Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-05-05
Ibe Anti glaperp BuaIr.
SALEM, ONO, MAYS S, 1855.
FREDERICK DOUGLAS SPEECH.

ing the last winter, and provoked warm eulogy
from some, and severe criticism, from others, Of
his anti-slavery auditors. .
Its subject is 1.-THE Anti-Slavery movement" and
it deals with its past history and its present con-
'dition and prospects. To say the least, tho author
does the most ample justice to the Anti-Slavery
of the past, while he disparagos the movements
of the present. Indeed the speech has fixed in
sur mind the impression, that Mr.. Douglas deems
the movement as conducted by existing Anti
Slavery organizations, as but slightly, if at all
advantageous to the cause of freedom, and that
tho American Anti-Slavery Society is positively,
I'm its opionions and measures, at war with the
emancipation of the slave. Mr.. Douglas as does
William Goodcll, month aftor month in the Ameri-
can Jubilee, charges that the American Society,
has abandoned the great idea of the emancipation
of the slave, and is seeking the dissolution of the
Union, as its great primary object. They charge
upon the disunionists that by seeking the dissolu-
ton of the Union they necessarily abandon the
slave. Throw away the staff of accomplishment"
and leave the slave to cmancipate himself or die
hopelossly in his chains.
we shall enter into no defence of The Ameri-
can Anti-Slavery Society. Its past history is be-
fore the world, misrepresented it is true, rs its
present friends are illuminated. But for the
yindication of the Society and its members we
quietly wait for that justice which the future will
bring, in the mean time zealously prosecuting
our work, according to the light that is in us.
But we must say that the first statement above
referred to, is q misrepresentation tffact. A
lean Society has never abandoned the abolition Of
Slavery. immediate and utter, as its grand object
towards which all its labors tend and for which
all its efforts are exerted. So far as the slave is
concerned disunion is only a means to an end
The Union as it now exists-as it ever has existed
is a crime against God and man and is therefore
to be abolished for its own sake. 1t is the main
pillar and prop of slavery and is therefore one step
10 be taken for the utter overthrow OF Slavery
We are not now speaking Of some imaginary
Union, that is Anti-Slavery and is to result in
emancipation, but of the existing, worse than
diabolical union, which now holds our millions OF
slaves in bonds, and has Sc held them for two
thirds of a century. Whatever Anti-Slayery
Goodell or Spooner or anybody else can distllltrom
the Constitution, the fact is before us and all the
world. that the Union has held, and does now hold
the slave in his chains.
The Union pledges security, and affords 1t too,
to slave claimants in the possession OF their slaves
1t pledges tho whole north, as the plan
tation guard of the slaves. 1t keeps constantly
pointed to the slaves heart every bayonet musket
and cannon nuzz.e of the national army and
navy. 1t crushed Nat Turner and his heroic
associates. 1t has crushed in embryo ten thou
sand efforts like it. Multitudes of stout hearts
rcsdy to brave death and every danger are IN
subiection. because of the union of freemen and
Shareholders against them. The Union constitutes
the president, whether he comes from Virginia or
New Hampshire, the prince OF kidnappers. IL
has enacted and executed the fugitive slave laws
of 1893 and 1850. But we need not, we cannot
specify all the %supportit has yielded the system 1t
has preserved and defended it wherever 1t found
it in existence and extended it over an immense
area. before consccrated to freedom by God and
man. It is the support of Slavery, and that Sla-
very may fall, abulitionists bow their strength tUrits
overthrow.
~ MIR. Douglass says 'the Union under the con-
stitution requires me to do nothing which Is
wrong" Very well. We have no objection to n
union which requires US to do nothing wrong,
provided it also requires nothing foolish, and suici-
D dial to great objects we seek. 10 us there is 'erOng
in a union with shareholders, under the constitu-
ton, ana we Will ~ Huuc VI u" ~ NOOuSA ~"
Douglass the Union seems to have more than
the negative virtue of requiring no wrong; it is
a union for abolition; and for opposing such II
union they decry and denounce the American
Anti Slavery Society and its friends. Now to our
vision, enlightened by past experience and pres
cent observation, such a union is in the first place
an impracticability. Slavery and freedom are
antagonisms. There never has been q union be-
tween them; there never can he. No more can there
be between men controlled by these opposing prin.
ciples. What would Messrs. Goodell and Doug
las think of the practicability or wisdom of a
saien with persistent horse thieves to abolish
Q horse stealing2 What of the union of the pure
with the purposely, persistent lecher, to abolish
RIGHTEOUSNESS. The very statement marks its
glaring absurdity. Is there any less a~bsurdity in
the proposed union of abolitionists with deter
q mined slave holders? If a union is ever effected
1t must be by the sacrifice of one principle or the
other that shareholders will sacrifice their cher
ished principles We have no expectation. The
form OF union may exist in the future as it has in
the past, by the aid of bypocricy on the part of
the p~rofessed friends Of freedom, but in no other
way, What sort Of a union is practicable, what
sort exists, what sort we seek to overthrow may
be learned by the present conflict in Kansas, by
all the aggressions and extensions of Slavery, by
all the humiliating debasement of the North,
political and moral, past and present, and by all
the sorrows of the daily increasing thousands OF
slaves As therefore we love freedom and hate
Slavery, as we seek for the establishment of the
former and the utter overthrow Of the latter VIC
gay "Nc union with Shareholders"