Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-05-14
From the Saturday Visiter.
CINCINNATI CONVENTION.


From the Saturday visiter.
CINCINNATI CONVENTION.
"a friend who attended this Convention in
forms us there was very general dissatisfaction
with the course of Mr.. Garrison on tho Bible
question. Many staunch friends of tho slave,
who had como from a distance to be present,
left the Convention and refused to enter IL again,
because they could not unite in, or in any way
countenancc, his declarations Of disbelief in the
Bible as tie Word Of God.
1--WE cannot help thinking that Mr.. Garrison
and those who agree with him are wrong in
their efforts to saddle the anti-slavcry cause
with their peculiar views on the Bible question.
Certainly it is very unwiso for those who differ
so widely, with no hope or wish for agreement,
TO attempt holding conventions together. The
Gnrrisonions appear to dislike and oppose the
Free Democratic party moro earnestly and yc-
homcntly than tho old pro-slavcry organiza-
tions and the powder expended on true, earn
est friends Of the slave by their anti-vo,ing
friends M s5t blow up whole army Of slave
holders il expended upon them. We have no
patience with tho Kilkenny Cat war of Anti
Slavery men, and think they might be better
employed than in dovouring one another.
"Morcovor, it is strange to US, that such earn
cst friends Of the slavo as Mr.. Garrison and his
followers cannot sec that the most direct means
to break his chain is the Bible belief and Chris
tian hopo Of mankind If nothing else had
taught them this, tho history Of I" Uncle Toms
Cabin" might II is an almost universally ac-
knowlcdged fact that the evangelical faith Of
that book is one most important reason of its
success. An Infdel Uncle Tom never could
have been pG'utcd to touch the hearts of man
kind as docs the Christian hero of tho tale, and
as a matter of oxpedicnce we think his friends
should let his simple faith plead for his race,
without wasting their strength ana his in vain
efforts to prove that his hope and tho bond O.
sympathy between him and his kind, is nothing
but an invention of pricstcraft
"Any one who feels in duty bound to carry on
a crusade against Bibles and churches, ought
to do so in some other connection than that Of
Anti-Slavery, and at the expense of somo
biS oSNeSA hoiS W oSah ~ lildll bluNc.
alt is not justice to him to defer tho day of
his redemption until the time of a general
emancipation Of everybody from everything
they may think oppressive, and even supposing
Bibles and churches are human inventions and
great impositions, would it not be good policy
to turn all the available forces to getting tho
slave an Ncknowlcdgcmc of his legal right to
his own bones, before emarcipatng him and
Others from the oppression of paying pew rent !;
1--WE wish our Garrsonian friends would take
the matter into consideration, and admit tho
possibility OF q doubt that they might be wrong
in the zeal with which they get up family quar-
rels in the anti-slavery ranks"
1t may be that the visiter is right in its facts.
But we arc compelled to think its statements,
in some particulars, apochryphal. We cannot
say that Mr. Garrison did not make such dec
laration, though we heard most that he said in
the Convention, and have no recollection Of it.
We do distinctly recollect his declaration that
he would not enter upon theological topics. Ii
is true that in the course of discussion there
were opinions expressed by him which the more
orthodox felt themselves bound to diselaim, lest
they should be thought to be identified with
them. One thought that especially called forth
these disclaimers, was, that belief in the Bible
was no test Of character. A very obvious truth
as it seemed to us, and yet it was one in which
others saw rank inidelity. We also distinctly
recolleet, that Rev. Mcssrs. Rankin, Worth
Lewis, and Judge Stephens very emphatically
s. repeatedly announced their creed, but we hearc
of no "staunch friend Of the slave of oppsit'
The Visiter must permit us to doubt the stalGch'
ness of that friendship for tho slave which
would permit any man to leave tho Convention
] for such cause. Such persons arc stauncf