Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-10-09
John P. Hale at Ravenna.

your pocket plckeu at OleNelanui anu WOuiu
have been in Ravenna or the 2sth, to hear
J. p. Hale.
am at at a loss to see how l am to be of
any service in regard to the irst misfortune,
unless l can induce some one in better circum-
stances than yourself, to make the thief a pres
ent of the money abducted, by handing over
to you five dollar bill. may possibly make
amends in part. for the last, by giving you a
brief sketch of the speech.
His subject was Individual Responsibility, a
very fortunate selection, as many of us behave
as though there was no such thing. The Gov
ernment was declared not to be the thing it
should be, and to ascertain who was to blame
for this, it became necessary to hunt the gov
crnment. He first took us to the White House,
the President being the biggest toad in the
puddle but the president did not set up any
higher claim than that of servant of the peo-
pie. From there we went to the Senate Cham
bcr, but that august body were in the employ
Of others. In hopes of finding it with that
portion of Legislators, fresh from the people,
we went into tho Hall of Representatives, but
with no better success and finally, as the
last likely place for it, we went to the Supreme
Court, but like the flea of which you have no
doubt heard, it was not there. The query
was, where is it, Well, my friends, said he,
I can tell you: 1t is right before me now you
are really and truly the government each and
every one of you is the government, and there
is no other; and now having found the govern
mcnt, propose to talk to it while
Here he gave due notice that he had not
come to Aatter us. Could not tell of any
thing we had done particularly deserving of
praise. Did not come to tell to us how bad
the people were in Virginia, but to tell us how
bad we arc in Ohio In short to tell the gov
crnment before him, what is had done, is now
doing, and should do, and could do, if it would
only so decide.
He pointed out to us how we had annexed
Texas, passed the fugitive slave law, and arc
about to elect President who declares it f.
nality, and that all agitation should be prohib-
tied for the future.
In speaking of annexation he whished to be
understood as favoring it, when it comes in as
free territory. would be willing. said he, to
annex anything, even the frozen region round
Bufiins Bay, if it comes in as free territory i
would not be willing to take the Garden of
Eden as it came forth from the hand Of Al
mighty God, If cursed with slavery.
In connection with this subject he had oc-
casion to read public documents. They were
mostly introduced by some such observation
as this, will just read what you said, as you
may have forgotten it; aud then would conc
an extract of secretary Forsythes letters, or
some official document, for which as indiviuals
we considered ourselves in no way responsible.
The fugitive law received no mercy ut his
hands. So great is his abhorance of it, that
verify believe he would step forward in aid of
Daniel Webster if they were to undertake to
carry him back to slavery, only for the con-
sciousness that there is no slavery back Of
where he is, to carry him to. In reviewing
this law he made a comparison in which the
word He'll occurred, but al that is O bad word
and as have almost quit swearing, 1 will not
try to recall 1.-THE outrageous sentiments
contained in the Pierce and Scott platforms,
in reference to agitation, came very near
agitating both speaker and government. Agi-
tation, said he, why we have it all around us !!
In the physical world, agitation and life, stag
nation and death so in the moral world, agi-
tation and purity, stagnation and polution.-
But the resolution carried its antidote with it,
being itself tie most exciting agitator. Why,
tell the people they shall not and they ciA*
The Oldest man in the assembly, il born in the
III
would leave before night, or break his neck in
an effort to leave, if told he should not. But
then they have promised to "resist'' and "dis-
countcnance' all efforts at agitation, whenever,
wherever, or however made. Now how will
they help 1t. Whenever means now, wherever
means here, and however means the best
way can.
His illustrations by anecdote and fable, were
singularly apt, and sometimes fresh enough to
have been conceived at the time. To show how
prone we were to wait, and sec what others
will do, instead of going to work and doing
ourselves, he related the following fable. 1t
occurred to some one, that it would make O
tremendous noise, il all the people in the world
would hollo as loud as they could at ono and
the same time. Arrangements were immedi-
ately entered into to secure concert of action
the day, hour, and minute were agreed upon
AS the time approached, people left their bust
ness-all was anxiety-curiosity was on tip-toC
many grew positively nervous the time has
passed, and out of millions, but one old woman
and she deaf, had raised a voice every body
waited for every body else, and nothing wa'
accomplished. But 1 cannot possibly DO him
justice. made no notes-was compelled tc
stand up in perfect jam, during the entire
time he was speaking.