Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-05-20
JOSEPH BARKER.

Mr. Barker and his excellent wife left for England
two weeks since. On leaving, Mr. b. addressed
the following farewell epist e to the LiLcrator:
"My dear friend, farewell. | am sorry I can
not be with you and sharo your labors but nv
heart is with you. ] shall watch the battle from
aiar, and rejoice in your successes shall bespeak
for you'the aid Of my friends wherever may 20
will try to make them feel the Importance of tho
struggle in wich you engaged, and to calls,
their sympathieS in your behalf | am sorry
have done so little in the cause of truth and free
dom while have been in the country but il is no
light matter to change worlds--to tear up family
from the spot where it grew, and plant it afresh in
aforeign soil. Besides, my oncrous work in Eng
Hand iud d-strvySd y hosi ,...d cot, or ~ olo.as
Of labor, was needed to its renewal am bette.
now, and if spared to return to America, hope to
do n>se for the c,lic of hum nlni y. It shall have
my all; my tongue, my pen, my pro perry, my life.
know nothing else worth toiling for--I know
nothing else worth living for but the freedom, the
improvement and the happiness Of mankind. |
despisc not the man who pows the field, or plants
the corn, or cuts the grass but should look ON
the labors Of the field with much more pleasure il
saw them undertaken with an eye to the general
good. If saw the farmer, the manufacturer and
the merchant toiling, not merely to gain q living
or TO make fortune, but to obtain the means Of
spreading truth, aad blessing the world. should
look on their labors with ten-fold pleasure. For
long all labors have seemed to mo but low and
little, unworthy Of man, which aimed at nothing
higher, or at nothing farther, than mans own
earthly interests For long, the only men that
have seemed to do honor to hum anty or TO deserve
the appreciation Of their fellows, are the philan
thropists and reformers, the who live and la
Dor for the freedom, the elevation the happiness of
Their race. love and honor such men above nil
others. love and honor none else compared
with them. They are the good, the great the
glorious. | court no higher honor for myself-I
desire NO greater good, richer heritage for my
.chidren,-than the consciousness of having served
the oppressed and plundered, and helped on the
improvement and welfare of the world Nv great.
est grief is, that have done so little for mankind,
and that have done that little so i'll NY greatest
Joy is, that have done something--that have
done what could. 1t makes me sad when think
of tho years spent cropping my way out of the
darkness and horrors Of scctaranism and super
sttion. Oh how happy it would have been, had
been born near the realms of light instead of
coming into being 80 far away back in the regions
OF darkness! llore ! am, old and gray-headed
and l have just begun to live. The best Of nv
days are past. The freshness Of my life and
the fulness of my strength are gono vet the work
of life seems only to be just begun. Oh! young
men and young women, born in happier age, and
blest with happier lot how gladly should you
give yourselves to the of truth and freedom
Oh! my children, would give the wealth of a
continent to begin my life aresh with the light that
shines you
l % terque quaterqte Jeati, Sud 81 bona norinf'
How happy should be, il might but see you
giving mp yourselves to tho cause of human i'm
proyement, and zeaousy working for the salvation
Of the world How happy sh all be, if spared to
return 10 this country, now my home and the home
of my children, and to spend what is left Of my
life and strength in the of the neglected and
wronged Sickness and pain and losses will
count as nothing, il | may but live, and have the
pleasure Of aiding, to good old age, the cause Of
human progress No other cause shall divide nv
mind no other tolls shall share my strength but
the cares and tolls Of philanthropy. My blowing
and planting shall have no moro of my time than
is necessary to health. The pulpit, the platform
and the press shall have the rest.
Once more say, Farewell! commit myself to
the devouring sea, and to the raging elements, not
knowing what awaits me. But 60 n believer in
the power of TRUTH and in the progress Of humanity
carry with mo the assurance that superstition,
slavery and wrong shall fall, and knowledge, free