Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-14
ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.
ADDRESS
To tie People Of The 7oentjeM Congressional Dis
tyict of Ohio.


FELLOW CITIZENS: The action of the 33d Con
gress will constitute interesting chapter in the
political history of our country. 1t will als1 give
character to the biography of many of our prOmi
nent Statesmen. The outrages it has perpetratcd
upon the laws of God, the rights of humanity, the
civilization of the age, the Constitution of the
country and the honor of the people of the free
Sta'es, will excite the wonder of coming genera
tions.
The conflict in Congress between the advocates
Of oppression and the supporters of liberty COM
menced as early l706, became deeply interesting
in 1897, and occasionally attracted attention up to
1855, when it became more intensified by the adOp-
tion of the odous gagresolutions, prohibiting de-
bate, and excluding petitions on the subject of
slavery.
SO reckless was the slave power in 1912, that a
statesman of distinguished abilities Of great ex-
perience, of worldwide fame, was arraigned for
trial at the bar of the House of Representatives
for presenting to that body a respectable petition
from the people of this State. And the humble
individual now addressing You was publicly CEN
sured for expressing in that body the opinion that
Congress did not possess the constitutional right
to involve the people of Ohio and the other Free
States in the disgrace, guilt, and expense of sus
tanning the coast-wse slave trade
Not content with these insults to northern free
men, the slave power turned its attention to the
policy of strengthening itself. The annexation of
Texas, the Mexican war, the compromise measures
of 1850, the Baltimore platforms of 1852, appear
ed to prepare the way for the present executive
Looking to The past, he judged that the same ag-
gressiveness on the part of freedom which had
characterized our former history would continue
in coming time. lie therefore placed himself far
in advance of all his predecessors in pledging al.
lance to the slave power and promising his efforts
to stay the tide of civilization and Christianity,
which appeared to be gradually gaining ascenden-
cy the institution of slavery.
The memorable declaration in his inaugural ad
dress, that slavery is based upon the same prnci-
Piles other recognized rights, and that it is the
duty of Congress to uphold it by legslation will
probably be remembered longer than any other
opinion which he uttered. They constituted
the prominent doctrines which he intended to
base his administration, and to rear the fabric of
his future fame. Accordingly series of egisa-
tive efforts were entered upon with the evident in
tention to carry out this policy. The payment
from our treasury for the slaves lost by the Span
ish pirates board the Amistad, was strongly
recommended in the Presidents first annual mes
sage.
Treaties were obtained for the annexation of q
portion of Mexico, and for territory on the bay OF
Samana in San Domingo. Efforts to restore the
African Slave Trade were commenced in the Sen.
ate, and the public press loud in its demands
for treaty with Great Britain by which that gov
ernment should be constrained restore the fugi
tive slaves now in Canada The most active exer-
tions were put forth to obtain from Great Britain
compensation to slave-dealers who lost possession
of their human chattels by shipwreck and landing
on British soil from on board American slave ships
and a deliberate conspiracy was entered into be-
tween the Executive and some of our eminent
statesmen to plunge the nation into with
Spain if necessary to stay the tide of civilization
in Cuba This moral treason to government, this
perfdy to mankind, this infdelity to God, Wa
called forth upon the pretence that we were bound
to prevent the abolition of slavery in Cuba for the
purpose of preserving the institution in our South
ern States.
The whole plot now stands revealed. The base
design of sacrificing national treasure, our honor
and the lives of an indefinite number Of the people
to sustain the mCst revolving system of oppression
that ever cursed the earh stands confessed by the
President and his coad utors upon the records OF
the nation. By that record the people and pros
terity will Judge them. But never at any prev
Gus period of our history has the federal power
been perfectly subservient to the demands Of
slavery as during the late Congress.
BY the Gadsden treaty, the people paid ten mil
lions of dollars for territory which to spread
slavery idemnity for slave-dealers was OBJ
tained from Great Britain, and the Missouri re
striction was repealed, and slavery permitted tt
extend into Kansas and Nebraska. These plans
consummated before the people bad an op
portunity to express their condemnation of the
Presidents policy. At the autumnal elections
the popular voice was proclaimed in language MOI
to be misunderstood. The President heard it; anG
at the late assembling of Congress no alluson was
made ny the President in his annual message tC
the policy which he so boldly proclaimed in hi,
inaugural address; nor to any one of the plans for
sustaining slavery in which he had been SO ardent
ly engaged. His friends silently abandoned their
efforts to restore the foreign slave-trade not
word has since been uttered by any of them in re
gard to paying for the Amistad Slaves; the treaty
obtaining territory on the Island of San DomingC
has been abandoned nothing is now said in rcgarG
to obtaining territory from Mexico, or for regain
ing possession of fugitive slaves in Canada; and
what is more important, it would seem that the
plan OF conquering Cuba, in case Spain refuses Il
sell it, has also been given up.
One year since, the whole Southern press ant
many Northern papers declared the annexation o
Cuba to the United States matter of "mdniteS
Destiny" A Minister to Madrid was selected ap
gparently for the very purpose of purchasing tha
island, or OF bringing on a war with Spain in or
der to obtain it by conquest.
But the elections of last autumn appeared Il
have changed the whole tone of the southern press
:as we'll as that of the administration, and to hav
entirely modified their views of manifest destmy'
The whole proceeding presents a most ludi
crous history OF seryile nfatuation, and shows tn
power which the people WELD over their publ
servants.
One point in this most interesting ubject shoult
not be overlooked. The conference at Ostend wa
composed of our Ministers at Madrid, at Paris
and at London-two Shareholders and north
Gin man who had distinguished himself by de
claring in the Senate of the United States tina
'the northern democracy are the natural allies o
southern Shareholders" They met by order o
the President. They declared in favor of obtain
ing Cuba, for the that she was in danger o
Becomiug free. Tney proposed to pay Spain ON
hundred ond twenty millions of dollars III orde
to purchase it. Twelve millions OF that amoun
must have been paid by the people of Ohio Blu
those shareholders were willing to tax the peopl
of our State these twelve millions Of dollars
preserve slavery in Cuba
can conceive of no proposition more insutin
TO the independent freemen of our State. 1t show
them how far pnprincipled politicians dare 60 j
their conspracies against liberty But here agai
we see that the condemnation of tho President
policy in Ohio by eighty thousand majority in o.
tober last, gave all concerned to understand ths