Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-11-13
Letter from @. B. SlCbblns.
RATslN, (noar Adrian). Mich. !
November 2nd, 1852, {

November 2nd, 1852.
FRIEND RonNsoN: This, as you know, is
election day-tho great saturnalia Of slave.
holding politicians l have been to tho place
where the people deposit their votcs-vcry ap-
propriatcly chosen too-a rum selling tavern.
every room crowded with mon, the floor plos.
tered thick with Shiny compound of mud and
( tobacco juice, the "soycrcigns" shifting rirht
and lclt formidable discharges of ycllow.staincd
saliva putting the smoke of bad cigars cody
in each others faces, some drinking vile whis-
key and vilcr rum and brandy at tho bar
Poor worshpcrs Of that Trinity Of spiritual
physical and moral dopravi,y, Rum, Tobacco,
and Slavery! The gathering too, was com.
parai'eeiy decent, far above such asscmblagcs in
cities, towns, or even country ncghborhoods.
a Presidential election is this too no ordina-
ry OCCASION but ono on which multi:udcs of
men, fathers, sons, husbands and brothers cast
their votes for mon TO execute the Fugitive
Slave Law, to keep million Of women, wives,
daughters, with all OF woman's rich affection,
often with quccnly beauty and sant.likc puri.
ty, in condition where all the sweet tics of
kindred can be rudcly torn assunder, and wo-
mans virtue is only mockory among the vile
Many do this blindly and with little thought of
the great sin they commit; many, alas f! with
hardened hearts, sell their noble birthrirht of
freedom, manlinoss, and kind humanity for
some pooE mess of po;tage, some applause OF
the blind and wicked, some paltry Office.
Verify, Slavery is doing its saldcst work,
throwing spell Of darkness over a nations
mind! But darkest night prcccdcs day dawn.
Cleans oflight are visible now could see or
hear no tokens of enthusiasm, all seemed to 90
to their miserable work. with few words, and
those quietly spokcn-the more intelligent
seemed to be ashamed, the ignorant stilled by
feeling that no hearty cheering words came
from the leaders. Now and then Frec Soiler
would utter his word of rcbukc, and those
around shrink away in fear, knowing that
his position was manly compared to theirs,
bound though hc were, to the fatilc "compro-
miscs.," TO break which the boldest almost hold
their brcath,-in good time when words of
earnest boldncss shall wnken the nation, they
shall be snapped like green withs by the giants
arm when strength came against him. Our
path is still onward, our work to scatter the
living Goals Of Truth upon the nations naked
heart" feeling and knowing that " though evil
seem to prosper yet the Truth alone is strong"
sat down thinking to give, perhaps, what
might be called my "hrst impressions" of Mich
igan as an anti-slayCry field, but have wander
cd to another topic.
1t is however Of small moment. Enough
for me to say as has been said by others, it
seems rich field, ripe for the harvest. Tho
labors Of J. w. Walker, Parker Pisbury and
others have done much, but still we have but
opened the way for much more. have held,
within ten days past, nine meetings, at Wolf
Creek, Cambridge and Rome, principally in
school houses, within circuit of six miles in
well-scttled farming ncighborhoods.
Have had in most instances good audiences
and readiness to hear quite remarkabl so
near an exciting election time. Shall spend
this week in this vicinity, as the Quaker resi-
dents on these beautiful farms are less occupied
by politics than many others, and | can there
fore do something here now; and when
the die is cast and politics cease to be the alb
sorbing topic, gain better hearing elsewhere.
meanwhile accept the best wishes of
Your friend,
q, b. STEBBINS.