Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-15
A VAN WINXLE E

Mr.. EDITOR; When we hear men preach up peace
and safety under the present state of political af.
fairs in this country, and laud this blessed Union"
to the skies, publicly thanking God for planting
the tree Of liberty, whose branches have spread
tower our great republic" we think they must have
been taking q Van Wrinkle sleep. Thus it was at
the celebration of the Fourth at Akron. Mr.. Ben.
edict, Esq, was the orator of the day. His speech
was preceded by the reading of the Declaration OF
independence, music by the band, and n PRAYER by
a Reverend whose name l cannot recall. The
prayer was a very formal expression of gratitude
for the blessings of liberty" a supplication for
our rulers" and the great men, of our country,
especially for the President of the United States
and that ''onr legislative councils may be directed
in the passage Of such Ii VS. as will perpetuate the
blessings of civil and religious freedom" But he
forgot to tell the Almighty a single word about the
three millions who clank their chains under the
lash of the soulless overseer, under tho protection
Of our boosted free nation, or that our great men,
had made all the little men of this republic into
bloodhounds, to chase down the painting fugitive
from slavery. We'll, | suppose, Of course, the
Lord will pay no attention to such small matters
until the deep repose of some Rip Van Wrinkle
priest shall be disturbed, and he either asks or
commands the Almighty to take notice. felt
DISAPPOINTED at such q John the Baptist to the
Grafton which was to follow. For I supposed public
sentiment at this time demanded an honest express
sion in regard to the hideous facts staring us in the
face, and an invocation for wisdom to devise and
power to carry out some means for wrestling our
otherwise happy country from the monster laws
of american slarery. But the prayer was a sure
prelude to the speech Of the orator. The Union
was praised. Our sails whitened every sea, and
our flag honored by every nation. Our
unbounded, and our prosperity unequalled. The
Father of our country e~xtolled, and we as a nation
of such honorable extraction, have our rights and
Liberties secured by bulwarks the most invulner-
able, even by the influence of party strife" and
political acumen. There were, it was true. a." some
things to rufAe the placid surface of our JOYOUS
tranquility, but not to Brighten or intimidate. The
current of our mighty streams flow in deep and
obscure channels, and every obstacle will be borne
triumphantly to the great ocean of our high ind
happy destiny.
"Should a State revolt, it would be the duty of
our Government at once to subjugate it by force of
arms" And the disunionist, heigho! Mr.. Editor.
beware, lest you be the unfortunate subject Of che
first example; for the orator. Mr.. Benedict, Of
Cleveland, A. d. 1854, distinctly stated, that she
who advocates the disunion of these States ought
to be hung up and gibbeted." Now, Mr.. Editor,
il such expressions represent the popular sentiment
of the people of this county and State, the appoint
ment of delegates to the State Convention. must
be instigated by a base hypocrisy, under cover of
which a few trucking ofice-seekers intend to sell
the few If any) remaining liberties of the northern
people.
Finally, Mr.. Editor, the nameless "some things"
were left for the audience to guess out; for not one
of the great (none the lesss base) institutions, OBJ
jccts and aims of our national Government was so
much as named. ] think a speaker, who, at such
a time as this, can thus deliberately dose out opi-
ates to a halfwaking, somnambulic people, ought
to be Missed from the stand, and drowned amidst
the excavations Of a justly indignant peorie, with
none but a Rip Van Wrinkle priest to invoke aid
for his safety. l should be then sure he would
reap his reward.
Yours, for Freedom or Disanion,
g. B. ii.
Coplsy, July Z, 1854.