Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-09-13

''l"''AS N'''N 49,
meeting. lie spoke of the fatal spirit Of cOmpro.
mise, that has characterized the American people
from the very formation Of the Government down
to the present hour. lie showed with much clear
ness, force and eife ct the character Of the political
parties, and the duty of standing aIoof from them,
and of refusing all compromise with Slavery and
all connection with a constitution and govern
that give their support to Slavery.
The reporter regrets that he was necessarily
absent during the delivery Of Mr.. Foss' address and
hence is unable to give such a sketch of its facts
and arguments as its merits deserve.
SECOND sEssIoN.
Resolution No. Q being under discussion
SAMUEL. MAY, Jr, of Boston, Mass, addressed
the meeting. He said he was glad to meet in their
Annual meeting the friends of freedom in the
West, u field to which his attention had been often
called, and which he had long desired to visit; but
he had been prevented until now from meeting
face to face with the noble band of men and wo.
men of Ohio and other Western States, who ha
lab"red 50 long and faithfully for the slaves re.
demrtion. May they keep their feet firm upon
the rock of truth on which they have stood hither.
to, and tnd in their efforts for humanity II fulfill.
IIti'L 81 'hC OiA F''IhJSg ~ nv Sbili OHtHC
ii thousand and two put ten thousand to flight"
lie desired that we might have careful examina-
ton of the resolution, for truth always comes out
the brighter from all the tests to which i is sub.
United. The present is q time when temptations
of tremendous strength - temptations, which
though small and tri1ing to his own II ind, seem to
have swept some who have been faithful to free.
dom until now, intirely from their feet. lie could
name such instances were it necessary. But why
should we desert the ground ON which we have
stood SO long? Why abandon the great princi-
pies which have proved so potent IN the past, and
seek aitei other nstrumentalitic for the accom-
plishment Of the salvation of our nation. We
have had our feet planted upon II rock. We have
not been chained TO political parties requiring an
oath to support a blood.stained Constitution. And
why should we change?
Let us look into the mirror of truth and see
what is presented to our view. 1t is but twenty.
three wears since those who formed the American
Anti-sla"ery Society met at Philadelphia and
adopted their declaration of sentiment. Their re,
lance was in the power of truth. They at first
regarded political action an agency-small it is
true-tur the promotion of the cause of freedom.
N' '"' LUZ ''Ny N'"' 'p I'ilA'
cally under the Constitution Of the United States,
and they severed their connection with the Gov
ernment and Union, resolved to give no further
support to a C impact that gave power to the or.
pressor. They saw the true character of tie Con
stitution aud Union, and their action toward them
was determined at once, and forever.
The American Society was but a little band Of
Tree and noble men and women. But they had
life while the nation was dead. They had to OPP.
pose the moral StagnatiOn Of the whole mass. Yet
by the efficiency Of moral power-the promulga-
tion OF Gods eternal truth,-by pen and press, by
the writer and The speoker,-through winter ana
summer, through evil report and good report they
wrought n mighty work in the land, till, as by the
leaven in the meal the whole lump was Effected -
What a change has been effected a ch .nge won
over utter indifference without the aid Of political
organizations and in spite Of church hostility
Now the whole land is aroused to an extent such
as has never been known before. Whence came
all this? from political trickery? Not at all. 1t
came by the simple presentation of truth. 1t came
from arraigning every One, no matter what his alta.
ton or occupation, who dared lend his support to
slavery. 1t came of denouncing every individual
and every influence that aided the hateful system
1t was plain speech that did the work.
But wo forget all this, and some Of us are look.
ing to something else for success to a pc litical
party, acting under a Constitution that gives
strength to the slaveholder-thas makes us all
shareholders; II party which declares its fidelity to
Il government and Union, reared over the pros.
trate bodies of three millions of slaves! What are
abolitionists doing in such n position What
have political parties ever done for freedom ? Look
back for a little time. What did they do when
the nnti'slavery movement was in its infaacy?-
They denounced it as dangerOus-its influence as
pestilentiai. They declared that abolitionists
should be visited with fine and ELECTROMAGNETIC
the discussion ,f the subject Of slavery should be
made an offence indictable at common law. But
in spite Of all this the good cause held up its head
and gained strength; and politicians, fnding they
could not kill 1t by their denunciaticns nor BY the
mob violence which they encouraged, agreed to let
it alone. Yet the spirit of freedom lived. Still
in spite of their contempt and pretended indiffer-
ence the good cause grew stronger. So they be-
gan to say your principles are good and true. but
your measures are all wrong; you are fanatics.-
We will show you a better way-a moro practical
method" So they put II little anti.slayery Into
their political creed, and when they found they
were not ruined by it and that the people required
it they added a little more. SO they have gone on,
aud thus they will ever do with regard to any re-
lorm. 1t is idle for us to throw away our time in
attempting to direct the movements Of p%oli tical
parties. They will always yield to what The pub
nc sentiment demands. They are but clay in the
hand of the potter. Let the people be set right
and political parties will act accordingly. What
an amount Ct time and means will be wasted in
carrying on the present Presidential campaign -
If a 1.-THE of these had been expended for the last
five years in another direetion;-had such men as
Wilson, and Sumner, and dale and Giddings, gone
Ie9nstantly among the people and hid before tic