Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-12-01

. hhHFH htllhil u lllNG WilllN11HI
Of our brethren, held in Slavery, in the United
States
In behalf Of two hundred and fifty thousand so
caled, free persons Of color, occupying various
grades of social and political position, from equal
citizenship in most OF the New England States, to
almost chattol slavery in Indiana and the Southern
States:
In behalf Of three hundred thousand slavchol.
ders, ombruted with the lavlessness, and drunken
with the blood.guiltiness Of slaycholding
In behalf Of the Constitution Of these United
States, during sixty years perverted and miscon-
strucd, SO as to road things for persons, and Sla.
very for Liberty
In behalf of the religion of Jesus Christ, brought
into shame and d%isreputo by the evil constructions
aud worse practices fastened upon it by the Amer
lean Church
In behalf of the sacred cause of IrMAN FREE.
Dow, beaten down and p~aralyzed by the force Of
the American Example,
The undersigned, delegates to n Convention Of
the People Of Color, held in the city Of Philadel-
phia, October 18th, 1852, beg leave, most respect
fully to address you
We claim that we are persons. not things, and
we claim that our brethren heli - slavery are also
persons, not things; and that they ore Therefore, SO
held in slavery in violation az the Constitution,
which is the supreme law Of the lands For the
Constitution expressly declares. that all human
beings, described under it, are PERSONS, and after
wards declares that 40 PERSON shall be deprived
of liberty without due process of law" and that
tRe ilnul Oh the people 70 nc secure III llCiT PERSONS
shall not be violated 2 And as no law has ever
been er acted, 4 which reduce our brethren to sla-
very, we demand their immediate emancipation,
and restoration to the rights secured to every per-
son under the Constitution, as the instant result OF
the personality with which the Consultation itself
clothes them. and which it was ordai led to pro-
tect and defend.
All human beings who may be born in this land,
in whatever condition, and all who may come or
NAY have been brought to this land, under what
ever circumstances, are declared by the Constltu-
ton to be Persons; the idea that such may be
property, or may become property, is no where
recognized, but every where excluded by the Con-
stitution.N
The Constitution, moreover. endows Congress
with the power, and calls on Congress to exercise
the power to abolish slavery in the slave States,
when it declares that Congress shall provide for
the General welfare and announces that "the
United States shall guaranty to every State in this
onion "A republican form of governments" and that
'this Constitution, and the laws Of the United
States, which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
shall lie the supreme law of the land; and the
judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any
thing in the Constitution or laws of any State
to the contrary Notwithstanding" (Art. e, sec.
q
1t is not ncedful to prove that slavery inhibits,
oJStructs and threatens to destroy the general
welfare" and is therefore an institution which
Congress is competent, and in duty bound, to abol-
ish everywhere where it may Sause such obstruc-
ton. Nor is it necessary to show that slavery is
= contradiction of the Republican form CT govern.
ment. which the United States, that is Congress, is
competent, and in duty bound, to abolish every
where where it may cause such obstruction. Nor
is it necessary to show that slavery is a contradic-
ton of the Republican form of Government,
which the United States, that is Congress, is con-
stitutionally bound 'to guaranty" to each and sew
cry State in the Union;" which guaranty can only
be accomplished by Immediately abolishing sla-
very in every State where it may exist. These
things contain their own proof in the very state
iRent Of them.
We claim, therefore, that the right end duty of
Congress to abolish slavery in the slave States, is
just as clear and well defined in the Constitution
rs the right to levy duties, declare war, or make a
treaty.
To uphold a contrary view of tho Constitution,
requires that that instrument should contradict it.
self, and requires also that the idea of personal
liberty, as defined by it, and on which you all, fell
low-citizens, so confidently rely, shall be entirely
erased therefrom. The personality of the negro
and Of the white man stand therein side by side;
you cannot destroy the one without also destroying
the other; you cannot uphold the one without also
unfolding both.
We solemnly believe, fellow-citizens, that a vast
majority Of you ardently wish that slavery may be
abolished, and are willing to join in any lawful
movement to accomplish this great purpose. We
call upon you, therefore, at once to set about this
glorious work in accordance with the provisions Of
the Constitution which is the supreme law of the
land Elect such a Congress, such a President,
and thereby secure the appointment Of such a Ju-
dietary as will guaranty to each man, woman and
child, in the land, the right to their own persons,
which the Constitution guarantees. There is no
other way, there has been, there can be no other
way to abolish slavery and the slave power through
out the land.
1t is idle to talk of preventing the extension or
circumscribing the limits Of slavery: there is no
f0:t of American Territory over which slavery is
not already triumphant, and will continue trium-
plant, 50 long rs thsro remain any foot Of Ameri-
can Territory on which it is admitted that man
can hold properly in man. Ii is imbecile for you,
fellow citizens, with the gives On your wrists, and
your chains clanking audibly to the rest of man
kind, any longer to boast the possession, or speak
Of the maintenance of your personal rights and
franchises.
During sixty-eight years you have suffered us
TO be robbed Of these rights and franchises. in the
ibellef That your own continued unimpalred. But
now, after tie experience of two generations, you
find your own rights Invaded and Ycgr own privi-
deges taken away in like manner vii ours.
/! is n0w, therefore, demonstrated. by incontro-
vertibie History, that you cannot, by w~hateyor neg
leet or suffered nisinterpretation Of the Constitu-
ton, imperii or abandon cnr rights, without, in
like manner imperilling and abandoning your own.
1t stan Is forth in letters Of living light, while there
remains one black slave in the Union. And there
can be nu higher praise OF the Constitution, than
ihat its workings are absOlute-if rightly interpre-
ted, for Freedom-if wrongly, for Slavery to all.
As at present misinterPreted and carried out,
your own rights under the Constitution, fellowciti,
gems, are NOT a shade higher than those Of the yer.
lest slave in the south: your local elective fran
chises are exercised, your very territory occupied,
your relations at home and abroad regulated at
the bidding Of the slave power; and you must Ell.
ther remain the willing victims of their atrOcious
institution, and hing the chains daily sccumula
ting upon you, or you must at once rise and rend
them, and regain your own liberties while you
establish those of your brethren in bonds.
We earnestly call upon you, therefore, fellow.
citizens, ia behalf Of the down-troddea slave, in
behalf of your own imperilied liberties, in behalf
Art. 6. 2.
t Art |. sec. 2. Z 3. and sect. 8. : /. and Art. A
sect. 2 g..
I Amendments Art. l. IS.
Id.s4 4.