reply to charges brought
against the American and Foreign Anti Slave
ry Society, is in fact series OF charges against
the American Ant-Slavery Society.
These charges seem not materially to have
changed their iorm,-thcr intent, or their ad.
hereEce to truth, by their voyage across the At
lantic. Their object is the same as when made
at home. 1t is to cripple the influence OF Abo-
litionists indeed, utterly to destroy it by shut
ting up the ears and the hearts OF the people,
by the misrepresentation of the objects and
measures, the the words and acts Of those they
cannot silence
The charges made by Mr. Tappan against
the Society are, LIST, That it has abandoned its
original ground, OF political action, I'd, That il
has changed its original policy of church action,
and Qrd 'rhut ~ il inBJ,i A., 10. tord.,cios aud
instrumcntalitics. these charges Mr.. Quincy
proceeds to answer in their order. First, how
ever, replying to the general charge, that bo-
litionists Rave changed their measures by
pretty satisfactory statement of the fact that
abolitiouisis have as good a right as other pco-
pie, to grow wiser ana better.
We give his answer to the first charge. " that
the Society has abandoned its original ground
oil political action"
We hope the whole pamphlet will be repub-
lished in this country, and extensively crculat-
cd
POLITICAL ACTION.
"IIow has the action of the American Anti
slavery Society agreed with its principle, as to
the first point, OF political action; In 1888, Mr.
Garrison and the founders of the American
Anti-slavery Society, did, as Mr.. Scoblc quotes,
express the following opinion that "thcrc are
the highest obligations resting on the people OF
tho Free States to remove slavery by moral and
political action, as prescribed by the Consti,d-
tion of the United States" Meaning. that they
would not do under the Constitution what the
Constitution docs not permit to be done. Also,
that h,was its intention to endcarour, ''in
constitutional way, to influence Congress to
abolish slavery" wherever it had the power To
do so and to prevent the admission of any
new slavcholding State. The American Socic.
~ still hold that it is the duty of the Free
States to remove slavery by moral and political
action. Only, they have attained, after long
and bitter experience, to the conviction that it
is u moral and political mpossibility to remove
it by political action, las prescribed by the
Constitution Of the United States" They,
enforce the duty of the Free States,
rs body, and of each separate one, as an ind
viGual, to Withdraw from the confedcracy, and
to consent 10 longer to be the instruments of
holding their fellow-men as slaves. And they
have never ceased asking Congress to do those
things, and that in Z" a constitutional way" viz.
by petition and rcmonstrancc. Their present
position they hold to be perfect satisfaction OF
the intention, expressed or implied in 1888, OF
the duty of using political action" for the re.
moval OF slavery, as read in the light of the
present day.
THE No-yOTING THEORY.
Bu., it may be said, Mr. Garrison and his
Society decline voting or holding Office under
the Constitution, and thus the political ac-
ton then contemplated is neglected Admit
ting this assertion, although it is an assump-
ton of the very point ut issue, Qor there arc
manifold ways Of using political action besides
voting and holding office, or Heaven help the
English people y admitting this to have been
included in the idea then entertained and ex-
pressed of political action, We .nnot hold our
selves precluded from a course of plain duty,
as it now lies before us, by what was thought OF
said in those days Of comparative ignorance
1t was rot for years after that time, that the
true nature of our political relations was de-
velopcd to our minds, which rendered our pres
ent course logically and morally obligatory
The Constitution OF the United States being
Ier scripta, written document, its requisltions
are, of course, for the instruction of those ap-
pointed to execute it. Now among the instruc'
tions laid. down in this fundamental law are,
that the African slave-trade shall not be pro-
hibited for twenty years Il. C. until lSOS') with
no guarantee for its prohibition then, or against
ita renewal at any time; that fugitive slaves
shall be returned to their masters, on proof oil
their condition; that slave Instructions iinclud-
ed among domestic instructions" and the