Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-07-07

7pie ana hcceptAblc. , ne blgher Law school, NJ
the head of which stood Cicero, advocated that un-
just ordinances and decrees were equivalent to an
attempt to "cfeaic law, which was in itself impos-
siblc. 1t was contonded by these noble civilians
that that is not law, and therefore not obligatory,
which is not in itself just. Nor could the people
alter anything in this respect. They were bound
by the eternal law MS much as the Senate They
had no power to make injustice right nor to bind
any man to the performance of an unjust act. "li
laws, said he could be created by the ordinance,
OF the people, the dccrees ct princes, or the sen
fences Of the judges as was the doctrine Of some
then, robbery might be lawful, adultery might be
lawful, setting up forged wills might be lawful, ii
these should be approved by the voter or the ordn
ancos Of the multitude
The same corrupting and destructive sophistry
was then stealing its way into Roman society un
der the influence Of Shareholders, which Is now ST
alarmingly prevalent in portions of American so
clety namely: that whatever the supreme power
DEGREES in nation is right, and therefore binding
Cicero saw the fatal consequences of this sophistry
and met 1T as 1t deserves TO be met III America.
"If" said he, "lhgre be such power in the DEGREES
and commands Of fools, that the nature Of things
is changed by their votes, why do they not decree
that what is bad and pcrnieous shall be regarded
good and wholesome? or why, it the law can
make wrong right can it not make bad good p
1t was all to no purpose, however that Cicero
attempted to beat back the flood of ega! corruption
that was overwhelming the nation. The support
ers or njustice-the aristocracy, the Shareholders
who had already gone far in robbing the people,
in crushing free labor, in making the people the
infamous tools of their own run in corrupting
the Senate, the judges, and every possible source
of right, had too firmly established themselves for
Cicero to eucceed in restoring the nation to first
principles. When the sources Of legislation le
come so corrupt that there is not moral energy
enough to recover first principles, the ruin of the
citil state the destruction Of society, is as ineyi
table as if the avenging angel dashed his txtermi
mating thunders upon the nation in one awful
blaze. Roman Shareholders triumphed; they war
red against God and his law of nations they des-
troyed free labor, common education, robbed the
people of their lands covered them with slaves :
and Rome the Republic fell, and Caesar ascended
the throne.
All, sirs, once break down the law of right-let
nation once ccncede that one man may Without
crime hold another in slavery, and rob him of his
rghts-once let tho people Join with the slavehold-
er and say that there is no higher law than the
DEGREES of the slave power--once compromise ius-
tce for the sake of union and peace-and every
pillar Of the civil temple has become rotten, can
kered anu eaten by worms then but football,
the jar OF the passing train, single human voice,
may throw the pile of ages into heap of desolate
ruins.
Society from everlasting is built upon the same
principles. Those principles are Gods, not man $
They are for the safety of class to the exclusion
OF others. They are for the equal safety CT all.
Lay your impious hands upon them for their des-
truction, and your own ruin is certain Break
down the fences and guards around freedom, and
you shall be the first to be made slave when the
master'tylant mas comes open the way tor SdespGt:s,
iron iron heel, '''' -'''' ~ ~ '''' N'''' ''''
Common right is universal, equal, opposed to
the assumed right of the few. Government, then
cannot allow it, as it is built on common law, com
mon right, justice. Government cannot, then,
sanction sayeholding-that would be justice sane
tioning injustice. 1t would be favoring assumed
partial right in its warfare against common right
against the fundamental principle of government
Not government, then, but arbitrary power, sane
tions slavery. For common-li ght law is fun iamen-
tal-the first PRIME sole law of social organiza-
tion-the primal law of human relations 1t is
absolute. Would you go behind that? yen shall
meet face to face the Eternal God. Would you
pierce beneath it? you shall meet the impenetrabe
rock Of Divine Justice. Would you above it 4?
then you shall pass into the heavens of Infinite
Love.
America is following Greece and Rome. She
has rebelled against her law of laws. She has
abandoned common right She legislates for slave
holders Had Rome gone so far towards ruin
three hundred years from her foundation? How
old is America? Where is her ma tionaity? What
is her name abroad?
When Rome had become rotten with this sin, the
bnrbarians came forth and dragged her carcase to
the pit. Yet you quote Rome. "rhe Romans
l'helU slaves say YOU, 'anu therefore, Americans
may hold slaves" Why not saw "America has q
right to rebel against Heaven, and defy Eternal
Justice suicide?"
of Christ and his teachircs Of libcrly our ontho,
,,.c,".S,''y.
draws peautAiui picture
While society in the Roman Empire was boeom
ing chaos OF corruption under The disorganizinj
influence OF slavery, Christ was born within It a
a new terminating and organizing energy. Onl.
masters and slaves were to be found. Those VIII
5oasted OF their freemanship were the oppressor
of those called slaves All the common Offices o
life had become degraded, Common charity hat
grown into monstrous hypocrcy. Justice haC
fled, and left tyranny with its scepter OF IRON t
rule in the name OF law. Public virtue, there was
none; and the common rights of humanity wer
as if they had never been. The indoient pr9ui
lived upon the tolls OF those they had degraded
into beasts OF burden and looked with sancum9nl
Gus contempt upon the sons OF labor Whom thel
called slaves as II labor had been designed py
the creator degradation ana tiose were vel 10 pe
scorneo and crushed under the iron heei Oh Vrah1.