Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-05
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE GOTH CONGRESS.
SIGNAL DISTRICT OF OHIO.

SIGNAL DISTRICT OF OHIO.
FELLOW CITIZENS: | am led to address you al
this time, in consequence Of inquiries made by
many sincere friends of freedom, az to our duty in
view OF the position assumed by the late Conven-
ton, held at Columbus. Although my opinions
can be OF little importance, yet | have long been
in the habit of expressing them frankly.
In considering this subject, we should bear in
mind that all national issues between the old polit-
ical parties have disappeared that there is not
now, nor has there been for the past five years,
any question of Congressional legislation on which
the Wing and Democratic parties could be arrayed
against each other; that, since the year A. D..
1913, the question of Matchmaking or denational-
izing Slavery, and questions connected Herewith,
have constituted the only subjects of deep or gen.
eral interest on which Congress has legislated.
The present Executive in his inaugural address,
went far beyond his predecessors on this subject,
declaring his opinion that Slavery in the Southern
States Of this Union is based upon the same prin-
ciple as other recognised yightS," and entitled to
protection from the Federal power.
For the frtnkness with which he avowcd his
opinion and policy he is entitled to our respect.
lie has left us in no doubt on that point. Nor has
he left his followers any chance to deceive the
people. If they sustain him., they cannot DENY
his policy. They cannot uphold tile one and dis
card the other. To let the country understand
that his practice would conform to his theory, he
recommended in his annual message an appropri-
alton from our National Treasury to indemnify the
Cuban slave-dcalcrs who lost their cargo of human
beings on board the Amistad in 1889. In pursu-
ance of the same policy. i'll his message upon the
Black Warrior" he suggested to Congress the
~propricty of clothing him with authority TO com.
mence a war with Spain, to prevent the omancipa.
ton of Slavery in Cuba. and lent Ills utmost inilu-
ence in favor of the repeal Of the prohibition of
1920, excluding slavery from Kansas and Ncbras.
ka. We believe the same objects to have produced
the Gadsden treaty of which, however, us vet we
have not sufficient information to speak with GER
tainty. 1t is also apparent that the restoration of
the African slave trade, the annexation of Ctba
and Dayti, the alliance with slaveholding Brazil
and the refusal to annex Canada to the United
States, are all of them connected with, and consti
tute a part of, this policy of making Slavery &
subject of National protection.
1t is therefore most obviously the duty of ever,
man who would oppose this naturalization of Sla
very, to unite in one grand phalanx for the sup
port of Freedom, for its restoration to Kansas anc
Nebraska, and in all places under Federal iuris
diction, thereby rendering Freedom national, anC
driving back the institution of Slavery to tn,
States in which it can acne have constitutional
existence.
The President and his supporters would pervert
the powers of this Government to the protection
of Slavery we would exert them in the support
of Liberty. lie would make Slavery national
we would restrict it to the States where the fran.
'lo " tIV Wv l. Nv NbuII COIll
Freedom to our Northern States: we would spread
it wherever the Federal power has exclusive iuris-
dictiOn.
We are all conscious that the avowal Of the
Presidents policy, followed by his annual mes
sage, his message upon the "Black Warrior" the
repeal of the Missouri Prohibition, and the at
tempts now making to restore the African slave
trade, have awakened n feeling in the free States
more deep and strong than has existed on any
subject since the close of the late war with Eng
land.
Eleven of the free States, by legislative action,
or by State Conventions, have taken issue with
the Executive upon his avowed policy. All these
States, except Ohio and Indiana, may be said to
have repudiated, in detail, the measures propOsed
bv the President; while Ohio and Indiana have
contented themselves by taking issue upon the ex-
tension of Slavery over Kansas ant Nebraska, and
aqainst tie admission Of any more stare Suites.
Had | have penned the resolutions of our Conven-
ton, | would have used other language. | would
simply have pledged ourselves to the plain and
obvious purpose of separating the people of our
free States and the Federal Government from all
support of Slavery and the employment of our
energies to the protection of liberty yet others
NAV we'll doubt whether my language would have
been more acceptable to the people. The policy
adopted by the Convention strikes at the very ex-
istence Of that avowed By the President, and sun
ported by his followers. If the policy avowed at
Columbus be sustained, the President and his
OartV must De ONeTtlrOWn, ana the doctrine OF
supporting oppression by Federal power will be
discarded by the nation.
| am therefore prepared to Unite my efforts with
those of all honest mon, to achieve the objects set
forth by our Convention. | care not what have
heretofore been the political associations of those
who unite with us; | will only inquire what their
views now are. If they will honestly act, and la
Dor, and vote, to restore freedom in Kansas and
Nebraska, and to exclude all slave States that
nav hereafter apply. for admission, | shall not ask
whether they will vote for free trade or II ~protectire
tarif; for or against all banks, when such cues
tons come up. ca those Subjects | feel but little
interest, when man, in the essential elements of
his moral and political being, is under considera-
ton.
The restoration Of liberty to those Territories
will be regarded as the strongest possible dcclara-
ton that "our Federal Government was c~onstitu-
ted to support Freedom, and not Slavery" By
uniting with those Wings and Democrats who are
willing to form a party fer that purpose; we shall
surrender no principle. Gin the contrary, we shall
unite for the support of one of cur most vital doc
tr:nes-a doctrine that constitutes an essential ele-
ment in every Democratic Government-one that
can only be carried into practice by a democrat
cy of the Icople !" for it is plain that the same
principle which would exclude Slavery, with its
crimes, from Kansas, would exclude it from every
foot Of soil under the extensive jurisdiction of
Congress, and leave it to perish within the States.
No man who has examined the subject, believes
it can exist any great length OF time, after North
ern labor, Northern honor, and Northern influence,
shall be withdrawn from its support.
The popular feeling of Indignation now pervad-
ing the free States will secure the election of a
majority Of members to the next house of Repre-
Sc~ntativos favorable to the restoration Of Freedom
to the Territories. Nothing but jcalousies, divis-
ions, and bad management on TIT part of those
favorable to that object, cGn prevent stclr 4 result.
If we succeed in clcctihg members devoted to that
they will not wait fer the Senate to be
changed, or for another Presidential election, but
they will attacl, Il clause restoring fine Missouri
prohibition TO tho Civil and Diplomatic Arpropria-