Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-06-16

that, as such, they are bound to each other by
common interests and common ties and, in ayow-
ing this, you grant the right of any one member
of that brotherhood to lift up n calm and truthful
testimony, before any oth3r member, on behalf of
humanity, justice and freedom, when these are as.
sailed our outraged.
We are as one with you in the maintenance of
this principle and it is b because we look to you as
brethren, bound to us by the most endeared as
ISOLATION, that we now address you.
1t is in no spirit of pride or fancied superiority
that we make our appeal, bu: rather in a spirit of
standardization, calling to mind that we also were
once partakers of this i~n:quity. And we hope
that tho fact of our having done what we could to
wipe out our reproach ms a nation, once implicated in
upholding slavery, will induce you to give the more
willing and earnest heed to our remonstrance.
Americans We plead with you ON behalf Of
three millions Of immortal beings, whom you hold
in bondage, We plead for tho removal of the curse
from their brow, the gall from their earthly cup,
the chain from their limbs, the iron from their
souls. We plead for tho immediate, unqualified
and entire abolition of slavery throughout your
land.
1t is not necessary that wo enter on an length.
ened proofof the evils of this system. 1t carries is
condemnation with it. That condemnation is heard
in groans Of anguish and written in tears of blood.
1t has been inscribed, AS with letters OF fire, on the de-
solated hearts and homes of millions. The voice Of
the Eternal proclaimsi it. A system which subjects
three millions Of human beings to the condition Of
mere "chattels PERSONAL in the eye of the law
which ~deprivcs them of all their rights and priv
leges as intelligent and accountable creatures
which disallows or breaks asunder the most sa-
cred ties Of life-which virtually annulls the
"higher law" of God, and substitutes in its stead
the absolute will of a sinful man as q rule of ODE.
diencc-which robs its victims of the fruits of
their toll, and denies to them the means and CD
portunities of cultivating their deathless faculties
"A system which sanctions atrocities like these
must be essentially wrong and unutterably shame.
iul, and cannot be mentioned in the same breath
with truth, righteousness and freedom.
Americans: We appeal to you, on the ground
OF our common humanity, to abolish this system.
We assert the manhood of the enslaved. These
three millions who are in bondage are men and
women like ourselves; gifted with like thoughts.
like feelings, like aspirations and, like us, too.
destined for immortality. Why, then, treat them
as IT they belonged not to human kind ? That
there are humane men among the upholders of the
slave system, and slaves who receive humane treat.
ment, we readily acknowledge and yet we are
compelled to say, the inevitable tendency of such
q system must be to subject the enslaved to treat.
ment that is anything but humane. Where is the
humanity Of treating men and women as if they
were brute beasts or creeping things2 of tramp
ping In the dust the most sacred relationship Of
life? Of rearing slaves like cattle for the market? of
subjecting them to the lash and to numerous indig.
mites and immoralities and this according to the
caprice or passion Of an irresponsible owner. Is
there even the semblance of humanity here? We
plead with you to treat the slave rs a man.
We appeal to you on the ground of Justice.
Where is the justice that is dealt out to the slave ?
Where is there anything m~criting the name? The
system takes from the slave all that he has, all
that he gains, from life's commencement even to
its close. 1t strips him of money, house, wife,
children. 1t deprives him Of education, civil
rights, liberty of conscience, the Bible. 1t con.
dennis him without a hearing, and subjects him,
without a trial, to bonds, imprisonment and even
death. In vain does he look for justice at the
hand of his oppressor. There is no tribunal of
righteousness to which he can appeal. In the
preamble to your noble Constitution, it is affirmed
that it was framed 'to establish justic,' and yet
there arc three millions Of human beings at this
hour, within the bounds of your republic, who
may be treated with every i~ndignity and cruelty,
while the justice of your land extends no shield
! over their helpless heads.
We appeal to you on the ground of consistency
. And is no. this the fundamental principle set forth
in your glorious Declaration of Independence
e that 'all men are born free and equal; that they
S are endowed by their Creator with certain unalien
able rights; that among these are life, liberty ant
! the pursuit Of happiness?" What means this Ian
guage? Does it not mean that the man of color
e as well as the white, is man? That the blacl
, man is born free as we'll as the white ? That Goo
f has given to the black man, as well as the white
y those inalienable ri shts? Where, then. is the con
sistency between your profession and your practic,
u as a people?
y Again in your past history, you have shown tina
$ you are ever ready tc sympathize with the victim
! Of despotism in other lands in their struggles TO
r. freedom. In this you do well. We mingle on
Y sympathy with yours. But where is the consis
tency Of having overlooking sympathies for tn
u enslaNed afar off, and bondage and oppression 70
n
millions in the bosom of your own land
h We appeal to you on the sacred ground of GU
common Christianity. Shall our appeal here b.
UNDECIDED? America proclaims itself to be
Christian land. And is not the very spirit O
Christianity one of love? But where is the mani
~festation of that spirit in the enslavement of tire
millions of your ~fellow-men? Is not this tn
teachings Of Christianity's Divine Author, "Lov
N thy n~eighbor as t~hyself?" And who is thy neigh
Dor? That down-trodden slave lis be. But wher
is your love, when you even deny him the right t
be a man? Does not Christianity teach that Go
has 'made of one blood all nations of men to dwel
on all the face of the earthr" But how can yo
reconcile this great truth with your conduct i
shutting out the poor slave from the bro:herhoo
h of humanity? Is not this the grand law for tn
IN regulation of conduct betwixt man and man, a
G, laid down by the Great Teacher himself, 'Whatst