Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-07-07
CONVENTION OF RADICAL POLITICAL
ABOLITIONISTS.
" In love, in haste. yours,
"AUGUSTUS WATTLES.'

Inns convention was according 10 announce
ment held last week at Syracuse New York. Sew.
oral States were represented. James McCune
Smith was elected president. l.. c. Matlack and
G. W. Clark Secretaries. Among the prominent
participators in the Convention were Gerrit Smith,
William Goodell, Lewis Tappan, Frederick Doug
lass, Samuel j. May, Beriah Green, Amos Dresser
and c. G. Foote. A declaration of sentiment was
presented and after discussion and modification
adopted. 1t will be found below. In this discus
sion Beriah Green denounced the Federal Gov
ernment as not in any way entitled to be called a
righteous civil government, he said it is no more
than a grim, ghastly conspiracy-a base usurpa-
ton. The province of Civil Government he held
to be the vindication of the right and the punish
ment of the wrong. He thought that the duty of
this Convention was to establish what true govern
ment is.
The character of the Constitution underwent
" pretty thorough discussion. The correspondent
OF the Tribune says of Beriah Green, "he occupi-
ed the last hour in defining his position in antago-
hlsm to portions of tho eating of the
subject of civil government in particular. lie has
no very high idea of the Federal Constitution, nor
of the wisdom and political honesty of the people
of this Republic. Though hitherto acting with the
Liberty party, with the leaders Of which and him.
self, however, there have been wide differences
he appears now to have gone over" to the CARR
sonlans, except that he does not seem to think that
our Union is worth saving or even dissolving."
a financial plan was adopted to which Gerrit
Smith gave his approval by a subscription of $3.50
per month for the ensuing year. A central aboli-
ton Board was also constituted, and The calling of
q National Abolition Convention by this Board is
also provided for. The Board consists of Arthur
Tappan, William Goodell, James McCune Smith,
Simeon S. Jocelyn, William E. Whiting, Edward
V. Clarke, Lewis Tappan, George Whipple and
Samuel Wilde, all of whom are residents of New.
York City and immediate vicinity.
The following resolution was adopted.
Resolved, As the sense Of this Convention, that
the National Abolition Convention to be held in
pursuance OF the action of this Convention, would
do well to consider the question of organizing n
permanent National abolition Society covering the
entire field of moral, political, and ecclesiastical
action: and if thought advisable to proceed to the
organizing of such a Society.
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS.
The Convention of Radical Political Aboli.
tionlsts'" assembled at Syracuse, in Fthe State of
New York, on the Goth, 9th, and 18th DAYS of
June, 1855, improve the opportunity to declare to
the nation and to the world their convictions con-
corning American Slavery, its relations to the
american people and Government, the RESPONSIBLE
lties resting upon them, and the measures thew are
morally bound to employ for the deliverance of
their country and the liberation of the enslaved.
we believe slaveholding to be an usurpation a
crime, and we hold it to be the sacred duty of Civil
government to suppress crime. We conceive slay-
holuing TO be the humiliation of human riqbts
and we hold 1t to'be the grand end and mission of
civil Government to protect human rights.
we accordingly declare and maintain that there
can be no legitimate Civil Government righfully
claiming support and allegiance as such that IS
not authorized, nay, that is not morally aud DO
iucally bound to prohibit and to suppress slave.
holulng. Nay more we hold that the Govern
ment which annihilates instead of protecting in.
nerene rights should be known not as Civil Gov
ern mh II Out only as a conspiracy, a usurpation.
The responsibilities of Civil Government in This
country rest primarily upon the people, by whom
thelr own forms OF government are Instituted, and
VINO ut the ballot-box provide for their administro,
ton in conformity with their wishes.
IL the Federal Government under the Constiru.
.ioh Is not competent to this task, then it is not
competent to be a Civil Government Mt nil or IN
secure the objects set forth in the Constitution
Itself. 1t can neither''form q more perfect Union y
nor establish justice" nor ENSURE domestic tran
guilty" nor provide for the common defense y
nor promote the general welfare" Enor rsecure
the blessings OF liberty to ourselves and our pos.
But We deny that our fathers ever attemntsd
such an absurdity us that of instituting a Civil
government without power to pro- eot the natural
fign's OF It's su9Jects--a Government "to establish
justice and secure the blessings of liberty" with.
OUT powers adequate to the suppression. of slave.
dmg we challenge the proof that when they