Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-26
FAITH.

Ii the Northern people had half the faith in
principles which they have i'll wealth, American
Slavery would step into its eternal grave in less than
a twelve month. But, unfortunately the faith Of
Iankecdom is in another direction than that Of
eternal rectitude. They have sufficient faith in the
almighty dol!sr, to remove u chain of mountains
and cast them all into the sea, The strength of
thtir Filth, monGtwise is shown and measured hy
their works. Money is the beginning, the middle,
and the end Of all they do. Education, art, litera
tnre, science and religious worship even are yalu-
ed in proportion to the amount Of cash they will
bring to the pocket Their sons are taught arith-
mctie that they may figure up commercial accounts,
and their daughters are educated TO figure Tor
wealthy husbands. Religious societies hire the
hest preachers at enormous salaries, because un-
der their mnstrations there will be an increased
demand for pcws, and the value Of meeting house
property will be increased thirty, sixty, and an
hundred per cent. They are ready to pledge their
lives and their sacred honor any day for fortune
They love liberty, but it is the liberty to get rich
They love knowledge, but chiefly as Il means Of ac-
cumulating wealth. They study science, but main
ly to convert crude materials into gold. They re-
ligiously worship God but oftentmes because it is
the easiest method of serving mammon. In short,
whatever they do, has an ultimate end, that end
is money.
Their faith, so strong in this direction, would be
equally potent IF tmned in another channel. II
they could be made to see the intrinsic worth OF
rreeuoul, euaty justice, anu reaiiGe INC superior
value of these principles mere measures of
policy and worldly wealth, no doubt they could be
pursued with great activity and as much inilexi-
biity of purpose as are now devoted to the accu-
mutation Of property.
Until transpositon of ideas as they lie in the
minds of Northern men takes place--until the
pursuit OF liberty, right and justice made para
mount to the fierce scramble for dollars and cents,
Southern Slavery will continue to encroach on
Northern Freedom, until the liberty Of accumulat-
ing property even will be taken away. Too well
does the Southern despotism understand this weak
point in Northern character The slave power
knows by sixty years Of successful experimenting
that let the North boast never 80 much of its at
tachmcnt to freedom and immutable jnstice, it is
nevertheless ready to sell both for stipulated
price. Hence to preserve the interests of COM
merce ard secure TIE profits of trade, the North
acquesces in, or but fcebly protests against the
grosses violations of republican principles and the
rankest outrages on Northern rights.
But if the North will not no,o resist the aggres
sions of Slavery we have but little hope that they
ever will do so from motives worthy of freemen ard
creditable to IL well developed humanity. If this
faith in and worship Of material wealth, cannot he
in great degree suppressed and the energies now
employed in its pursuit directed to the noble object
of preserving the institutions of Freedom, then do
we hope that the next move of the slave power will
be directly against Northern commerce and North
ern capital. When the South shall so arrange the
affairs Of our nation that Northern commerce and
capital can increase their profits five per cent by
helping runaway negroes to Canada, or by fighting
the institution out of Congress, then something will
be done for American liberty by men, who have
for the profit of the transaction sold Northern Free
to Southern slave traders.-P. !. Freeman.