Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-10-27

800 ~ $50 GeNeA
manner md purpose, without, any reference to II
discussion with MIR. Barker, or any tne else, to
which, however, the Republicans we've invited, to
hear their claims to public confidence especially
examined. The notice for this meeting was sub.
sequently promulgated in the Association Of tho
Friends Of Human Progress, in Mr.. Bankers pres
ence, and it may he he was specially invited, Il
have no doubt he supposed himself to BEL to at
tend and take part, rs it is customary wit, Mr.
Foster in all his meetings to invite the opponents
Of his opinion to express their views. If the par
ticular question already named was ever intended
to be made the subject for the evenings exercises,
| failed to understand it so, in the original arrange.
ment for the meeting, or in the notice given of it
at the Progressive meeting. though present on
both occasions. / never heard it announced any
where, and should never have inferred it from Mr..
Fosters course in the meeting. where his manner
Of treating his subject was mainly the same as at
our Anniversary, and other places where l had
heard him. l desire to record my understanding
Of the matter, solely that it may be correctly mp
pretended by distant friends of our cause, who
are likely to have their attention arrested, at least
by the unpleasant portion of this controversy.
or vastly more importance to the cause Of the
slave, and to the welfare of individuals protesting
to De his friends, whether Republicans or Disu-
nionists, is the careful consideration Of the ques.
tion, "are political abolitionists the greatest obsta-
cles to the anti-slavery cause" BY political abo-
litionists, in this connection of course is to be un-
derstood those who aim at the abolition of sla-
very, and at the same time at the support and per.
petuity of this Union, understanding the Consti-
tnt;np ~ rossos. tLo 49, sI,,o,u - tit
it is usually construed, and understood. With all
intelligent, conscientious and impartial persons,
outside of the United States, as the umpire think
MIR. Foster, or any other skilful debater, would
have little trouble in establishing the affirmative
of the question. Granting to individual members
of the Republican party, all the hatred of slavery
and self sacrificing spirit in seeking its abolition,
which may be claimed for them by even the en-
thusiasts of their number, and from an intimate
acquaintance with many of them / am most hap.
py to be able to declare ! have a confidence in their
desire to see slavery brought to an end, equal to
that which | feel in any disunionist, still this adj
mitted sincerity of MOTIVE it ought to be obvious to
all, is no evidence the means that they have chosen
are adequate to accomplish the end they desire. Let
it be remembered that Slavery does not exist
merely by the will of the master. Three hundred
and seventy thousand slave-owners could not keen
three and a half millions in bonds, for day after
the bondsman became aware that no other power
than that Of their owners, interviewed between them
and their freedom. None know this better than
the slave owners themselves, and therefore they
have erected slavery into an institution, supported
primarily by the individual States, but ultimately
by the power of the whole Federal Union. Slave
owners themselves being the judges, and the COM
opinion, without this pledge of the
support of the General Government, Slavery
could not be continued; the States separately being
unable. unaided, to retain that feature in their DO.
litical institutions.
Now this Union by which alone slavery has ex-
listed, and now continues, which is the ultimate
power which gives it present existence, and a pros.
poet for the future in any portion of the United
States, is upheld and supported as freely and COM
ptetely by the Republican, as by the Democrat, or
Wing.
Whilst the government remains unaltcred, sla-
very must continue, 50 long as the slave owner de-
sires to perpetuate it, and need not necessarily by
the natural course of events, die out in the terri.
WY ~" "SSu'o0 W y III SSHtuiieo " COilc.-
Hedge it into its present compass by restrictions
if you will, and can, and the ingenuity which is
now bestowed upon.the effort to acquire new terri
tory for its expansion, will be given to the discov-
cry Of means to keep it profitable within present
limits. 1t is a speculative opinion merely. and
not a problem susceptible of Affirmative demon
~stration, that slavery must die out if restricted in
territory. But it is on this speculative opinion
alone that all the anti-slavery action of the Repub-
lican party ID based. A dreadfully delusive one,
which they adhere to with desperate .enacit y,
partly out Of misplaced veneration for the work of
their ancestry, and 10 part from conservatism and
%timidity, the natural outgrowth of temporal pros
perty.
That party swears annually, anew, its fidelity to
the Union, and in the language of the Cincinnati
Gazette, Ito preserve the compromises of the Con-
stitution, both as they regard Freedom AND Sla-
very intact and inviolate." Every intelligent man
knows that SO long as those compromises remain
Intact aud inviolate," the Republican, as well as
every other participant in the government stands
body guard to the slave owner, preventing the lib
Grafton OF the slaves either Though bis own efforts
or the assistance of others. Agreeing that every
portion of our soil may be ~prOfaned by the foot Of
the slavehunter, and that the political power which
from an enumeration of the slaves, may be usur-
ped and used, not only to tho injury of the slave,
but of the whole community. And he knows fur
Their that without a change in the political arrange
ments of the country, slavery must continue as
long as the master desires it. That party there
fore d~eluding by the idea of its tendency to eman
~cipation, the honest anti-slavery feelings and in
tentions of The masses, into a position which en-
forces the continuance of slavery, and by standing
in the way of such political efforts as look to its
overthrow in the States, is justly chargeable with
being the greatest obstacle to the anti-slavery
cause. whatever may be the desires and intentions