Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-08-09
EDITORS TABLE.

BELLE ScoTT; Or Liberty orerhrorn. a tale for
INC crtSts. columbus; ID. anderson, Cincinnati,
George blanchard. 1856.
This is a tale, which without the highest ndvon.
taGos of an artistically developed plot, has never
tholess u continuous and absorbing interest to tho
reader. Its author is thoroughly acquainted with
the system of slavery and with its workings. and
exposes with a master hand, the subterfuces of its
supporters, North aud South, political and thcolo-
gical. The book bears on every page, the marks
of a hearty hatred of slavery; and was evidently
prepared far more with reference to the overthrow
of this diabolical wrong than either to secure OF
maintain a literary reputation for its author.
There is a good deal of admirable logic il tho
book and its satire of the claims of the institution
to a divine origin, is sharp and effective. The au-
thor has evidently been no idle spectator of tho
anti-slavery conflict at she North, and he knows
how to expose doughfaceism to its merited con-
tempt; while the abolitionists who figure in the
story, are hearth in earnest an d thoroughly self
sacrifsing-as they should be.
Some taa:fty pages OF tho W ork are devoted to q
constitutional argument, to pro- c that instrument
in favor Of liberty and thus Justify tho action
of anti-slavery men under it. We suppose most
ICduCIH VIII snip tliS ClluYler. We TBau u
however with interest. 1t is worthy the ingenuity
of tho most distinguished lawyer of the land while
it distinctly recognizes, and rcvcrcntly bows be-
fore the paramount laws of justice. We half sus-
pect that the whole book was manufactured prima-
.rily MS u caskot, to preserve this jewel of tho au-
thor's logic. We will therefore give cur readers NJ
sketch Of it. The argument isa novel one; and
we think decidedly more ingenious than that Of
Spooner. 1t admits hat the trainers of the con-
stitution designed the fugitive ella use to apply 60
slaves, and that in constituting it, we arc to asccr-
tain and carry out the original purpose of those,
who adopted it. But our fathers found the Con-
stitution imperfect and therefore amended il by the
provision that Congress shall make no laws re-
specting an establishment of religion, or prohibit
ing the free exercise thereof" This clause too
must be carried into effect according to the very
mind of those who adopted it; and so as to secure
to the utmost extent the rights therein enumerated.
Slavcholding is a sin. Its claim of property in
man is abhorrcnt to the free exercise of religion"
and therefore condemned by this amendment, and
the supporters of the constitution are thereby alb.
solved from obligations to car ny out the original
pro.slavery intention of the trainers of the instru-
ment. Those wicked provisions are to be interpre-
'ouj Hlouiueu u eNeH abolished by the manifest in
tent and spirit of the amendment. 1t is our dutv
to obey God and not man. This amendment wab
adopted to secure to American citizens, the slave
among the rest, protection in the performance of
that duty. The slave has the lib erty of conscience
secured to him by this amendment equally with
the master.
The author sums up his argument:
"Thcrc is, there can be no question that Congress-
never had power since the Constitution has been
amended to pass any law that dir ectly or indirect
~ to any extent, impairs any mans religious lib
erty. The Shareholders made their contract, ~
which they acquired the right Of slavcholding and
recapture, but they afterwards made another con-
tract, by which they surrendered that right, if it
could not be exercised without violating the right,
to the free exercise Of religious liberty That
slave-holdirg is incompatible W it'll religious free
dom is Clear from the claims of tho stakeholder,
from our past national experience and from the
nature Of the case"
Hence the author comes enthusiastically to the
conclusion that ho can and will support the consti-
tuition and administer it for the establishment of
freedom tor all.
Without entirely coinciding with the author in
his practical conclusions from his argument, we do
most heartily welcome his book as n valuable addi-
ton to the anti-slavery literature of the country and
we hope for it a wide circulation. We shall mako
some selections from it next week.