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

ADRIAN DISCUSSION.

RAIsIN, Sep. 25th, 1858.
DEAR MANus; Our friends the Fosters having
concluded to visit Ann Arhor prior to tho conyen-
ton, returned to Adrian on Tuesday last, and on
Wednesday evening, Stephen met Mr.. Wellman,
for the discussion of the voting question. large
audience assembled in Bidwclls Hall, and great
degree of interest was manifest through the even
ing Mr.. Wellman commenced the discussion, and
after strong expression of his adherence of sa-
very and graphic picture of its unmitigated evils,
went on in manner peculiarly his, to lay down
some positions which he evidently deemed mpreg.
nabe, and afterwards to give his views Of tho
power and effects Of moral suasion. lie took tho
ground that moral suason was the head and heart
Of a great moral enterprise and that political ac-
ton was the hand to carry it through practically.
lie illustrated his views Of moral suasion without
political action, by referring to the anccdote Of a
man going to Boston who refused to take the cars,
but harnesscd to his wagon a span Of toads.--
Again he compared IL to locomotive without =
railroad, which on being fixed up and the steam
let on, could not possibly proceeds but could only
make two three revolutions Of its wheels, with
no other effect than to dig up the ground little.
and throw dust in peoples eyes. lie then COM
pared it to n nightmare, which prevented all kind
of progress, and rendered nugatory every effort
After speaking three fourthsof an hour he yielded
the floor to Stephen, who did not have any great
difficulty in showing mp in their true light, the
arguments and opinions advanced, and who soon
had the large audience before him completely sb.
sorbcd in close attention to his mastery expose
tions. AT the close Of the evening, Mr.. Foster
offered to continue the discussion but tho offer
declined. lie then gave notice that he would
speak again ON the next evening, in continuation
Of the subject, offering one half the time to any
one who might wish to discuss with him.
On the following evening Mr. Wcllman again
appeared on the platform, and commenced by say
ing that as he believed he had been misunderstood
the evening before, and had his positions misrep-
resented by Mr.. Foster, he would go into recap
itulation Of his former argument To this Mr..
Foster objected, as the discussion had been closed
the evening before by hist Wellmans) declining
to continue it, and to the allcdgcd msrcpresent-
atons, he had actually asscnted to the correctness
of Mr.. Fosters statements of his positions. Mr..
Wellmon however went ON with his rccapituaton.
as he called it, in the course of which he evincod
the animosity of the unyiedng disputant, rather
than the spirit Of the sincere enquirer after truth.
At the close of the meeting the Odd Fellows Hall
offered gratuitously f'r Stephen to lecture in.
the following evening and upon the question being
submitted to the audience with regard to having
the meeting, q unanimous assent rcsounded from
all parts of the large assembly. This meeting
however occupied by Abby with very cfFce-
tive address. She had ecturrd the previous eve
ming at Tecumseh, and had left an appointment for
Stephen for that evening They finish their work
at Tecumsch to-day, and start for Ann Arbor TO-
morrow, whence we expect to hear good report
of their labors. The cause is evidently making
good hcadway about Adrian.
Yours for universal liberty.
THOMAS CHANDLER.