Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-09-11

of the Whole, amended and passed by this body, |
In the Senate, after much attention and warm
debate, it was also passed with amendments,- |
But on its return to the House for the adoption |
Of the amendments it was dropped. This ef-
fort, which, in the discussions Of this subject,
has thus far been unnoticed, Is chiefly remark
able as the earliest recorded evidence Of the un-
wauantable assertion, now so common, that
this provision was originally of vital importance
to the peace and harmony of the country.
At last, in 1850, we have another Act, passed
by both Houses of Congress and approved by
the President, familarly known as the Fugi
tive Slave Bill. As l read this statute / am
filled with painful emotions Tho mastcrly
subtlety with which it is drawn, might chal-
lcngo admiration, IL exorted for a benevolent
purpose but in an age Of sensibilty and re-
fnement, machine of torture, however skilful
and apt, cannot be regarded without horror
Sir in the name Of the Constitution which it
violates; Of my country which it dshonors; of
Humanity which it degradcs; of Christianity
which it offcnds, arraign this enactment, and
now hold it up to the judgment of the Senate
and the world. Again / shrink from no ro.
sponsibility. may seem to stand alone; but
all tho patriots aud martyrs of history, all the
Fathers of the Republic, are with me, Sir,there
is no attribute of God which does not unite
against this Act.
But l am to regard it now chiefly as an in
iringcmcnt of the Constitution. Aud here its
outrnscs Aagrant as manifold, assume the deep
est dye and broadcst character only when we
consider that by it, language it is not restrained
to any special race or class, TO the African or
to the person with African blood but that any
inhabitant of tho United States, of whatever
complexion or condition, may he its victim
Without discrimination Of color even, and in
violation Of every presumption of freedom. the
Act surrendcrs all, who may be claimed as
sowing service or labor" to the same tyrannical
proceedings. Ii there be any, whose sympa-
thics are not moved for the slave, who do not
cherish the rights of the humble African, strug-
Cling for divine Freedom, as warmly as the
rights Of the white man, let him consider well
that the rights of all arc equally assailed.-
"Ncphew,' said Algernon Sidney in prison. on
the night before his execution, ~ value not my
own life a chip, but what concerns me is that
ho lao which takes away my life may hang
every one of you, whenever it is thought con-
vcnicnt."
Tho argument for the unconstitutonalty of
this law is based first upon the want of power
in Congress, second upon its denial of the right
of trial by jury. After this argument folows
n comparison between the fugitive act and the
British Stamp Act. We can only give the con.
cluding paragraph on this topic.]
Sir, regarding the Stamp Act candidly and
cautiously, free from the animositcs OF the time,
it is impossible not to see that, though gravcly
unconstitutional, it was at most an infringement
of cipil liberty only; not of personal liberty -
There was an unjust tax of a few pence, with
the chances of amcrccments by a single Judge
without jury; but, by no provision OF this
Act was the personal liberty of any man assail-
/ cd. Under 1t no freeman could be seized as
slave. Such an act, though Justly obnoxious to
every lover OF constitutional Liberty, cannot be
viewed with the feelings OF repugnance, cnkn-
died by u statute, which assails the personal
liberty of every man, and under which any
freeman may bc seized as slave. Sir, in placing
the Stamp Act by the side of the Slave Act do
injustice to that cmanation of British tyranny.
Both, indeed, infringe important rights one of
property; the other the vital right of all, which
is to other rights as the soul to the body-Ae
right Of man to himself Both are condemned
but their relative condemnation must be meas
urcd by their relative characters. As Freedom
is moro than property; as Man is above tho
dollar that no earns; as Heaven, to which VIC
all aspire, is higher than the earth, where every
accumulation of wealth must ever remain so
arc the rights assailcd by an American Congress
higher than those once assaied by the British
Parliament. And just in this degree must his
tory condemn the Slave Act more than the
Stamp Act.