Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-05-26
CHARLES SUMNER.


III. And now, in the third place. the Anti.Sla-
very ENTERPRISE, which have shown to he at once
necessary and practicable is commended hy its in
herent Dignity. Here the reasons are obvious and
nnanswerable.
Its object is benevolent; nor is there, in the drea
ry annals of the Past, single enterprise which
stands forth more clearly and indspntably entitled
TO this character. With unsurpassed and touching
magnanmity it seeks to benefit the lowly whom
your eyes have not seen, and who are ignorant
even of your lahours, while it demands and re-
ceives sef-sacri6ce calculated to ennoble an en-.
terprise of even questionable merit. Its true
rank is among works properly called phildnthropic
1.-The title of highest honour on earth. Il take
goodness in this sense" SAYS Lord Bacon in his
Essays, "the affecting Of The peal Of men which is
what the Grecians call Philanthropea-of all vir-
tues and dgnites of the mind the greatest, being
the character of the Deity and without it, man is
busy, mischievous, wretched thing no better
than kind of vermn" Lord Bacon was right,
and perhaps. unconscously followed higher nu-
thoritv: for when Moses asked the l. rd to show
unto him His glory, the lord said Il will make
oil my goodness to pass before thee" Ah! Sir,
Peace has trophies fairer and more perennial than
any snatched from fields of blood but among all
these the fare.t md most perennial are the trorh-
les of 5enefcence. Scholarship, literature inris-
nrudence art m " wear their we'll deserved hon
ours; but an Enterprse of goodness deserves, and
will yet receive. higher palm than these
Germs the cause of Human Freedom. which. from
the earliest lys. has been the darling of history
Bv all the memories of the Past; by the stories Of
childhood and the stu1es of youth; by every ex-
nmnle Of mlTnanim1u aus virtue ! v every aspiration
fnr tho rood and true: nv the fame Of the martyrs
swelling through all time; bv the renown of patr
ots whose lives lrn1m nrks of progress: hy tho
praise avishei upNn our fathers. vnu are summon.
ed IN this work. Unless Freedom he an illusion,
and henpv Hence nm error. vou cannot resist the
II l.I-.o IL. A. -
our fathors. iaasmnch as it is more exalted To
truggle for the freedom Of others than for our
oTn -'
Its nr,ctical Importance at this moment gives ;"
IL IN liitional eminence. Whether measured hy
tho n,i,,hnr of beings it seeks To benefit; by the
mar,;.,,dn Of the wrongs it hopes to relieve; u.
hn difaultes which be ,et it; by the political reia-
tion which it affects; by the ability and character
in mas enlise the of the slave now assumes
nr,o ,rtions of grandeur which dwarf ail other Ia
terests in uur broad country. In its presence the
IN n.chinatn, Of pIlitic ms, the aspirations "l
off e-seekers and thc subteruges ui party. n sih@
below even their ordinary nSignitcance. E"r my
self Sir can lt.le else ut this lime tm"ng IL
which can tenot nut ON To the exposed steelS I'll
spnhi; life an honest man, WIN wishes, ny some
thlnr that he res to leave the whrlt 'etlc' ma
n, f,uatI it, cln see little else which can afford
anv nf th ,se sati .fi,,tionS which an honest mai
sh ,ull c,vet. n is there amy ciuse which
surely promises tn'l success :;
"Oa, A fair cause stands firm and will abide;
sF Les;ons of angels tight upIn its side"
Iti. written that in the l,>t days there shall be
s.,fs.s an eyen this Enterpri>e. thus phil lnthrn
ni, h,s II " e4.lp.l their nSpers ions And as the
obeotirits tI-itS Necessity were two old. and the
objections t, its PtI.ti"l',iity tw"t''i. So also.
are the ,sper4inns wof,ll; first, in the form "i
h.rl words. aud, So; - iiy. hy personal tlSparaSe'
fment of tn pSe yal ire glSel IN 1t.
j, ihc nrsS il,
anl preiu Ices of men; hut they generally end III
the mi Jutntiun Of fan ltirSm." In snch cause
i am whllns to he c lllel IA atlc. or what yo,
will care not for aspersions. nor shall shrink
before hilrl words either here "r elsewhere.
have learned from ,hat great EnSlishmnn Oliver
Cromwell that no man can be trusted "whn Is
tafra,lnf II plper pellet; and am too familiar
with history to know, that every m ,vement t."
ree,rn in Church or State, every endeav"hr f"i
Hun IN Liberty ur IIumtn Rights, has been thus
assalci | d. nht furget with what facility and
ffred,IeiI,.y hard woTtls have been empl"yed-hOw
th,t gran ie It character nf many generations, the
sprecursnr of our own Washington. without whose
example nur Republic might have taed-the grea
William, Prince OF Orhnge the founder OF the
Dutch Republic, the United States of llolland-l
fdD4not3 forget how he publicly branded as "a
periurer aud q pest of society; and, not to dwell
on general instances, how the enterprise for the alb
olitun Of the Slave trade was characterized on the
fjnr of Parliament, by one eminent speaker, a.
9 dslusive"; and how the exalted characters which
it had enlisted were arraigned by still anothcr EN-
inent spcaker-nOne other than that Tarlctnn, ~
cons ricuous- the commander OF the British hnrs'
ainthe Southern campaigns of our Revolution, bu
y more cUnspicuuus in politics ut home-'as Junt
of sectlries, sophists, enthusiasts, ard fanatics
and also we're again arraigned hv no less persol
tlrana prince of the blood, the Duke of Clarence
afterwprds William w. of England, as ''either ia
gsnatics orhyppcr,es," in one ot which classes h
openly placed William Wilberforce. But impair
tial history with immortal pen, has redressed thes
impassioued judgments and the 81 ame impartla
history win yetrejudge the impassioned judgment
Of this hoar' SGD t.I.L
g. H lrd words have been followed by persona
disparagement and the sneer is often launched tina
our Enterprise, lacks the authority OF names EN-
hnent in Jhtrch and State If this be so the NOR
as the pity on their account; for our cause in need
ed to them than they are needed t" onr cause
III. alas! it is only according tn the example q
h;storv that it should be so. 1t is not the eminen
- Ch4rch and State. the rich and powerful the ia
oStnr;,eso of fortune and Of place, who most prnmp
.,e"i...,a truth. when she heralds change j
,Ss assisting ,r,arof things. 1t is others IN poore
nond;,;an Who throw ulen their hosptahle hear'
10 the Unattended stranger Wv more; u Is nc
the iwellers amidst the glare ot the "o.'u' pue III
humble and lowly. who most clearly discern ne
duties-as the watchers. placed IN the dePlus W
WE'LL may observe the stars which are obscure
those who live in the eifulgence ot noon. race
below the egotism and prejudice OF seii'hteies''
fof' a class-rbelaw the cares and temptations
wealth or power the obscurity OF common ii'
They discern the new signal and surrende
themsalves sqnreserredly TO it's gsidanee. IL
SayIcutSknew this. u did not call upon the Prize
humble fisherman by the sea Of Galilse.