Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-09-04

stltutlOnal cOInpactsi OF feueral unions. 10 be-
sure we have been accustomed to meet such
men at our disunion meetings. but we did not
look for them in suchforce in Pittsburgh
Why. they wouldhavo adopted the minority
report of Gerrit Smith, or even the radical
ism of our Salem resolutions with q mighty
shout of appreciation.
1t was this high tono Of that mass oonven-
ton, more than Mr.. Smiths masterly argu-
monts or personal influence, (and we don't
undervaluc either), that secured the declaration
of the invalidity of all slave laws in one reso-
luton of the platform, while the conservatism
Of the eloquent leaders was spoken out by
declaration Of the inviolabilty Of slavery, in
the states, in another.
Had the mass convention in Masonic Halle
built the platform, It would have contained no
such contradiction and wickedncss as this. Had
Gerrit Smith attended there with ne abolition
ists, instead of with the candidate-makers at
Lafayette Hall, he would never have advised
the Liberty Party, to step upon that platform.
A platform which he truly says, afIirms by
"a clear implication, that Slavery in the States
has not only legal existence, which is permit
ted By the Federal Consfitutionr Indeed the plat
form, goes so for as to admit,by clcar.mplication,
that a State Government is at liberty so f;v as
the Federal Constitution is concerned, TO depriro
persons Of He, liberty, or property, toithom dUc
process of iaw."
Mr.. Smith, hopes by union with those he
tells us are compomisers, TO elevate them, and
establish freedom. A most dangerous expert
ment So thought the New England fathers
when they compromised with Shareholders and
adopted the Constitution. Behold the resdlt
in our more than three million of slaves, and
our whole country in vassalage to their owners
Mr.. Smith 10 but repeating the experiment
made at Buffalo by the old Liberty party four
years ago, and without some extraordinary
course of events to counteract, the sumo mental
and social laws will produce the same results.
And MIR. Smith may have as deep occasion to
regret the advice of his late circular, as the old
liberty party, the loss of their identity IN Free
Soilism, and their support of Van Buren.
Mr.. Smith has been successful in drawing free
soilers toward his own truer position, because he
has stood firmly upon it, Notwithstanding tho
charges Of folly-impr4cticability and exclu-
clusiveness which have beon so literally hurled
at him, as well as at those with whom we think
and act. Mr.. Smith, by descending upon the
platform Of such character as he describes, has
thrown away the handspring Of his success in
the moral elevation of our brethren, or We arc
ignorant of tho philosophy of moral influence.
We wish Mr.. Smith had been in our conven-
ton at Salem. lie might have freely conferred
and co-operated, for the establishment of the
principle We have heretofore held in common
tho supremacy of justice-without tempta-
ton to compromise for the sake of union or
numbers. temptation against which lie has
not been proof, as his circular unfortunately
gives evidence.
Had he met with us, he might have seen in !
the Western Anti. Slavery Society, the great
instrumcntality, which more than any other,
has contributed to create ard keep alive that
high tone of anti-slavery in tho West. which he !
so highly commends, but which his advice is
directly calculated to dcprccatc.
The Dsunion Aboli,ionists of the West can.
not without regret ard rcmonstrance, see Mr..
Smith abandon that principle he has long and
so hcroically defended. One which has rem
dcrcd him invulnerable to all assaults They
can but see evil in the compliance of the few
thousand Liberty men in New York and Ohio,
with Mr.. Smiths advice to act for the present
with the Free Democracy, upon platform such
as he has described theirs to be. We remcm-
Der that fleile deseenSus aUe,ni. Easy is the
descent but to rctrace ones steps-that is labor
which few can perform. We hope the friends
to whom Mr.. Smith tenders his advice, will
prove themselves more true than he has done,
and resist the temptation to acknowledge the !
atrocious sentiment, that slavery can for one
moment seem to be recognised by righteous
government, or that such an admission, can for
a moment be made as means of establishing
such government. If they shall be thus firm
and faithful, the day will come, when Mr.. Smith
will thank them, rs he will also the Western
Anti-Slavcry Society for its fidelity.
|The mass meeting met in Masonic Hall
the authorized delegates, in Lafayette Hail.