Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-03-15
For the Duglc.
" hs hNb'V'
THE PRACTICAL LESSON.

Ny DEAR FRIEND The Cincinnati tragedy is
over and the miserable victims Of q wrong system
and an atrocious law have been led back to Slavery.
We, whose feelings have been narrowed hy the
varying phases of that short but e%yentful drama,
must now strive to learn a practical lesson how to
hasten the blessed period when such crimes against
God and IIumcnity shall no longer desecrate our
land, and mako her q bye word of reproach to the
civilized world.
There is danger Of our feelings being led away
in a false direction and Of our wasting on helpless
and probably reluctant ministers of impossible
law that Indignation which should ae concentrated
on the system itself. For allow Slavery to exist in
any part of this Republic, and the arm of Law and
Force is necessary to keep down the natural ten
dency of the Unborn spirit of Liberty to rise against
this robbery of our dearest and most inalienable
right. There must therefore lie q law stringent in
its provisions and relentless in its spirit in order
to prevent the escape of Slaves or to force them
back to the house of bondage. The present law is
perhaps neodlessly atrocious in some OF its clauses
but as a whole, il is the only law which could hold
out to the masters something like security in their
human property. This law must have judges and
other officers to administer il, unbending as itself.
As Judges, Il do not say as mem they are bound
by their oaths and their Office to administer the
law consistently with its spirit and letter, Their
private feelings must not Interfere with their
official duty. Hence those men who, 70 their own
sorrow, l expect were called on to decide on the
fate of the Slave Mother and her children, could
have taken no other view of the case.
Instead of blame, they deserve high credit as
Judges for the calm, lucid and logical manner in
which they expounded and applied the law. ]
1t is quite a different question whether any mar
ought to accept or hold an Office which compels hin
to act in opposition to the higher law of christianity
and human brotherhood.
Neither could the Governor of this State hav,
intcrfered to oppose the due execution Of thu
Judges decree. Like the sad and silent specta
tors of that worse than funeral procession, he coulC
only look on and mourn il the secret of his heart
But as head of the State, he was bound even t.
protect and assist the ministers Of the law, ha(
they been Instructed in their Office.
What portion IF good shall we then extract from
this measureless suin Of evil This-that tn,
time is past for compromises and the patching "
of a hollow peace between Freedom and Slavery
lucy uIc inCOHl Ihtbc' Nhuull0 viz IuSil'C CidN
law and it becomes imperative. No There mus
be n total separation from the system of Slavery
no, Union with Shareholders must be our motto
whereby | do not mean a cessation from rho kindly
Interchange Of human charities the stakeholder
are our brothers however erring or blinded and
could we consider their case calmly, we should
perhaps fbd them entitled, almost as much rs tho
slaves themselves, to our compassion for the mani
fold social and moral evils which the accursed sys
TEN forces upon them.
But in our individual and collective capacity
we, men and women Of Ohio, should hencefortl
have nothing to do directly or indirectly witt
Slavery. We should indeed redeuLle our effort.
to create a healthy public opinion in the North
aud to awaken the paralyzed conscience Of tht
South so that thoy may at last put away the xvi
Thing from among them. But, whilst abjuring al
idea of rousing the bloody spirit Of revenge among
the Slaves, or the use of any but moral force to ex
tinguish Slavery, VIC should proclaim to the world
orr determination to refuse all aid to slaveholding
all connivance with Slavery, we must, as it were
ignore i!s existence and refuse to see in a runaway
Slave any other than a man and a brother free by
the imprescriptible law of Nature. We mus
ignore the possibility Of a law which could EN-,
.
power a Slave holder to make Of our free land hi:
hunting ground.
If this rirtuol secession from The constitutional
compromise between the Slave and Free States
lead to an actual dissolution Of the Union, let il
come. We must regret seeing the fair fabric Of
Federal Union, once SO full of promise, resolve
itself into new combinations. We would
do what we conscientiously could to prevent such
a contamination we will treat our guilty brethren
of the South with all forbearance, we will bear
with patience their taunts and violence but we
cannot, ever to save the Union, allow ourselves
and our children to be any longer implicated in
their guilt, and to be placed in the cruel ~alterna.
tentative of either violating our compact with the
Constitution or SHINING against the supreme Law
of our God. I. L. SULIOT.
franklin, Portage CO., Ohio,
March ii, 1856.
S0TI1IYNpN uTEuyo