Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-12-15
"REMINISCENCES.

The character of the AntSlavory question has
utterly changed within the past five years. Before
that time, the question made almost wholly q
moral onc--and the peculiar institution was regar
ded more in the light Of great moral and social
evil disastrous, chiefly to the interests of the col
orcd race. Now however it is mainly regarded as
vast political evil. disastrous to the liberties OF
every portion of the American people-a monster
clement Of evil, threatening the very existence OF
the government. People once talked of its infer.
nal crueles to the slaves--they now talk of its
unbearable encroachments upon the rights of every
freeman.
About the year 1896, several of the Southorn
States demanded that the North should visit with
penal eractments, aud suppress, anti-slavery meet
ngs, anti-snvery papers, Nc, which had then be.
gun to exert a wide influence. The Virginia Leg
shture's resolntion--a sample Of the wholo--ran
thus.
Resolved, That the non-slavehoding States OF
the Union are respectfully but earnestly requested
promptly to adopt penal eHdctmcHts, such other
measures as will effec.ually suppress all assoca-
tions within their limits, purporting to be, or hay
ing the character Of abolition societies"
Monstrous as were these demands, the necessi-
ties OF slavery prompted them: and not few in
the free Sates responded fayorablv Edward
Everett, then Wing Governor of Massachusetts,,
(since l. S. Senator,) in communicating the South
ern documents to the Legislature intimated that
the aboitionsts might be prosecuted for misde-
meanor at common law.
William L. Marcy, Democratic Governor of New
York. intimated in his Message, that the State had
power to pass laws suppressing the anti-siayery
movement! But party seryility soon found it i'm
possible to do, in these things, what it would.
! About the same time, (lS35-G,) a bill was intro
duccd into the National Senate, authorizing each
one of the sixteen thousand pOstmasters through
the land to rifle the mails of every pamphlet
newspaper handhill or pictorial representation,
touching the subject Of slavery:' and this bill
passed to a third reading, by the casting vote of
Mr.. Van Buren, then Vice President But here
was its end.
The last attempt of the slave power to silence
all popular utterances in behalf Of justice and hui
manity was through the political conventions which
assembled at Baltimore, August 1852. The
Wings are there made to say, Ne rW Djscomte-
nance all efforts to continue or renew such agita-
tion, (anti-slavery,) whenever, wherever, or how
ever the attempt may be made &c. The Demo-
Gratis declare that they WILL RESIST all at
tempts at renewing, in Congress or out of it, the
agitation Of the Slavery question, under whatever
shape or color the attempt may be made
What will yet be the issue Of these most atroci-
Gus Of all attempts hitherto made to undermine
tha liberties Of white as well as black men, re-
mains to be seen.
The unabridged right to petition for the removal
of any grievance, or for the grant Of any political
| franchise or beneft-though expressly guarded by
| the Consttution-s anterior to all governments,
compacs, or laws. The right respectfully to ask
what is thought to be good, and what rulers. or
others possessing power, can give, necessarily be-
! longs to every human being. 1t enters vitality in
to the very existence.of the social state. Rarely
is there found a despOtism so mad as would strike
down those who pray FOR justice and mercy. Yet
the necessities Of slavery have done even this
Southern oppressors could not endure that the in.
Justice and manifold dangers Of their system SHOULD
be spread before the nation. They could not re-
ply to the ploadings of humanity aud religion that
were multiplying before Congress. They there
fore trampled down another part of the Constitu'
ton, in order TO stihe the voice of unwelcome
truth.
| In 1870, the Pennsylvania nti-Slayery Society,
of which Benjamin Franklin was President peti-
toned Congress to step to the very verge of the
power vested in them,' in deyising means for the
removal of slavery. This petition was respectful
ly received, debated calmly by Southern as well as
Northern Representatives, Mr., Madison and Gov