Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-05
THE OHIO

We have been watching with Interest the
expression of opinion by the Free Sellers in regard
to the narrow, o~ne-plonk platform of the Columbus
Convention. There is enough of virtue among tho
organs of the late party to be quite dissatisfied
with the limited sphere of actor to which the new
party proposes to confine itself, though not enough
of that sterling quality. to induce the resolve to go
further. All the Free Soil papers of the State, so
far as we know, except the Herald Of Freedom, at
Wilmington, have acquiesced, some of them with
alacrity, and some with protesting reluctance.
Some few individuals have spoken out sharply in
rebuke of this action, at this time, when the pro-
slavery outragcs called for so decided ard thorough
resistance. The Columbian says, that Wings and
Democrats in the Convention expected to be called
upon for a more general and thorough commitment
to the cause of freedom, and were ready to meet
the demrnd, while out of courtesy to their new
allies, the Free Sellers resolved to urge only tho
most limited demands possible. Mr.. Giddings'
opinion of the matter our readers will learn from
his address to his constituents, in another column.
lie is for acquiescencc. Of course we do not won
der at this, since his avowal that his reform would
continue the fugitive slave law of '93 and his will
~lingness to sustain the Constitution, which he says,
in fact, places fugitive men from Kentucky upon
the same level with fugitive horses in short, ono
that recognizes the right of property in man.
We copy the opinion of the Rhode Island Freeman
in regard to this partial policy. After commend
ing the Wisconsin resolutions, which take much
brondcr and more thorough ground, the Freeman
says:
"The Ohio Convention, held on the same day al
Columbus, was n large gathering of Anti Nebraska
n,on from, all nnliticol pnrtipe Thnir rnso1utinna
unlike those of Wisconsin, instead of meeting the
issue which the South SO exultingly challenges the
North to accept, are confined to a declaration OF
hostility to the Kansas Nebraska bill, and the fur
Their increase OF slave territory. To render the
Objectionable section of that bill "inoperatire and
coid," is about all that this great Convention pro-
posed to do. 10 say that we arc surprprised that
so Anti-Slavery n State as Ohio, the home of Gid
Jings and of Lewis, and the field of their long and
arducus labors, did not take any higher or broader
ground than this, does not express the emotions we
experience. We cannot find in the published pro-
ceedings of the Convention, that any effort was
made by any one present, to submit a different
platform from that adopted, o platform suited to
the crisis, and the only one truly representing the
Anti-Slavery sentiment of Ohio. The most awful
defect in these Ohio resolutions is their entire ST.
lence on the fugitive slave act. This unspeakably
atrocious enactment, this most palpably unconsti-
tutional measure of the slave power, this congress
sional statute, which makes bloodhounds of us all
and slave territory of the entire North, is not so
much as alluded to in this platform of the Ohio
Convention.
at cannot be that the Free SO7ers of that State
$ will omit to ID declare in strong words and by vigOr-
Gus action, their incorporating hostility to that
infamous law. We expect to hear further from the
genuine freemcn of Ohio.
= "Thc Indiana Convention, held at indianapolis,
{ at the spme date, was attended by eight or ten
thousand people, a large proportion of whom had
been Pierce and Douglas Democrats. The objcc-
b tons we have urged against the Ohio platform, arc
b valid against that of Indiana. The resolutions are
!. evidently wordcd in such a way, as to allow of con-
siderable latitude in the Interpretation of details.
: The fugitive act is not condemned or even men,
S toned. One of the resolutions, the best of tho Sc
rics, may be considered comprehensive enough to
q cover every issue fugitive act and all, presented by
y the Southern oligarchy."
Il One virtue, however, this Columbus platform
u possesses over its Buffalo and Pittsburgh ~predeces-
sors. 1t does not, like them, profess to be tho be-
; ginning and the end of anti-slavery action. II
affirms no dogma to which it requires assent, no,
even that so oft repeated, that slavery is sectional"
10 come at the partial action it proposes, it is moi
necdful to r~epudiatc or accept anything but the
one proposition for the limitation of slavery. This
modesty of the platform we admire; it is some
thing of an Offset to its narrowness. 1t leaves
y room for advancement and improvement.