Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-03-22
WHO LEADS?

Men may say wha. they choose about the fanati
cism of radicalism impracicability Of straigh
out relorm-and the folly and uselessness OF being
identified with party SO uncompromising that il
must ever be small and so small that it must ever
be weak; but the truth is none the less true that
this world, Notwithstanding is the better for the
radical reformers that live in it. All reforms need
men to lead them. If there are no leaders, there
are no followers. Hence, if there not few
brave men ahead Of the age, the age would not
be where it is. II would be still lingering along
the darkness of the past. Dospised and unappre-
ciated as all genuine reiormers are, the whole
world whether it knows it or not, is controlled by
them. They dictate and mould the politics and
morals of the generation that is to follow them
The world, then, may be grateful for the few "un-
practical" "fanatical," ahead of the age men who
live n it. God pity the miserable, unprogres-
sive, unapprcciative who has it in his
heart to sneer at these leading spirits of our
day who constitute the bone and sinew-thc very
substance of all reforms that to bless mankind.
And especially God pity the man who derides the
leaders of reform which he is now beginning,
boastngy to espouse, through the pressure Of a
public sentiment these very leaders have created.
Out upon the demagogue who jumps upon
the cal of popular reform with clustering impre-
cations upon the head of its faithful heroic conduc
tor. Out upon the eleyenthhour politician who has
not the manhood to respect the care worn co-work
er who has borne the burden and heat of the day
Out upon the contemplate braggart who supposes
that there was never reform, ora genuine reform
er of any use to the world, till he appeared!
All reformers of many years standing are radt
cal reformers. Time natures the Judgment nnt
the heart. From being compromisers and mel
full of notions of "expedency" and Cancellation
they become the answering ana thorough advo
Gates of all truth. Thus there is probably not al
individual that has been identified with the anti
slavery reform in this country from its first agita
= 80 -
too, there is probably no person that has worked
for the temperance from its earlier stages
its present period of success, but that is now
prepared for total prohibition. These men have
learned the folly Of compromise and patch work
and are no longer willing to 60 on doing great
wrong for the sake Of getting some one else to do
little right They have thoroughly Investigated
the nature Of reform, examined facts and figures
and come, almost necessarily, to the Fundamental
principles that undere all truth. Their patti ,nce
has been worn, their spirit vexed, and their yea
whetted on by the counter buffettngs of an oppos
ing world. Hence they are now radical, practical
reliable. They are the anchor and hope of al
reform.
The radical men in party are the saving Gle
ments of that party. The country may be thank
full that there is radical abolition party in it, tc
hold up the true standard and keep the freedom
spirit from dying clean out among us. But for il
the Republican party would be but a weak and in
significant party-would, perhaps not exist Al
all. The abolitionsts of the country have made
the non extensionists of tho country, which atter
by the eternal laws Of progress, will one day be
come abolitionists. Were there not few true
men to keep in advance of popular sentiment, il
would never be advanced-but would gradually
retrograde into darkness and barbarism. Reform
ers exist because reformers have existed before
them. Had there been no Goodells and Garrisons
and Smiths and Jays, there would have been no
Hales nor Blairs nor Stewards nor Greeleys.-T
american.