Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-01
ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.

IGerrit Smith, J. II. Giddings and Edward Wade,
though oil ardent friends of the Homestead meas
ure, we're compelled to vote against it, in conso-
qucnce of its unprnciplcd and mean exclusion of
N,olored men from its benefits. The Pennsylvania
Democratic Convention recently resolved in favor
of granting the public lands to whde males. Mrs.
swisshelm, in her last paper, gives these white
skinned Democrats a mertod casigation.
Frederick Douglass last paper contains the fol.
lowing letter from Gerrit Smith, explanatory of his
course in regard to the measure:
a wAsuIxoToN, March 9th, 1854.
FREDRRIcK DOUGLASS My DEAR Sir An hour
ago, gave my vote against the Homestead Bill F;
and, that too, notwithstanding had made speech
in favor Of it and, that too, Notwithstanding |
have, for so many years, loved, and advocated and
acted on the great essential principles of the Bill.
My apparent inconsistency in this case is ox-
planned by the fact, that just before we called
TO vote on the Bill, il amended to limit
its grant of land to irhite persons.
Ii my fellow land refOrmcrs, with whom | have,
30 long, toilcd for the of our land reform
doctrines, shall be aggreved by my vote, shall be
sorry. Nevertheless, | can never regret my vote.
1 was man before | was n land rej0ymer. And,
for the sake of no gains however great, or
however many, may concent to ignore the claims,
and even the iact itself, Oi a common manhood.
But the advantages which are sought, at the ex-
pense Of trampling on human rights. are not gains.
Such gains are osses--evon to those who get them.
Tho Homestead Bill would have been purchasedat
too dear rate had it prescribed but one negro, or
only one Indian. The curse Of God is upon the
bill, or there is no God. There is no God, il we
have liberty to insult and outrage any portion Of
his children.
To reconcile mo to the Dill as amended, was
told by one of the Members of Congress, that the
colurcd peupio would not be shut cut from the
public lands :-bnt that they could still buy them
That is, the colorcd people must buy their homes.
whilst the white people are to have free homes
What comment this on the great ustifying doc
trne Of negro slavery, that the negroes unable
to take care of themselves. What n spectacle OF
nercess cruelty We present The most frightlul
passages of history furnish no parallel to it, Our
National Legislature joins State Legislatures
in holding out to the free cOlured people the hard
alternative of returning under the yoke Of slavery
or Of being shut out from our broad continent
And then, the excuse for this treatment is no less
unreasonable and insulting than the treatment is
cruel and murderous 1t is, that the free colorcd
people arc too Ignorant and lazy and worthless to
deserve any better choice than slavery or DEATH.
And this is the excuse Of those who shut out the
colored children from schools and drive them into
negro pens and Danish them from society aud
mark them as physical and moral lepers to be
every where Stunned, and loathcd, and hated!
That our free coored brethren should in these
circumstances be no more discouraged and defect
ed, no more selfdespaiTing and seli-despisng nc
lower in intelligence, and morals, and thrift, is tC
me amazing. That the mass of them should, not
withstanding the depressing, crushing influences
upon them, be still rising and lettering their con-
dition and that there should be rapidly multiply
ing Instances among them of the acquisition OF
wealth, and Of distinction in writing and oratory,
and general scholarship, is more than | had sup
posed possible.
GERRIT SMITH