Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-05-19

ccCt VI parry DuN llc CuuSc Ol inc slave, IN all It's
forms aud degrees, and under all its names-whe-
thcr inspired by the pulpit. the press, the cconom.
list or the pnlitician-whethe in the carly, persis-
aud comprehensive demands of Garrison, the
gentler utterauces of Charming, or the strictly
constitutional endeavOrs of others now actually
sharing tire public councils of the country. To
carry through this review under its different heads
| shall not hesitate to meet the objections which
have been urged against this Enterprise, so far, at
least, as | am aware If them. And now, us | adj
dress you seriously, | venture to ask your serious
attention even to the end. Not easily can q public
address reach that highest state of completeness
which is found in ~mingling the useful and the
agreeable; but desire to say, that, in this ar
and coordination OF my remarks to-
night, | seek to cultivate the highest courtesy of a
speaker, which is found in clearness.
|. | begin with the NECESSITY of -the Anti.
Slavery, enterprise. lnth1 wrong OF. Slavery, as
dcfned Jy eriSting lac, this necessity r. plainly ap-
parent nor can any man within the sound of
my voice, who listens to the authentic words of
the law, hesitate in my conclusion. a wrong so
gricvous and unquestiOnable should not be allowed
to continue. For the honor of human nature,
and for the good Of all concerned, 10 should at once
cease to eriSt. On this simple statement, rs II
cornerstone, | found the necessity of slre Anti
Slavery Enterprise.
1 do not dwell, Sir, on he many tales which
come from the house of bondage; on the bitter
sorrows there undergone on the flesh, CALLED by
the manacle or splitting blood beneath the lash
on the human form mutilated by the knife, or
scared by red-hOt iron on the ferociuus scent of
blood hounds in chase Of human pioy on the sale
of fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, broth
ers and sisters, little children-even iniantS-at
the auction-block on the practical prostration OF
all rights, ali ties, and even all hope on the dead
ly injury to morals. in substituting cOncuOinage
for marriage, aud CHI ,nging the whole land of sa-
very into a by-wOrd Of shame, only fifty pictured
by the language Of Dante when he called his own
degraded country o house OF Ill Fame and, last
of all, on the perniciOus influence upon The mas
ter as well as the slave, showing itself too often,
even, by his own confession, in rudeness Of man
neis and character, and especially in that blind
ness which renders him insensible to the wrong he
uphOlds while he,
$50 perfect is his misery,
Not once pcrceives his foul Disagreement,
"But boasts himself more comely than before"
On these things | do not dwell, although volumes
are at hand Of unquestionable facts and of illus.
tratiye story. so just and happy as to vie with
fact, out of which | might draw, until like Macbeth.
YOU had supped full! Of horrors.
But all these | put aside; not because l do not
regard them of moment in exhibiting the true
character Of slavery, but because | desire to pre-
sent this argument on grounds above all contro
vcrsy, impeachment, or suspicion, even from slave
masters themselves. Not on triumphant story
not even on indisputa5le facts, do | now accuse
Slavery, but on its character, as revealed in it.
own simple definition Of itself. Out Of it's owl
mouth do l condemn it. By the lac Of Starery
man, created in the image Of God, is Invested q
his human character, and declared TO be a mere
chattcl. That this statement may not seem to 1t
put fUrwFrd with0 ut Il precise authority, | quote
the law of two different States. The civil code o
Louisiana thus defines a slave:
"a slave is one who is in the power of q master
to whom he belongs. The master may sell him
dispose Of his person, his industry. and his la
Dor. lie can do nothing, possess nothing. MOI
acquire anything but what must belong to his mas
ter CirH Code, Art. 50.
The law of another polished slave State give
this definition
Slaves shall be deemed, held taken, reputed AM
adi Judged in law to be chadeiS PERSONAL, in The hand
ot their owners, and possc>sors, and their eXecu
tors, administrators and assignees, to all intents
constructions and purposes whatsoeyer."-2 Ere,
Dig. go.
And a careful writer, Judge Stroud, in a worl
of iuridioial as well as phiianthrupic merit, thu
sums up the law:
The cardinal principle Of Slayery-that til
slave is not to be ranked unICrg Seiuicht being
but among MiHgS--is an article of property
chattrl Observation-Disclosures as undoubtcd law in a
of these (the slave tates."-SirOud'S LaUS o
Sidrery, %.
Sir, this is enough. AS out Of it's small cg
crawls forth the Shiny. scaly reptile crocodile, :
8 ont Of this simple definition crawls forth the Who'll
Shiny, scaly reptile monstrosity, by which a ma
is changed into a chattle-a person is converte
$ into a thing-a soul is transmitted into mercliaT
e disc. According to this very definition, the sla,
; is held simply for the good of his master, to who's
j behests, his life, liberty and happiness are deyote'
8 and 10y whom he may be bartercd, leased, NOR
. gagged, bequeathed. invoiced. shipped rs carg,
I.,,rnl ~ ,rAnls S.ll an n ant kUnnlol - ,
. public auction and even staked at the gaming-tab
e On the hazard of II card or die. the slave ma
l. seem to have a vile but he has not for his wi
= belongs to his master. lie may seem to have
:, child; but he has not for his child belongs
his master. He may be filed with the desire
knowledge, opening him to the gates of hope O
e earth and in heaven, but the master may il
piously close this sacred pursuit. Thus is !
robbed not merely of privileges, but of himself
i not merely Of money OF time and opportunit,
but of every assurance Of happiness not mere
OF earthly hope, but of all those divine aspiration
d that spring from the fountain OF light. lie is II
s., merely restrained in liberty, but totally deprive
G of it: not merely curtailed ia rights, but abs
t lutely stripe ed Of them not merely loaded wi
burthens, but changed into Il beast of burtheI
not merely bent in his countenance to cart
bat sunk to the legal level of II quadruped n
merely exposed to personal cruelty, but depriv
OF his character as u person not merely col
lBNilSN I W f'''' 'h''i 49, 'NC'"'Ns ~
u rude thing; not merely shut out iom know
% edge, but wrested from his Lace in the hum
family. And all this, Sir, as accO,diagt 10 tie yh
= pie lac cf St0rery.
d Nor is even this all. The law, by cumulati
provisions, positively forbids that Il slave shall
taught to read. Hear this, fellow-citizens, al
confess that no barbarism of despotism, no e
trayagance Of tyranny, lao excess Of inpiety C.
y be more blasphemous or 9eadiy. Tram up Il
child in the way he should co." is the lesson
&c sacred wisdom but ;he law of slaves boltly pr
], hibitS any such training, and dooips the child
d hopeless ignorance, and degradation. Let the
be light" was the divine utterance at the We
dawn Of Creation-and this commandment ira
n cling with the ages and the hours, still speal
IS with the voice OF God but the law Of SLAYER
II says, Let there be darkness.
But it is earnestly averred that slave-maste
lie are humane, and that slaves are treated vii
kindness. The aycrments, however, / proper
II put aside, precisely as have already put asi,
/ Innult;tnlinnns Illustrations from, tba cr,ol,,