Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-02-04
JOHN mitchell.

JOHN mitchell.
The pro-slaycry declaration Of John Mitchell,
which we copied last week, has provoked many
replies, but We have seen none more to the point
than one from fellow-cxilc, Count llolnsN Of
Poland, which appeared in the last number of lie
RepuLlicain of this city. We translate it for the
SdHddrd;--Ind Slarcry Standard
Sir; Democratic Europe loved to place you in
the first rank Of the champions Of Liberty.
Defender Of the uuacknowledged rights Of Ire
land, all nations every oppressed race saw in you
their legitimate defender.
After your speech at San Francisco, after your
explicit declaration that the general tendency of
the Old World is to Rcpubicanism, the Universal
Republic counted with certainty upon you.
So long yourself martyr to a cause inscparable
from and bound up in the cause of the whole race,
how could one but hope that your sympathics would
belong to the victims Of every tyranny?
This hope, could almost have said, this nssur-
ancc has been unaccountobly destroyed by the
second number Of your Cdi-ea.
Replying to one of your compatriots, Mr.. laugh
ton who cxhorts you to be true to your principles,
and TO esp0usc the cause Of the wrctccd slaves OF
the United States you say;
1--WE arc not Abolitionists--n moro Aholitionists
than Moses, or Socrates, or Jesus Christ. We deny
that it is crimc u wrong, even peccadillo,
to hold slaves to buy slaves to sell slaves to keep
slaves to their work by hogging or other nccdful
coercion. BY your silence, says Mr. IIaughton,
you will become participator in their wrongs
But we will not be silent when occasion calls for
speech and as for Icing particpator in the
wrongs, We, for our part irish zee had good
plantation reH stocked piM healthy negroes in
1ld6amo"
What language, Sir, and what wish 4 cap
tive who has broken his comparatively easy bonds,
and who declares he is not AN Abotionst, says,
-. Al.
chains Of the slayel A man who puts Queen Vic
toria and her ministers under the ban Of humanity
for such oppression Of him and his proclams as
right tortures n hundred times more degrading,
more poignant, more grevous, inflicted upon mill
ions of his fellow-men Sell these wrctchcd beings
buy them, drive them to labor with the whip; all
that has your appreciation, ardent opponent of the
oppression of Ireland! But your compatriots are
neither bought nor sold like beasts Of burden, and
no one has ever dreamed of curing them of idle
ness by nGgcllation. mol the bloody cowhidc of
the overeccr has laccratcd the backs of your
countrymcn, and they are never offered, at public
sale, Mt so much head men, women and children,
in lots to suit purchasers.
The Emerald Isle may esteem itself happy that
II is not in subjeetion to government that dares
to realize similitude which you make, in the
same article, between the Irish and the slaves of
Alabama, those slaves of whom you covot a good
share. Thcn Sir, no more of this painful agta-
ton, no more Of this hope of obtaining redress for
religious ard political wrongs, no more even of
this emigration itself! Those who wished to seek
for liberty in America would be advertised, pur-
sued, thrown into prisons, and, by the decisions
Of some petty judge, delivered to their owners
They would in that case according to you, be bet
ter lodged and better clothed than they now actu-
ally are. will admit this pretended advantage
though it might be contested. and then ask Of your
Irish brethren, naked and hungry, if they are will
ling to purchase food and covering at the price of
Nha arcl,s nf tlotr A nd
times, No answers me every man worthy Of n
better lot for their aspirations are not merely for
the comforts of domestic animals but for that hap
pness of which liberty is first condition.
Ii your words may be taken seriously; if to-
morrow, / repeat the British government, con-
vinced by your example Of the superiority Of the
condition Of the negroslaves to that Of the Irish
wished TO reduce your opinion TO practice, what
would come of i'll The most wretchcd Of your
countrymen would revolt at it, would die indg
nant-but, at least exempt from the shameful
stigma of an abiect servitude even if they should
owe to this scryitude shelter and clothing of thC
best.
A man Of your talent. Sir, should not put fortl
these imaginary parallels dissipated by breatl
of the lightest examination. Thus it is--permi
me to say, notwithstanding my respect for you
great intelligence great presumption in you t.
: compare yourself to Moses, TO Socrates, to Jcsu
Christ in entering the lists in defence of Slavery
Never did Noses never did Socrates, never die
Jesus Christ, Come, as you have done, to sanction
the ownership Of man in man.
, The wise legislator Of the Hebrews was pre-
omironty the Abolitionist of his age. lie fount
Slavery in Egypt and he suffered it only for
fixed period. And Slavery for term OF year
was necessarily stripped of its most odious char
actcristcs; it was rather q condition of guardian
ship or apprenticeship. On this subject you ma
consult with advantage the excellent book Of Nj
Barnes.
' Socrates. whose life was perpetual effort to re
press all evil pr0pensties, never that have heard
- wished to become wealthy possessor Of Slaves
= Poverty was II virtue in his eyes, and this sent
. ment could not make him envy the indolent, liyin
. in the bosom Of luxury, on the sweat and blood {
q others. You will obligc me much by indcatin
: any passage in NenophOn or Plato where this maj
l. the most Just of all the Greeks excuses and exto
! cupidity--thc first and most miserable source
tyranny in any form. If the passage exists, it hr
- escaped me.
, As to the founder Of Christianity, he, hitherto
Is has been proclaimed, and ON the best ground, III
Y cheies Of all Abolitionists. In order to prove
it is not necessary 10 cite many texts. DO an
~ others as y0u rOutd hare others do uRtO you. Lo
p yOtF ReighLOr as yo,uSeC Is there an OppressiC
!, on the earth--whcther called Slavery despotis
o which can exist except in fragrant violation
these two admirable precepts, the sum Of Chris
ianity and Of Christian philosophy Has the CIR
cited come to whisper in your ear that tho blaC
Ior the lnnlhlto ~ not your helShbOrl las ]
authorized you to buy, to SELL to llcorate the pa
Ipitatng flesh Of the slaves, whilst you would sec
to revolt at being yourself bought, sold, and su
jected to ignobe chastisements. Christ, th
D. friend Of all the poor, of all the unhappy, Of
., the suffering not an Abolitionistl Excuse Il
II term, Sir, but this is blasphemy against the trutl
If you are Christian, you caunot justly dra
l' a conclusion so false to the Gospel. Ii you a
Il only Catholic, you are guilty Of heresy you a
~ in opposition to the Popes.
~ 1t certainly is Of little consequence that Il
most crying Of all social iniquitics has been disa
=, proved and condemned by the Pontilfs Of Rom
~ They might all have sanctioned it from the til
~, Of St. Peter to Pho Mono, aud this iniquity won
ly no, merely hs,e peen ,nhug any h,oru !us,na"
.rs ireland under FOOT you would hold it Of as lit
IN. authority ! should.
ri. Nevertheless, as your Catholic readers may
tn cnrinns 10 knnM how far the Annstolie See m