Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-12-15
THE BELLIGERENT GOVERNORS.

The slaveholding Governors who are about tbi
time sending in their annual messengers are quite
bclllcose, towards the north. His excellency o
Virginia pitches into little Rhode Island ut At
alarming rate while the South Carolina Governor
selects Massachusetts, as the especial object of hn
vengeance. The occasion, is the reception of tn,
late Massachusetts personal liberty bill, which had
been received from the Governor of the latter State
After disposing of this subject in true slave dri
wing STYLE Governor Adams proceeded to speak
of the law imprisoning colored seamen who visi
their ports. The Governor seems almost sick OF
this pet law of South Carolina and proposes it.
repeal so Tar as foreign States are concerned. This
out of State Comfy. But Massachusetts and othe,
free States are to be excluded from the bene6: Of
this State courtesy.
The Governor says;
As the law now stands, colored scamcn who may
VISIT our ports, either in TIE pursuit of their law
iul vacations, or lie driven into them by stress OF
weather., are seized Ivy tho sheriff, conveyed as fell
ons through the public streets and finally incarce-
rated in the common Jail, to await the departure
OF their vessel, whether it be immediate or defer.
red. While in prison they are brought into con.
tact with our own refuse population. Ii would be
strange, indeed, if men thus summarily deprived
OF liberty and comfort, without the pretcnce Of a
fault committed, did not inveigh against a state of
soc ETY. which thus degrades them, and eudeavor
to excite the refractory spirits among whom they
are thrown. Viewed in this light, the law certainly
fails of its end. The remedy is worse than the dis.
ease it seeks to cure.
l that the law be so modified ms to
permit colorcd seamen, the subjects of foreign ma
tons to remain on board their vessels, to be allow
ed to land whenever the duties of the vessels may
require 1T, uDOn THAR rpceiyino n written pprn,it n,
that effect from the Mayor Of the port and that
while on land they be subjected to the ordinary
restrictions applied to the native colored popula-
ton. Such n modification would relieve the law
OF all its harshness, without compromising our
right or cndangering our domestic quiet. Sould
our confidence, which comedies thus much to those
who seek to cultivate friendly relations with us,
be abused, and the modified law be found to work
badly, 1t will always be under the control of
the Legislature, and can be rs easily repealed as
passed.
Slavery has fierccr assaults to guard against
than any likely to arise from allowing q few color
cd cooks and stewards to land On our shores; and
we weaken rather than strengthen the institutions
by attcm pting to hedge it around with any such
feeble props. While white a5olitionists are per-
mltted to come and go among us with impup.ty, we
may tolernte the occasional or accidental presence
OF n few free negroes from foreign countries, who
have neither the intelligence nor the disposition to
harm or disturb us. The efforts whick fanaticism
has made to overthrow the institution have thus far
but served to strengthen it in the confidence and
affections of our people. While we continue to
discharge our true obligations to our slaves, their
loyalty and fidelity will remain mistaken. The
colored hireling who may visit us will see much in
their condition TO envy. He may realize the i'm.
portant truth that liberty, shorn of all its rights, is
but n miserable boon compared with their su 5stan-
tial comforts and happy existence.