Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-29
Communications
LETTER FROM G. S. s. GRIPPING.
MARrlNsvILLE, July Ia, 1864.

connected with the school established by those
philanthropic friends, Cyrus and Jane McNeely;
several at, and in the neighbOrhood Of Georgetown.
and in this place. Notwithstanding it is the most
busy season of the year for farmers, yet we find
them willing to listen to what especially interests
the laboring classes, and all our meetings have beop
we'll attended.
This place is situated on the north bank Of the
Ohio River, n little above Wheeling, and commenced
its existence rs q settlement in the North Western
Territory Def laws were enacted for its govern
ment-before tao ordinance of 1877 was passed.
Now, it has laws; but they are not the laws OF
God, only Ohio laws, that afford no protection, no
asylum to a human being who may have been
branded, and beaten, and robbed for his whole life
long, in any other section of this glorious Union
but laws made by men in fratcrnal league with the
robbers, and proclaiming to them, that any trem-
bling fugitive, that anywhere in this vast Territory
shall attempt to hide himself from his tyrant mas!
ter, or exercise the rights of manhood with which
God endowed him in his creation, "that such fugi-
tive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to-
the person claiming (only by q robbers right his
or her service or labor" Here, too, are pro-sls.
very churches, from which cmcnatcs a public senti-
ment 50 debased and Internal, that it will not
permit the instruction of q few colored children
that living here, desire a common school education.
Here are six poor, despiscd colored children, that
desire the same opportunity for education that is
afforded to white children, and here, too, are six
churches, well organized, supplied with pastors
and an active force of lay members yet, ON an
average, too destitute of vital godliness, each, to
offer instruction to an ignorant little negro girl
under twelve years of age. How long, think you.
- will tolo s,,nb oIurcbas IN ovopoal;,n tba xror1d
and cause righteousness to cover the earth, aa tho
waters do the deep? They have recently organ.
lied a Union School,! here, but carefully refused,
under various pretexts, education to colored chill
dren. No wcndcr that in such a place, Dennis
Cove, who has been teaching in this vicinity the
past year, and whose talent for teaching is we'll and
! f~avorably known to many of your readers, should
be refused a situation in the Union School, in con-
sequence of his 'abolitionism and infidelity," as
9 he hcsitates not to declare himself morally and re-
ligiously bound to afford colored equal educational
privileges with white children.
! But this place is no worse than others, under
the influence Of American prejudice, politics and
o religion. There are some persons, both in tho
l church and out of it, who sympathize with suffer-
ing humanity according to the light that is within
y them, and are willing to cooperate with those who
t are laboring for its elevation. With them we hold
: two meetings, having large and attentive audiences.
0 to whom we spoke freely of their pro-slavery po-
, sitions, and their duties in view of the influences
c surrounding them. A few earnest, constant work
4 ers are laboring successfully towards rcdecming
e the place, and securing to others the blessings en-.
. joyed by themselves.
Yesterday we visited an aged colored woman.
r living here, who has bitterly experienced the in.
C fictions of slavery, in all its damned sacramcnts
II Of sorrow" Raised in Loudon county, Virginia,
: she was early married, as slavery understands this
d institution, and for some years lived with her hus.
d band, until the interest of the master required 4
u separation. When the husband was sold for tho
:, Southern market, and from tho time he was started
in the slave gang, she has never heard from him.
is For weary years she mourned for him, and sorrow.
.! ed as those who have no hope, wondering VIII such
miseries were visited upon her who had labored SO
long and earnestly to do all that was just and right.
lie while her tormcntors lived in likeness and case.
safe and saved from those dreaded evils that ranklo
to deepest in the life and heart of q slave. AT tho
command of her master, she was again married.
is and with her husband lived on the same plantation,
until they were sold and removed to Western Vir-
is ginia, where for many years they lived and raised
,L a large family of children, that were torn from
them one after ano err, sold, and driven far away,
where there could be no Interchange of affection,
or kindly sympathy for mutual sorrow. Falling
l. into kind hands, when far advanced in years, they
succeeded in purchasing themselves, and by Il
s. course of rigid economy and arduous toll, were
enabled to pay the full sum demanded by their
claimant. Thus, after being robbed of q long life
of labor, of nine children whom tenderest love and
bitterest sorrows had endeared to them, with intel
" lects crushed and bodies cnfeebled by fifty years OIL
~ hard labor, such MS is known only in slavery, they
VI procured the acknowledgement in this Christian
j. land, that they had the right in themselves to theil
own labor, their own bodies and souls-that they
were free niggers. Immediately they set abou'
ed earning money to purchase some of their children
BIC whom they hoped were still within their reach, ant
I'll formed bright anticipations of some day living will
cir them in a home purchased by their own industry
where at last they might safely live and quietly die
Animated by these hopes, they commenced lift
his anew, in comparative happiness, free, at least, a
on they supposed, from any new and further ~infictio,
h y, of slavery. But alas for them their Happiness
was only a transitory dream from which they sool
s. awoke to most painful consciousness. Scarcel.
Nj had they commenced to prosecute the plans the,
had formed, when the husband was kidnapped iron
one of the river boats on which he was employed
and for twelve long and bitter years he has bee
100 subjected to all the horrors of slavery. Just as h
pressed the cupof liberty to his lips, it was stricke
, ,0o from his hand, and in its stead he has been com
,O0 PEELED to drink the bitterest chalice that huma
sense can suffer.
- With more than q widows sorrow, has this VIII
Mo- mourned for him, toiling on through O dreary life
~ vainly hoping for his return, to join her in carryin
mr.. out their fondly cherished hope of a home and hal
eed piness with their children; but no tidings ever cam
es, to cheer her, and through these long years she ha
been left
Alone to bear