Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-11-24

iNhPiti Ou iHuleuh1 evening n0St Nov, -, by "A
lecture Iron Hon. Horace Mann, aud a poem by
d. Whi,ticr-to he read we understand, by Rev.
ihOihis Starr Ming. By referring to tie lat Of
lecturers, ns given IN the oibtial notice in another
e"iuiit' II viii DC sccn that 1t presents n strong
array OF talent aud we rIesuuIy that NH tiukst,
Viii al be readily sold. AS our name Las been
published III connection with that list, and in order
y" define our position, VIC publish the following
letter to the Lec.uting committee, asking for ii a
eandid consideration and an impG tial judgment.
DcsroS, Nov. u, 1855.
GENTLEMEN; Your letter of October LIST, 1855.
tnviuns me to deliver one of the lectures of the
course ON slavery, 10 he given at the fremont Tenn
pie, was NOT received by me til to-day. | hasten
" reply to 1t, aud to give yoa my reasons for
most respectfully declining your courteous invita-
s tiJn.
In tho first place, you state that "a large nun.
Der Ut gentlemen lllias men stealcrs) from the
South wII he invited to favor () us with the views
prevalent IN their vicinity ana | perceive on the
list Ot pledged lecturers, the names If Hon. Hen
ry w. uillaId,ol AiaOana,' Hon. Robert Toombs
oi Georgia, and us probable substitutes, Hon. a.
4. Butler, vi South Carolina, md DR.. William
a. Smith, OF Virginia | understand, moreover,
that your initiation vas also sent to that lawless
%ruthan, the leader of the Missouri. Kansas bandits.
David Il. Atchisor-that desperate aemasogue aud
lsoarIot ira tor to liberty, Stephen Arnold Douglas,
OF lilinoiS-that unmiiiSated BLACKBOARD and
shameless bully, Henry A. Wise, Of N~irginia-and
hht "'HohCi III uulln lblIl Otill W. NllsOn, lIc
the Infamous Trainer. OF Fugitive Slave Law, also
ct Virginia. All these stand committed before the
world as the most malignant enemies of the anti
slavery cause. the most bitter cuntemncrs of the
North, ESPECIALLY of Massachusetts, and the most
fetucirus defenders Of the accursed slave system to
the end Of time as well as actual Shareholders,
whose souls are stepped in pollution, whoie hands
and garments are dripping with the blood of enr
shaved millions, and who, instead Of being polite
~ invited and handsomely paid by you to utter
their DllSphemles AGAINST the tiud of freedom and
the rights Of man, Gcservoto be capitaliy executed,
without benefit Of clergy (f capital punishment
DE permissible In any cee, which | TO not belieye,)
even under the law Of Congress which they them
selves endorse, making it a piratical act, worthy Of
death, to .enslaNe any nauye-Sorn African, by
bringing him to this country for that purpose for
the crime consists solely in the act Of Hnsluvement,
no matter ON what pretence. That they are not
TO lecture Is simply owing to their refusal-their
consistent refusal, | will add, however uncivil may
have been the language used by them, as in the
case o Mr.. Wise. lou invited them in good faith,
and IN the same terms that YOU invited all the
others.
Gentlemen, you are an Auti-Slavery Committee.
You profess T. regard slavery as the sum of all
yllasnies, and seek it's overthrow. Pardon me if
lexpreos my establishment, that you should SO far
forget what Is due to your selfrespect, your moral
consistency, the dignity of the cause YOU have es-
pouSed, and the cnmmun sense Of mankind, as to
extend t >oule Of the most worthless as we'll as
most feudIsh supporters of slavery, an offer to give
them Il liberal remuneI alton, if they will come to
Boston, and do what in them lies to make this pro-
slavery community yet moro hostile to freedom and
therefore more Jealous in the service OF the Slave
Power.
took occasion, in my public reply to Gen. Hous-
ton last year, to enter the same protest against a
similar Invitation extended to him and | sincerely
cherished the hope, that we should be spared the
repetition OF an u~bsurdity SO glazing, and an act SO
cfeEsiNe.
Gentlemen, I wish to do full Justice to your mo-
tives. You doubtless reasoned in this wise BY
inviting the most inveterale shareholders of the
South 10 defend their slave system before Boston
Audience, additional interest will be given TO the
course of lectures-a more widespread discussion
OF the subject will be the consequence-our cause
has nothing to fear, but everything to gain, from
the closest scrutiny-it will be returning good for
evil-we shall exhibit true magnanimity, and
set an example that will put to shame the whole
South for their barbarous treatment Of the aboli-
tiUnists,
Gentlemen, it would mortify Inc TO believe that
there lives the man who goes beyond me in a pro-
found appreciation of what justly pertains to a
noble, fearless and magnanimous course of con-
duct-to free discussion-to an untrammcled plat
form. If there be n journal more free, indepen-
dent and impartial than the LiJe1ator, l know not
ct its existence. If there be an organization
which has more consistently maintained freedom
of speech for all who attend It's meetings than the
American Anti-SiaYery Society, l have yet to learn
its n me.
But, gentlemen, there is but ole ster from the
sublime to the ridiculous Magnanimity, gener-
oslty, n good spirit, are all commendable virtue S;
but 50 are SQUAD discretion, moral propriety. fdel-
ity T. principle. II is not required by the spirit of
Christianity, it is not in accordance with the eter-
nal fitness Of things, to invite men guilty of the
highest kind Of theft to come from u remote part
eli the country, and accept our profered civilities,
that they may show US the utility and excellence
OF rObhing millions OF our countrymenO of their in
alienahle rishts--uf turning them into perisbable
property and articles Of merchandizc-of forcing
them to live in a state of beastly uDcleanness, by
Astonishing the Institution of marriage-Of perpe-
trating upon their bodies and s., irits ell conceiva-
BE outraSes and then to remGnerate them
literally, out Of the anti-slavery treasury, for ,his
anexcusahie and horrible act of yillany! Why,
gcntienlen, this is to run charity and good will into
the greahd. 1t has nc parallel among straight-for-
ward and earnest men. 1t almost gives an air Of
caricatnrc to your entire proceedings. 1t is non
freedom of speech, bat aconsiderateness: it is not
generosity, but improvidence it is not overcoming
evil With g0ed, bet placing good and evil in the
Snme category. making them equally deserving of
pabiie courtesy, and equality dubious as to which
should prevail
What IS particularly surprising is. that you
should have selected from among the shareholders,
and defenders Of slavery, the most insolent, de-
PRAYED, and desperate OF them al-Atchison,
Vase, Douglas, Macon, Toombs and Butler-the
last mep, even among Shareholders, flor there are
grades anung feloRs,) deserving Of notice, much
aess 1T special consideration. ! have already prop /
erly described all bit the two last; and beg leave
Simply to remind you, that Toombs has insultingly
boosted that I've will marshal dis slaves around /
Bunker Fill Monument, and hid Massachusetts to
bberate one OF them Ut her peril. Mr.. Cutler is
the incGrnation Uf South Carolina v erseerisSn, and
represents the State which inprisOns and sells into
interminabls slavery. such colored citizens of NJ ne.
Hadbusets as venture upon her soil, and which
expelled from her limits dur venerable and much
respetaed fat0w,eitizcn. don. Samuel lIoar, though
clothed with all the uficial authority Of the Gem.
nonweglth 10 seek in u constitutional manner, and
Nv due process of law,' to save those Victims of
Ssuthern perhdy from their horrible doom. 1fl.
NC most allow aur p0liteness to ran in that direc.
zion, lei ps ut least selectthe most decent and can
did, nm ths most abandoned and malienant among