Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-05-15
NO. 35.
Letter from Cincinnati.

ry Convention, for which a call appeared in
your paper some time since, began its session
on Tuesday the 9th of April, and closed on
the 29th' The Hall in which it met, the most
GENITAL and commodious in the city, was near
ly filed through the day, and crowded at the
evening sessions the last evening many being
compelled to go away (somc think thousand
persons unable to gain admittance. Last year
tho meetings were held in the western part of
the city in rather out Of the-way room, and
occurring at The very time of the Jenny Lind
concerts and excitement attracted little attention
except from tho friends interested in the cause
This year the Convention has been the sub
Sect of general remark persons have attended
who have not usually gone to such meetings.
and several OF the daily papers have given full
reports Of tho proceedings. This shows a very
different state of things from that existing doz-
en- years ago or even less, when tho very mention
of an Anti-Slavory mcctiag awokc whispcrings
and fears of a mob Since that period there
has been great change in public sentiment
here in this respect.
You will no doubt receive the resolutions
adopted officially for publication, and it will
only DO necessary for INC to mako remark or
two upon the spirit aud tendency of the Con-
vention, expressing with frankncss my own
convictions with all the planncss becoming ono
who writes for a Free Press The Rev. John
q. Fec, of Kentucky, was President. Among
the Vice Presidents were lion. @. W. Julian
und S. e. Stevens, OF Indiana Rev. L Ncvins,
Cleveland, Ohio c. G. Burlcigh, Fred. Doug
lass and ii. II. Dibb. There were upwards of
200 members of the Convcntion about one.
half of whom were from abroad. They rep
resented the various shades of opinion in tho
Anti Slavery ranks, but tho resolutions rclut.
ing to the moral and political aspect of the Sla-
very question, the Fugitive Law, the duty of
continual agitation Of tho subject &c., were
adopted with great unanimtty.
Among the speakers were Fred. Douglass,
G. G.. Durlcigh, Hon. q. w. Julian and Mr..
Bbb. Douglass heard for the first time, and
give net only my own impressions, but those
of all with whom have cosvcrsed, when l say
that he fully eluacd tho expectations We had
formed of him as a speaker. lie is able, ready
and interesting, highly intelligent, often CO
qnent, and always listened to with attention,
and frequently greeted with applause. In
speaking on the Fugitive Law, he counscllcd
not only disobcdcnce to its requirements, but
opcl resistance to it and to any law an ndi,it-
| ay think un,igthtcous, ~ force Of ANS s.
Ihis position he defended with some warmth,
aud it was in effect sanctioned in ono of the
resolutions adopted. A very large number of
the best Anti Slavery men can by no means
subscribe to such sentiments. We are peace
nien in all our principles and feelings, and pre-
fer to refuse obedience to such laws suffer the |
penalty, if need be- and use all our influence
TO have them repealed in any honorable way
If every man is justlablc in foreibly resisting |
the execution of every law he cstccms unjust |
we should have continual scene of oommo-
ton. This is a country of constitutional law |
and there is not another in the whole world |
whose laws arc so frequently made end repeal |
cd, or where public opinion can be SO quickly |
brought to bear upon public men. The course !
we commend is that sanctioned by tho Gospel |
of Christ, and dictated b. ;ruo wisdom, and of
course most likely, in the long ran, to subscryc
the Interests of Freedom.
Charles Burlcish spoke with his accustomed |
force and Aucncy, but his voice, owing to Dron-
chitis. has become murh impaired since heard |
him some years since. Since the close of tho |
Convention he has spoken several times in the
large Hall Of the Mechanics Institute lie
has been for over d3zon years n most pcrsc-
vering and laborious lecturer, and if l am not
mistaken, has spoken ofcncr than any ono per-
son the country over. His voice has been worn
out, l fear, in the cause of Freedom. With
Mr. Julian was much pleased. lie is one Of
tho most digni6ed, logical snd forcible speakers
ever had the pleasure of listening to. High
ly courteous to others and dealing much in ar
gument, his addresses were well calculated to
make al impression Oh those not engaged with
us in our enterprise.
The doings of this Convention, doubt not,
will on the whole result in good, as much truth
was uttered and the subject of human freedom
discussed, and thus kept before the public
mind. This of itself is great thing: but it
has been remarked by some as true-hcarted
Anti-Slayery men, as were in the Convention,
that the general tone of tho speakers was de-
mandatory, vehement, declamatory, satirical,
sarcastic. There was but little argument, and
n feeble array of facts calculated to influence
tcfiecting minds and lead them 10 engage
in the Ana -slaycry cause. The Christian
Church, its professors who hold slaves the po-
litcal parties and all who remain in them, all
indeed who do not see it their duty to advance
the cause in the straight and narrow meth
cd laid down in the resolutions, were made
the object of indiserimiRate denunciation, sar-
oosr, and ridicule i'm eyery speech. Were these