Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-09-20
Fer the Bugic.
FROM A. T. F0SS.

DEAhE NOblNCpN = 4 ~ liibhE NbtI
Bugle, to make a report of a few days labor in the.
Anti-Slavery cause under the auspices of the Wcs-
tern A.. S. Society.
My first meeting was held in Lcesville. | was
accompanied to this place by our excellent and de-
voted friend, John Holmes of Mastcrsville, whose
home was my home, during my stay in the vicini-
ty. Friend Holmes, introG need me to the hosritn-
ble home of jacob Milesack Of Lecsville. Friend
Millesack is an old and well tried friend of the
slave. lie had made every necessary arrange
men, for the meeting, and the consequence was
that we had n very large c)lloction Of intelligent
md attentive hearers. If our friends generally
would give like attention to the arrangement and
notification Of meetings, it would greatly increase
the effectiveness Vt the agents labors, MS well as
render them much more pleasant. The weather
was very oppressive. yet the large audience listen
cd for one hour and n half to an earnest and Sc
we're criticism of their religious and political posi-
tion to the wrongcd and suffering slave; and some
were loath to leave the place when the meeting
was over.
My next meeting was at Mastcrsyille. The
small house was filled, and many more were lis
tening outside, in the mild, calm air, under the
beautiful shining of the moon. The people listen
ed with earnest interest to the last word. There
were present, two priests of the United Brethren.
Both of these brethren are very feeble men. The
e~lder-whom the people call Billy Simkins-mado
what opposition he could. lie tried hard to con.
Wet us of infdelity. The othcr-Mr. Maple
made some weak remarks in our favor. There
was another priest of the NJ. T.. Church present
lie was a man of more talent, ard tried hard to
find some justification for remaining in a church,
49,. -: - i - $500
pro-slavery. Our friends here, believe the meet
ing to be happy in its influence upon the people.
Our next meeting was at New Market. This
meeting was not large. yet it was a good meeting.
"A MIR. Hole who is canvassing for Fremont was
present, and took part in the speaking. Some dis
cussi"n sprung up upon the position and work Of
tho Fremont party. Their prOslavery position was
put beyond the possibility of cavil.
Our next meeting was as Deersviile. When we
arrived there, we found no meeting convened for
the afternoon as we expected; but we found the
Fremont people much engaged in preparing and
raising a hickory pole. When the evening came
we had a few people collected in the Wesleyan
Meeting House, and ] commenced speaking to
them. ] had spoken hut a few minutes when the
pole raisers came in and pretty well filed the
house. When they were seated | commenced
again to speak, when up bounced one OF the off.
cials of the Wesleyan Church, book in hard and
announced that he had been desired by the rus-
tees to read the following law of the church, which
was in substance this; that the Glrrisonians were
inGdels-did not believe the bible, and therefore
Were forbidden to occupy the pulpit OF the house.
Flis official told us in q pompous manner that if
we did not leave the house he should he under the
necessity of carrying the matter where it would
Aavc a legal settlement. l stated to the people
that the house had been opened by one of the trus-
tees, and / had supposed we were properly there.
Our friend who had opened the h, use, said he was
enc of the trustees and denied that the 0ficious
official had any such direction from the trustees,
and told US to go on and he would be responsible
for consequences. So we went on and had an ex.
cellcnt meeting. The sympathies of the people
at least for the hour-worc with the cause Of
wronged and outraged humanity.
Sunday morning rose beautifully upon us. Our
friend James Barnahy had arrived from Salem to
assist in the meeting, but alas we had no place in
the village where we could meet. We were under
the necessity of going to a grove at some distance
from the village. The number in attendance was
small, but the meeting was exceedingly spirited
and effective. There are q number Of warm and
devoted friends of the slave in Deersville. They
have a weighty cross to bear, but their strength
is equal to their duty.
Our closing meeting was in Mastersville, and .he
meeting house was we'll filled with an attentive
audience. / spoke one Lour and was followed by
friend Barnaby an equal length of time in a very
clear and convincing speech upon the completely
of the North with the slave power both reiigiously
and politically. Billy Simkins was there, and
when friend Barnahy had closed, he took the floor
and proved to his own satisfaction that we were
great and dangerous infdels. lie announced that
the next Sunday evening he would hold a meeting
lin that house when he would reply to what we
''had said and to what we had not said" We of
course made no reply to Billy, any farther than 70
suggest that he would be likely to say-in his COM
ing review-most upon what we "hdd not said
Rev. MIR. Maple was also present. He had on n
proceeding evening, endorsed us pretty fully; he
had consequently been charged by some, with be-
ing a Garrisonian. He had, therefore, to set him.
self right. He spoke a few minutes in n weak
and faltering manner, but finally succeeded, with
the help of Billy, in dcnouncing us as infdels.
This short tour in your State has been one Of
great intetest to mt | have become acquainted
with many choice spirits. whose purity of soul and
nobleness of purpose and dep.h of sympathy,
endear them to my affections beyond the power of
words to tell. Through whatever desert | travel.
their memory will come to me ever as a green and
refreshing Oasis. For Freedom to all,
A. I. FOSS.
SALEM, Ohio, Sept. l6, 1856.