Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-12
communications.
LETTER FROM MRS. GRIFFING.
CARRoLroN, Carol Co.,
AUGUST LIST, 81.

DEAR MARius: We are now on our homeward
passage from Harrison and Belmont Counties,
where we have been working diligently and ear
nestly-to convince the people that the slave has
an indisputable claim upoa their time, their mon
cy, their moral and spiritual forces-a claim which
he will never yield till the last fettcr that binds
the recblest ligamcnt of human rights is broken,
And rs Paul in the true spirit Of sclf-sacrrhce,
determined to know nothing save Jesus, and him
crucifed," so the Apostles of "Anti-Slavery,
which is the Messiah" of to-day, should deter
mine to know nothing but its doctrines and princi-
pies, and the slaves daily and deathless cruel
fxion.
No argument is necessary to prove what has
now again become sclfevident to the people-that
the honor of the North has been insultcd, and
their rights infringed-that the South is guilty of
base perfdy and heartlesncss but it is quite all
other thing to bring them to see that the demon
STATIONS of which they complain are the legitimate
fruit of their own doing. They can see sections
and nations with their sovereign rights-and
omnipotent powcr-but the Liliputian Individual
is too mail n spec to be observed in this great Re-
public, either in his crimes or his virtues.
National compacts' are the watchword of this
people, to glory and to God. Keep them, in good
faith-let them be most sacred in the eyes of all
the people, and we are a free country-a happy
nation. No matter how many millions Of human
beings arc sacrificed south of t~hirty-six degrees
thirty minutcs-only let the Missouri Compromise
: be respccted-the national compact obeyed. No
matter if the whole North is converted into q
race ground" for the Aying fugitive, the southern
bloodhound, and the northern good citizen
! - .-.- .a Iaou.~l 80
matter if the sovereignty of state rights at the
North are all violated and denied-it the prime
national guarantee to slavery is not i%nterfcred with.
Only observe national compacts, and it matters
little what becomes of the individual. No need
for alarm if the marriage and family institutions
are all broken up-and denied-and prostitution
and concuLinagc protected, and compelled by Law
only let national compacts' be kept sacred, and
, society has a good foundation-nO matter if mill
ions of human beings are sent up to God with in
} tellccts all uncultivatod-with social, moral, and
spiritual nature crushed, beaten, and burned out
of them. Only let national compacts" be obeyed
, as the Higher Law, and the nations of the Earth
shall rise up and call us blessed. No matter if
the rights Of all the people are denied, and Life,
Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" pronounc-
GU Il mere ltuclOTlCdl lOuTlSH -uO litlc IL thc
Bible and the church-claimed as Instrumental
t ties for the worlds convcrsion-are made the bull
warks, and the sure foundation for Slavery,-no
matter even, if God, the equal and loving Father
of all his children, be made the great Almighty
and omnipresent STAKEHOLDER, and all his attributes
G of Justice, Mercy, and Love, be turned into a lie.
{ Only let National Compacts" be the "Alpha
and Omega" the beginning and the end.
Some one has justly observed that a nation may
n lose its liberties in IA day, and not miss them in a
It thousand years. So this nation are singing Peans
Il to Freedom, and clamoring for the inviolability of
~compacts, which have insulted and outraged the
most sacred rights of her citizens-and sold out
the very heart's-blood of one sixth part of all her
people.
We have Just visited Smyrna-wlero last year,
II with our and the slaves friend, Parker Pillsbury,
We were driven into an old cooper's shop to hold
e an Anti Slavery Meeting, because the more suitable
houses were too full of methodism and whiskey-
q ruling influences of the place.
Most of the true friends who have laborcd here
: for years to convert to Anti Slavery and Temper
=, ancc, enough at least to save the city, have like Lot
t of old, dcspairingly fed. And those who remain
are, as | believe, in imminent danger of the dire
calamity that befel poor Lots wife. AS they
} again refused Us the Methodist Meeting House, we
gladly accepted the use cf Il musty, deserted dwell
ling, which, with the addition of a rickety porch,
afforded us and a goodly number of hearers, a
f shelter for the evening-while we told them again,
of the absolute sacrifice they were making of three
and Il half millions of slaves, who have neither
lands nor goods-and live, move, and breathe, but
at the will and caprice Of a master, whose body
guard they were-"armed and equipped rs the
law directs" with American politics and Religion
We inquired last year what compensated them t0
: such human sacrifices! and they answered us by
t hurting a volley of stones and brickbats at thu
y building about our heads. But this year no sucl
demonstration was made. Perhaps some priest
I have taught them, as the Templar in "lvanhoe
learned, that "rereRge is a feast for the gods, whic
l. they have reserved to themselves, because the
hold it an enjoyment too precious for the posses
sion of mere m%ortals." Be that as it may, the
satisfied themselves with a prompt refusal of tn
ly use of their meeting house, though at the reque'
In of conservative and wealthy citizens, who coul
% not be charged with radicalism in any direction.
Londonderry is a neighboring village of consi,
Is cradle thrift and enterprise-where one year az
We we were thought too Infdel to be heard in doo
VI or out. But the fears of the people were dissipa
nd ed upon hearing us, and finding that we would N
ms be diverted from our plea for the slave, thoug
re, Priests and Demagogues used their wary arts
establish other issues. Since that time they hav
re- sustained, in their religion and politics a healtl
agitation. The Seceder and Covenanter Church,
in this place, are both open to the advocates
humanity. Both are large and quite beautif
I'VE churches, and would accommodate large Anti-Sl
OF very Conventions. God speed the time when {
ms Churches shall be thus dedicated to humanity.
to On our return to Leesburg we held a meetiI
icy on Sunday afternoon at Deersvilie, in a fine gro
&c near the village, which contrasted comfortably al
~, resnecfalJr Will the one we held there last We