Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-29
MIR. DOUGLAS AND THE MINISTERS.

busy man is Senator Douglas these days. lie
suffers no assault for his pro-slavcry acts to 70
without q defence. His last is "vindicntion Of
his character and positions on the Nebraska ques-
ton against the assaults contained in the proceed.
ings Of public meeting composed of twenty Eve
clergymcn of Chicago" The mails 60 burdened
with his defences. And in common with our edit
orial brethren, we arc largely indebted to him for
documents of this Sort
The following are the protest and resolutions Of
the Chicago ministers, adopted on the 9th inst:
The undersigned, Clergymen of different relg-
ious denominations in the Northwestern States, AZ
citizens and Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
do solemny protest against the passage of what is
known rs the Nebraska Bill, or any repeal or mod
ifcation Of existing legal prohibitions Of Slavery
in that part Of our national domain which it IL
proposed to organize into the territories of Nc
braska and Kanzas.
we protest against it as great moral wrong
and q breach Of faith emnently injurious to tho
great moral principles of the community, and sub
versiye Of all confidence in national engagements;
rs measure full Of danger to the peace and even
existence of our beloved Union, and exposing to
the righteous judgment of the Almighty. And
your protestants as in duty bound will ever pray
This remonstrance was signed by all present and
the following resolutions unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the Ministry is the dyinely ap-
pointed institution for tho declaration and enforce
ment Of Gods will, upon oil points of moral and
religious TRUTH and that as such, it is their duty
to reform, rebuke, and exhort, with authority and
doctrine.
Resolved, That while we disclaim all desire 10
interfere in questions of war and policy, to min
gle in the conflicts Of political parties, it is
duty TO recognize the moral bearing of such ques-
tons and conflicts, and to proclaim, in reference
thereunto, no less than to other departments Of
...AA as.la nf
and obligation.
Resolved, That in our Office as ministers, we
have lost none of our prerogatiyes, escaped our
responsibilities as citizens, and that in the relation
which we have to God and the Church, we find the
highest reason for fidelity in those which we bear
to the State, and to our fellow-men.
| Resolved That in the debate recently held in the
Senate of the United States upon the presentation
of the memorial Of the Clergy of New England, We
greatly deplore the apparent want of courtesy and
reverence towards men of God, manifest especially
in the speeches Of the Senators from Indiana and
Illinois, and that we regard the whole tone and
spirit Of that debate on the part Of the opponents
of said memorial as an outrage upon the privileges
of large and respectable body Of citizens, upon
the dignity of the Senate, and upon the claims of
the Divine name, morals and institutions, to which
we owe the profoundest honor and reverence.
These Chicago ministers, like most of their cloth.
while demonstrating against the Nebraska wrong,
are careful to put in special plea for the divinity
of their order This plea, Mr.. Douglas exposes
with much skill and ingenuity, and with very
considerable admixture Of truth, and We are in'
clined to the opinion that if these ministers had
come with their rebuke as humans" and not as
"divines," they would have done better for their
cause, and given the proslavory Senator less OPP
portunity to escape in the dust of his raising on
this point, from their condemnation on another.
These clergymen declare the "Unon" their
"beloyed," and deprecate breach of national
faith, standing they do in this beloved" rela-
ton, Mr. Douglas puts them to the test Of con-
sistency as follows;
| ! am rejoiced to learn that the "clergymen Of
different denominations" in ,he city Of Chicago
have como 10 the frm conclusion that "a breach