Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-04-09
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.


doubt whether the Editor Of the National Era,
has not himself felt it. We doubt whether he
feels his conscience entirely free, while COM
pcllcd TO submit to tho slave laws Of Virginia,
in the city Of Washington. We doubt whcth-
or conscience, entirely free. dictated to him
the course no has SO repeatedly defended, of
entire non-intcriercnco with the heroic efforts
of the thousands of slaves in the slave states,
who annually strive to secure their personal
freedom. To ali these appeals Dr. Bailey turns
deaf car, and contends that all aboltionists
should do the same. One important part Of
pure religion, according to abolitiouists, is to
visit the fathcrlcss and widow with aid and
comfort in their aflliction, and yet if any Of
these widowed, fathorlcss, and afflicted thous-
ands, should apply to him for aid, as did those
brave men to William II. Chaplin, some two
years ago, DIR. Bailey could not pl acticc a pure
anti.slavcry religion, and give them aid, with.
out cncountering the dangers which Chaplin
braved. But whyi Is It because the DR.. has
a scared conscience. or n darkcned understand
ing, that he feels not, nor secs the claims of
pure religion in their bchalfi Is it that his
humane impulses have been oblitcratcd. and he
has no heart to feel for their soirowss lie
will pardon us for the supposition. We know
it is not 1t is that laws-laws which the cons.
iitution as DR.. Bailey has always interpreted il,
rise up before him, clothed with the dangers
Chaplin encountered, or with the fate of Jona-
than Walker, Of Thompson, Burr and Work,
of Crandal, or of Drayton and Sayors. The
law enslaves the Drs conscience, or if not his,
it docs that of tens Of thousands Of humane,
and most truly and purely religious men and
women in tho nation.
Again, how many hundreds and thousands
, of the best and purest in slave states, long to
teach the co,ored people to read the scriptures,
but dare not on penalty of popular indignation,
sustained by law, and sanctioned by the nation
and the constitution, at least by its inoperatvo-
ness an inoperativencss which has continued
for three lourths of century. II they do it,
the prison is as certainly their doom, as it is the
doom Of the Madai in Tuscany. The truth is,
the religious freedom of the masters who would
teach their slaves, is no less restrained than that
of the slaves themselves, who would lcarn-and
il DR.. Bailey comedies that the constitution pro-
hibits the class of inhabitants called slaves from
the enjoyment of this freedom, hc must also
conccde that ii precludes all who would instruct
them, from the like liberty. lie whose religion
is of the stamp Of Dr.'s Lord and Spring, and
Parker and Smiley, or any other pious slave
,Ior T., e.
or stint but he who has an intelligent anti
slavery conscience obeys its dictates at his peril.
Surely this freedom of being on the side of the
tyrant is nothing to boast of. Even in Tuscany,
II mans conscience teach him obedience to
the Pope, he is free. So here, if q mans con-
science teaches him to support slavery. and
catch slaves, his liberty is unrcstrained. How
much freedom does the "organic law" or the
nation secure to US, when such statutes as the
following are to be found in full force, in differ
ent states when under their influence, sabbath
schools are broken up, Missionaries are forbid
den to preach to the slaves, Bible Society agents
are forbidden to distribute the scriptures to the
slaves, and the Bible Society itself, compelled to
disclam the most distant intention of giving
the scriptures to the slaves, or even to the free
colorod people of the slave states. Here is the
religious liberty of citizens of the U. s., who
reside in or visit Louisiana.
"lf any person shall use any lnngunge
from the BAR, BENCH, STAGE, PULPIT, or in
any OTHER place, or hold any Conversation
having TENDENCY to promote discomfort
G.aa ,nI,r.,I
lion among slaves, he may be imprisoned nj
hard labor not less tllon three nor more Than
twenty-one years; or he may suffer DEATH AT
the discretion of the Court"
"In Mississippi, white man who prints
or circulutes doctrines, sentiments, advice, or
inuendoes, LIKELY to produce discomfort
Among the colOred class, is fined from one
hundred to thousand dollars and imprison-
ed from three TO twelve months" (Cmld's
Appeal, p, ~
ain North Carolina, for publishing or
circulating any pamphlet or paper having an
evident tendency to excite snyes or free per-
sous of color TO insurrection or resistance
the law provides imprisonment not less than
one year, and standing in the pllory and
whipping, ut the discretion of The Court, for
the first oilense, aud DEATH for the second"
(ib, p. G7)
"In Georgia, the same without any reser-
vation." (lb.l
In Virginia, the first offense is punished
with thirty nine lashes, aud the second with
DEATH" (lb)
DIR. Bailey tells us that spiritual dcspotism is
as bad as physical. Granted. But is there no
spiritual despotism, exercised by this govern
menti George Thompson was "sojourner
a temporary resident" among us. He came at
the bidding of an enlightened conscience and
benevolent heart, to pour tho words of truth
and love upon the ears of this oppressive nation,
but he was met at the threshold of the States,
wheIe these laws exist, and these sinners live.