Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-10-08

| inactment.
The moral agitators of temperance have there
orc an especial duty to perform at this time Men
in their zeal for law will be likely to forget, at
least to undervalue, the Importance Of moral agi-
tation. This has been the easily besctting weak
ness Of every age our own not less than others
II is for the moral suasioniss therefore, to hold
quietly on their way, knowing that their confidence
is ultimately, in truth, and not in law Knowing
that success will depend finally upon an appeal to
an enlightened conscience, far more than to any
court or magistrate Our temperance work will
not therefore be done as some seem to suppose,
when the Maine Law shall be enacted. That will
but secure fair starting point 1t will put
men in position where they may hear temper
ance truths with advantage, the powerful
temptations which now exist to resist and reject
them.
We therefore earnestly exhort the friends of
temperance every where, to untiring, thorough,
moral agitation. 1t alone will produce healthy,
conscientious activity in the individual; and il
alone will extend and combine that individual SEN
timcnt into public morality, and then, if needful,
crystalize that public morality into law.
ELEVATION OF WOMAN.
Woman has for ages been the victim of ignorance
and tyranny, bound down by laws and customs, to
a narrow and servile sphere of action, their indi-
viduality as rational and intelligent human beings,
lost in the mist of prejudice, through which they
had to force their way, in order to make their n-
Auence felt upon society. This prejudice as cruel
as it was blind and impolitic strove to force her
back into ignorance and scrvitude, whenever she
attempted to come forward to assert her rights or
claim n share Of her responsibility in the work of
reformation. In this way have her influence and
labors been greatly diminished, and her talents
nearly buried from sight. But the warm sunshine
of progression is melting the charms Of prejudice,
and lighting up the fires Of knowledge, showing
to man, that not only his highest happiness, but
his best interest depend upon the recognition Of
the equality of the sexes. That for the speedy
and successful progression Of all reforms, the mas
culinc and feminine powers of mind, though diff
fering in quality, must combine and cooperate, in
order to secure the strongest and healthiest action
That to no position, where it is right, and just
: and proper, for man to be, should woman be dc
: barred from coming. Nor from duties from which
it would be sinful for man to shrink, should wo
man be prohibited from participating in, either by
: law or custom. Such is the beautiful system and
order Of nature which governs and controls us
that it is impossible to injure degrade, tram
pie upon the rights of any portion of the human
family, without injuring the whole and there is
harmony, beauty, and order complete, only when
each and all combine, cooperate and labor to-
gether.
i TREATMENT OF CRIMINALS.
This subject we think, deserves of all lovers Of
humanity, n share of attention. Great changes
have already taken place in the estimation which
is bestowed upon criminals, and the mode and
measure of punishment which is meted out to them.
The punishment of DEATH once inflicted for theft,
robbery &C., has been abolished by most civilized
nations and by some states of this country it is
abolished even for murders while its abolition is
ardently sought in others. Prisoners are furnished
in many cases, with various means Of enjoyment,
and improvement, all Of which were strictly for
hidden in past times. Societies arc in existence in
various localities to render assistance to the dis
charged convict, furnish him employment, and
surround him with saving influences. One period
ical at least exists, THE Prisoners Friend pub
| lishcd by Charles Spear, Boston, Mass.) devoted
to reform in Prison Discipline. The past history
of the treatment Of the convict the debtor and the
, insane, is one of darkness and cruelty Many Of
the accounts are almost incredible. Not hun
dred years since, prisons were wretchcd and un-
comfortable dens, and in them all ages and sexes,
from the vilest of the vile, to the harmless debtor,
were herded together in filth darkness and chains.
| Much has been done in the way of reform, but
much yet remains to be done, if "Do good to them
that hate you," expresses, as we believe, true
principle. Stern retribution is yet the leading idea
f of the social state Kindness of treatment while
such retribution is suffered is generally called for
the halter is put around the criminals neck in the
| politest manner! Vengeance is repaid tenderIy!
We ask that kindness be primary, and vengeance
: foregonc altogether. We ask that the "gallows
high" be pulled down, and that prisons be turned
into hospitals and schools of reform. The follow
ing are some of our reasons.
First, Society engendcrs the offences it seeks to
punish At any rate it is itself guilty of the same
There is no nation under heaven, which does moi
perpetrate theft, and robbery, and murder, exten
sively, deliberately, constantly. The best govern
ments in the world do it. England robs millions
= of men and women to support proud and lazy
aristocraey, and fat and dissolute priesthood
the United States rob other millions of every thing
dear in life, more systematically if possible They
make it part of their business too, to say men
; in war, with as much ''malicc prepense" as even
individuals manifested. Consistency, to say moth
ing of higher virtues, demands that Society should
cease to punish cease to rob and slaughter
, Secondly, DIR. Wayland says, that "a perfectly
constituted intellect would enable person to sec
all his relations to all other beings, and perfectly
, constituted conscience would impel him to CORES
/ pondent courses of conduct" Then, all vice ant
crime must spring from mperection of constitution
or nharmonious devolopement The causes o
crime may bp referred to three heads, namely ba'
parentage bad education, bad social relations o.
, circumstances, Could VIC trace tho history of
. criminal through all its windhss and dark lassag