Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-06-04
9eletteo articles.
From tho Lowell American.
The American ShylOtk.

pound OF AntOniOs iiesh was not 10 ne hDh'eu
by reason, justice, humanity or the pleadlngs
of tender-eyed mercy? Was It not set down
in the bond that he was to have his pound Of
flesh (? He stood before the Court on his
bond, aud proudly aud scornfully did lac
reply TO the denuncialions of Grntiano that
until he could rail The seals from that bond
nc spent his breath in vain. lie did not Mt
tempt, by show Of either reason or equity 10
justify his demand.
The character of Shylock wns sketcIed
from we know not what original hut had
Shakespeare lived at this day he might hive
had an original in the great Demon of Slavery
from which to sketch Shylock, by the side of
whom the Venetian Jew would prove n mere
pigmy. Slavery has no argument to defend IL.
self with, it never had any and never can, save
that is nominated in the bond (of our Union)
that she may have her-not n single, hut
millions of pounds of human flesh. She
stands before the world on that bond alone I!
She tells that great court that her demand is
nominated in her bond She asks judgement,
like the Jew on her bond, not on its right or
justice. Not show of the latter has she to
mnintnin her claiin,-nothng but the simple
existence OF the bond, exnctcd in time when
the idea Of human rights were weak aud fee
ble, and their rnpacious aud cold-hlooded
cruelty excites chill oc horror throughout
civilization. Humanity has aready spoken
in the longuoge Of The Duke of this mon
ster:-
"a stormy adversary, an inhumnn wretch,
incapable Of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy"
Yet what does she reply to that? When
called into court, she stands up before tho
country with her knife and scales gloniing
over the Iniseries of her victim. In vain does
humanity tell her that she but lead'st the fash
ion of her malice till the last hour of nci and
that she will then reent; that the mseres
huddled on the back of her victims are
enough to pluck comnsseroiion
"From brassy bosoms and rough hearts Of flint,
From stubborn Turks aud TartOrs, never
trained
To Offices Of tender courtesy"
She replies, us did the jew, that she had
sworn to have the due aud forfeit of her bond;
aud how exact the resemblance when the
Jew adds
"If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter, and your cty's freedom
a simple substitution of the words, "Consii-
tuition" for "chnrter" and counirys" for
"ciD's," aud Shakespeare would have chroni-
cled slavery's threats in our halls of Congress
for the Inst four yenrs.
The friends of freedom does slavery hate
with an intensity equoed only by the Jews
hate for Antonio. The key of that hulc is
given by the great poet in that speech where
SIylocl, when Antonio had called on hu for
n loan, he says-
az hate him, for he is Christian
But this is said TO himself for neither the
Jew or slavery dares TO speak aloud the true
justification OF their net. The only public
Justification that either gives, is" 1t is my
humor." So said Shy lock; 80 stands Slave
ry before the country, aud angwers. Look
ut that sublime speech of Porid to the Jew
on the quality OF mercy which she begs him
10 exercise towards his victim. Mark well
the close resemblance between that aud the
answer of the Jew, and the arguments OF the
friends of freedom aud the reply of Slave
Ty.-
4" The quality Of mercy is not strained;
II droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven.
Upon the place beneath it is twice blessed
1t blesseth him that gives, and him that takes
'Tis mighticst in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown
His scepter shows the force of temporal
power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein docs set the fear and dread Of
kings;
But mercy is above his sccptercd sway,
1t is enthronod in the hearts of king',
II is ON attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth show like Gods
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore,
Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy
And that same prayer doth teach us all tc
render
The deeds of Mercy"
On the stony heart of Slavery this nppea
falls like chnii, and with the words OF ,h
jew it cries
"My deeds upon my heal crave tho law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond !"
And when the youthful Judge plead ngni
that the Jew be mercilal and let him leOr ia
bond, he answered.
"when it is paid according to the tenor.
stand here on my bond.
How like Slavery! Aud when the Jew is bi
TO have surgeon by to stop the merchant
wounds, lest he bleed to death, mark the cal
ous answer
els il so nominated in the bond"I
Ask Slavery TO ameliorate the condition {
her victims, aud does she not calouSly nsk-
,"Is il so denoninnted in the bOnd" An
still further, when you reply That it is no
but that it is good to do SO much for human
ity, slavery mumbles-
~ cannot find it it is not in tho bond"
Thus might we follow the comparison
between this iancilul creation of Shakespeare
and the "pecuiar institution" of America
Bt we iorbenr. One is fiction, chnracte
Overdrawn the other is reality, with til,
half not pictured. All know the sequel o
the story OF the Jew and the merchant. Tn
bond proved worthless, because il gave witt
the pound of flesh "no jot ofblood," aud tn