Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-09-22

"But higher motives to justice and humanity
toward our iolow-crcaturcs remain yet to be men
toned.
Domestic Slavery is repugnant to tho princi.
lent and just principle of action in the human
heart 1t is rebellion against the authority Of q
common Father. 1t is u practical denial of the
extent and efficacy of the death of common Sa-
vior. 1t is o usurpation of the prerogaivo of the
great Sovereign of the Universe, who has sol
emnly claimed an exclusive property in the souls
Of men.
But if this Wow Of tho enormity of domestic
Slavery should not affect US, there is consider
alton more which ought to alarm and impress us,
especially at the present juncturo.
at is violation of divine prccept Of univer-
sal justice, which has in no instance escaped with
impunity."
1t is apparent from this extract, which forms tho
substantial part of the Address, that the ideas
supposed to be distinctive of our modern abolition
lists arc at least sixty years old. In tho course,
however, of the next ten or twelve years. it be-
came evident that this movement in favor of oman-
cipation was not Mt that time to be crowned with
success. The representation from tho Southern
| States at the annual Convention dropped off, and
| in 1908 trionnial Convention was substituted
which also in time died out. Even in Pcnnsyl-
vania pro-slavery spirit began to show itself
The repeated efforts of tho Society to obtain from
the Legislature tho Immediate total abolition of
Slavery failed of success. Even in the ordinary
business of tho Society new obstacles began to be
encountered. Hitherto" says the Report of the
Society for tho year 1909" Hitherto the oppos-
ing voice of the community and tho liberal inter-
probation of the laws have smoothcd tho path Of
duty and promoted satisfactory issue to our hu-
mane exertions. Atpresent, however, tho senti-
ments of our feow-citizens and the decisions Of
orr Courts are less auspicious.'
Though by means of schools established through
the influence of tho Society, as well as by their
own efforts, the colored inhabitants of Philadelphia
were making decided advances in morality and in
olligencc, yet in 1918 petition was presented to
the Legislature from sundry citizens of Philadc-
phia complaining of the colorcd people as nu-
sances, and praying that those of them who
might be convicted of offences should be sold for
a term of years, and the proceeds applied to pay
the expenses of the prosecutions and to indemn-
fy those who had suffered by them and also that
the colored people might be taxed to pay the entire
expense of the support of their poor Against
this project for the rc-cstablishmcnt of Slavery
and of special taxation the Society memoralzed
the Legislature and defeated it and they obtained
not long after for the colored people PAL ticpa-
ton in tho provision under the law of the State
for the educating of the children of the poor ut
tho public expense.
With the increase of the pro-slavcry sentiment
slave.hunting and kidnapping began to increase,
and the Societylwas called upon for new efforts
Tho Fugitive Slave Act of 1893 being made con-
venicnt cover for kidnapping, the Society repeat
edly applied to Congress to modify it; and when
those applications failed to the State Legislature
for enactments in defense of liberty.
The momcntary revival of Anti-Savcry scnii
ment which grew out of the Missouri controversy
was favorable to these applications. The Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania, by their decision in the
case of Fright VS.. Deacon, that the State Courts
had no right to interfere with the execution of the
Fugitive Slave Act, had added greatly to tho ter
rors and iniquitics Of that law but the Society
succeeded in obtaining from the Legislature pro-
hiblton to all inferior State magistrates to act in
the surrender of fugitiyes from service, and the
enactment of heavy penalties upon the kidnapping
OF colored people without process under the pre-
tense of their being slaves. Tho Supreme Court
OF the United States have indeed by their decision
in Prigg's case denied the authority Of the Statos
to leglslatc on the subject of fugtivcs from labor
but that decision on the other hand has raised the
question whether Congress itself has any power to
legislatc upon it.
lti perhaps not generally known that the OK
tension OF Slavery into Missouri was followed by
attempts to Introduce it also into Indiana and
Illinois. Against these attempts the Society re-
monstrated, and less successfully against the South
Carolina act (still in force) for the Imprisonment
OF colored seamon whenever they came into that
State.
1t will be seen from this sketch of its history
that the Pennsylvania Society is an old affair; and
no wonder that Judge Kane should commence his
Operations for the reestablishment IF Slavery in
that commonwealth by clapping the Secretary Of
tho Abolition Society into jail, there to be detained
during his good pleasure.-M T. Tribune.