Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-11-27
Mr.. Smilh-Thc Platform,

We have drawn more consolation form
the election of Gerrit Smith TO Congress,
than from any other incident of the election. !
Smith is one of the intellectual giants OF the
land, aud as honest ms he is intellectual
lie spit upon the Pittsburgh Platform ns hol-
low, superficial aud dcceptiye.-EoreSt Cty
We are glad you can derive consolation
from this, friend MEDiLL. IL shows n good
streak in you. As to splitting on the Pitts
burgh PLATFORM, it is all nonsense. lie sus-
tained it heartily; hut you have got so taken
with the idea OF splitting on platforms, that
nothing else does you. Ash. Sentinel.
Whether Mr. Smith spit upon the platform,
VIC will not say, but the Sentinel is certainly
mistaken in affirming that he heartily sustain
cd it. II he did, he has been guilty Of hearth
ly sustaining slavery, for in his estimation that
platform afforded direct and positive support to
slavery. In his Circular addressed TO u c Lib
crty party, dated Pittsburgh, August 18th, he
asks, "who can read the platform, and deny that
its clear implication is, that slavery in the States
has not only a legal existence, but a legal cxis-
tcnce which is permitted by the Federal Gov
crnmcnti Indeed the platform goes 50 far as to
admit, By clear implication, hdt the &ate Coo
eynB,em is at liberty, so far as the Federal Cons'i-
tuition is concerned, TO dprire persons Of life, Hb-
erty, or property ,oithom due process Of iac."
Mr.. Smith afterwards charactcrizcs these com
ccssions as grossly inconsistent" and grossly
wicked" Again he says, "not a half year
should psss, before the platform of the Free
Democracy should be so modified as distinctly
| to meet all the demands of truth" He would
have it held up to the ,oathing and cxecra-
ton of the world" the STAKEHOLDER and his
institution "as naked pirate and naked piTa.
cy. A pirate and piracy,too, that far out strips
all others in ntrocity and mischief " "Such
an expose will work the speedy death Of sla-
very, and without such expose it will never
die, until it shall die in violence and blood"
Mr.. Smith did not vote for the platform, ol
for the nomination of its candidates, and We
have no evidence that he voted for their cleo
ton. lie certainly did not, unless he wa:
guilty of what he charactcrizcs as "gross in.
consistency and wickcdncss."
Mr. Smith had great confidence in the anti
slavery -hcart-soundncs of the men of the Free
Democracy; but he gave no support to thcil
platform. " "much less hearty one The fact
is, the Forest City, and Messrs. 1ildcn, Camp.
bell and others, told the truth of the Pittsburgh
platform, when they accused it of making con.
ccssions to slavery, which were fatal to free
dom. 1t is true "a charged, that in common
with the Constitution, the Fugitive act, and
the Baltimore platforms, it comedies the return
Of the fugitive, by the States, indeed, bu
knowing that the States will so return them. i
conceded the continued cxistcrcc OF this pira
cy in the states, and seeks continued fellowship
with the pirates. We have no way of chnruc
terizing as it deserves, the act of Scott Wings
in upbraidng Free Sellers with this offence
when they were trampling upon all other right,
that they might, ms panty, pcrpetuatc it,
But nevertheless it was truth. And truth
which struck home to the no small cmLar.
rismcnt of Free Soil advocates. We hope il
will be now manifest that its impression /,
abiding, by speedy population of that fata
concession to slavery. And with Mr.. Smith
VIC say, that " Not one year should be allowed
to pass awOy-no, nor half of one year-beiorc
the platform of the Free Democracy, which il
truth IS not its platform, but only the platform
Of the Pittsburgh Convention, and TINT, too
the little instead of the big Convention, shoult
be so modified as to meet all the demands o
| TRUTH