Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-02-18
Gbe Anti- -9laurrp BueIr.
snIcn,. ohlo. Febrnnry Is. 1854.
LETTER FROM STEPHEN s. FOSTER.


which is calculated to mislead many honest enquir
ers after truth and as you have intmatcd that
your columns opened to a reply, send you the
following for insertion in your weekly ISSUE The
article to which refcr is headed, Mrs. Foster and
the Free Democracy" II is Of great length, and |
is made up, in the main, Of tissue Of accusations,
impeaching her integrity as an advocate Of the
anti-slayery cause, and was evidently designed to
prejudice the public mind, and preclude her from
an impartial hearing. OF the spirit of these ac-
cusations do not purpose to speak, Mt length, but
shall confnc myself mainly, to the accusations
themselves and the circumstances Of their allega-
,on leaving others to judge of the motives which
prompted them.
The article opens with notice. in dcprecatory
terms, Of letter from Mrs. Foster which appeared
in the Anti-Slavery Buglc, an extract from which
you copy and after some rather general complaints
Of her course you go ON TO say +" She and her hus-
band camo here with war declared in their hearts.
against the Free Democratic party and its organ"
This statement Of our position, purposes and
feelings towards the Free Democratic party and its
organ, is essentially and radically false. 1t is true
that that we have always regarded the party as oc-
cupying an unsound position, and as wasting its
energies in fruitcss struggle for political power.
while the heart of the people is yet welded to sla
very. But we supposed that most Of its members
were true at heart, and that they would welcome
us to their State, as we had been welcomed by many
Of the same party in other sections of the country,
TO discuss in an amiobc spirit, the grounds Of diff
ference between u.s. and to a united effort against
slavery, on all the many points on which VIC are
agreed; and we anticipated nothing but the most
Al. a ~
compose the Free Democracy, as your readers would
already have seen, had you published the whole Of
Mrs. Fosters letter, instead of an extract which
gives false impression. We went to Detroit, 8
we so elsewhere for the purpose of meeting the
friends of freedom, of all parties. in open manly
discussion, to devise ways and means for the over
throw Of this giant evil This was our only pur
pose We had no party to build up no sect Ia
sustain ; and We opposed none except such ms were
giving their sanction and support to Slavery
Against SUCH and such only, did vo war, as YOU
very well know, if you were present at our meet.
ings. And our warfare was Of that open, manly
character, which Christianity requires. We did
not spring upon our enemies from ambush nor
did We first bind them fast. and then thrust them
through with the murdcrous steel On the contrary.
all our meetings were entirely free, and all persons
OF fwhateyer shade Of opinion, wcro cordially invited
to participate in the discussion of any and every
subj ject which was brought before them.
Tho ground we assumed at these meetings was,
that slavery, under all circumstances is sinful !;
and, hence, it is morally wrong to do anything,
knowingly, which sustans it. We represented the
Free Soil party as practically involved in the re-
sponsibity of sustaining it, in that they support
ALn AL oil
their own Interpretation, requires the suppression
of slave insurrcction the rendition of fugitive
slaves and the protection of slave states against
invasion, even though the invasion should be for
the sole purpose of giving liberty to the slaves.
And we insisted that the party should either put
an anti-slayery construction on the Constitution Ms
does Gerrit Smith, and act against slavery, with
some appearance Of consistency under it or, with
Garrison, repudiato IL altogether, and and taking
their stand outside Of the existing National Govern
ment, demand its dissolution and the organization
OF one which shall protect alike the liberty Of all
its subjects. We also took exceptions to the policy
OF tho party in voting for the candidates of the
other parties for the sake Of getting support from
them in return. Now, is there anything in this of
which any honorable man can complain A? Is it
making war upon the Free Democratic party, to
give the public correct representation Of lis ro-
sltion? You, surely, viii not complain that the
party was misrepresoned. Or, if it was whose
fault was it? We represented il precisely as we
understood it; aud we then called on its friends to
make the correction, If, in their opinion, any inius.
tice had been done it, But in connection with our
objections to the party we also represented it MS
occupying less Objectionable ground Than that of
tItn MI Z,
III the main, Of the better portion Of the politicians
Most Of the party really interested in the abo-
lition of slavery, and, hence, there are very few
sections OF the country whore We are not welcomed
by its friends and supporters. Detroit is an excep
ton to general rule, and presents u striking con
trast to the city Of Worcester, the place of oul
residence. In that city, last winter, Mrs. Foste
collected of the Free Democracy, Two IIundre,
Dollars for the use of our Society, Twenty Dollar
Of which were paid by the Free Soil member 0
Congress- and this is, probably, not more thar
they have been in the practice Of contributing an
nually, for several years past. In Ohio, TOO, not
witbstanding your declaration TO the contrary, w
have always received n cordial welcome from tn
leaders OF the party, some Of whom are among th
most liberal contributors to our treasury An,
even ia this State, ! am confident we should hay
met with no opposition from the party, bad its OF
gan been under the control Of little knot O
persons, who have ''stolen the livery Of the cour
Of Heaven to serve the devil in" This opposition
TO US is evidently the fruit Of religious bigolry, AM
not of interest in the anti-slavery cause. or I'll,
success Of the party. Indeed, the authors Of i
have shown themselves ready 10 sacrifice not only
fheesDse Of the dave. but the parry itself,
the grniheation OF their seciaIian maleyolence.
As regards ihe organ Of the party, nocd onl,
say. wehnye Dsver had any opposition 10 IT, e1oep
ON ihsground of its misrepresentation Of ourselre
and our associates Had it kept 10 its own apprc
pirate Eml Of advocating tl,s claims Of the party
aud nor inrned aside 10 misrupresent and tradne