Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-08-02

\ be that your Excelcncy wishes that thus the free
expression OF our opinions could be trammelled by
constitutional restriction, but fortunately it is
not probable that your Excellency will ever wit
ness such retrograde step in civilization ard
Governmentas will be necessary to incorporate such
provision into the Constitution Of the United
States.
BY strange perverson of terms rs applied TO
the act OF sovereign State your Excelency fur
ther alleges that these Resolves are Unreasonable" "
Permit me tc suggest that if the mere recital in
dignlhed and calm way of Il few of the principal
outrages in Kansas be treason, that it may interest
some OF your constituents to know how the actual
! participation in these shameless outrages may be
characterized in your Excellency's catalogue of
crimes.
Your Excellency is pleased further to say, ~
return them 1.-THE resolves) to you, with n request
that the future resolutions of the Legislature of
! Massachusetts on Federal affairs and the subject
of Slavery, be no more forwarded to this depart.
ment." In this request your Excellency cannot
be grati6ed. While occupy the Executive chair
of Massachusetts, the resolves of her Legislature
on any and every subject will bo transmitted to
your department. whenever the Legislature re-
quests 1t.
1t a pregnant admission however that you
desire to sthe the voice Of freemen on "the subject
of Slavery" You confess by this very declara-
ton you would do it had you the power, but for
tunately your ability is not commensurate with
your wishes. We readily acknowledge that we
have neither the power nor the purpose to inter-
fere with Slavery where in the confederate States
under local laws it exists but We are determined
to every honorable and constitutional effort to
prevent its extension over territory now free from
its blighting presence.
| We deem it a social, political and moral evil
And we have full and abiding faith that at no
very distant day it will be peaceaby eradicated
from every Christian tcommunity-all indications
point unerrngy to the result. Slavery has already
encountered the denuncatons of the moral sent-
ments of every civilized country of the Old World;
the mighty influences of literature in every tongue
are sapping its foundations; the nobler and more
generous impulses of our common humanity abhor
! it; right, justice, equity, are all at antagonism
with it 1t parayzes the arm of industry where it
exists--it corrupts the morals of those among
whom it has its habtation- in the end it impov-
erisbes the community that permits its continuance
it has gradually been abolished in vast regions
wherever and as fast as its baleful influences have
been brought to the test Of o true statesmanship-
and above all, every one who recognizes kind
and bengnant Providence in each transaction of
life, from seeming evil ever edacing real good,
knows that the All-wise and Omnipotent Being
will in His own good time limit and restrict its
pernicous inhuences till the prayers Of the bonds
men ora answered and everywhere shall the en-
slave2e 20 free. -----.--
With these views Of the institution of Slavery,
which are common to all her people, Massachusetts
does feel that she is deservedly open tp reproach
and insult, from the Chief Magistrate of sister
State for expressing her unalterable determination
that, with her connivance consent it shall never
be permitted to supplant the Tree and intelligent
labor Of her sons upon the soil of those Terrific
ries which is q portion OF her brth-right and in
heritance.
| Your Excellency next asserts: "The obligations
| of the Constitution, and the laws of the United
States passed in conformity thereto, being disre-
garded and nulIited by Massachusetts,, we desire
no further intercourse with your State"
| May be permitted to remind your Excellency
that ''nuiGed" is not q word of Massachusetts
growth, but that it is indigenous to the South; and
! if you have any opprobrium to besow upon it,yOu
can freely do so much more appropriately nearer
home than here.
| The loyalty of Massachusetts to the Constitution
ojthe United States has been too often and too sig
nally evnced in critical periods of the country
history to require further answer from me to
this ungraciOus suggestion. But were it other
wise your Excellency is not the tribunal to decide
tor her question involving her fidelity to that
instrument. / am not aware that the Executive of
Alabama has yet been made coordinate in judicial
authority with the Supreme Court Of the United
States, and until it is. but not till then, will its
opinion upon such question be expressed with
any proprety or be entitled to the slightest con-
sideration.
! With q somewhat arrogant assumption OF supe-
riorty your Excelency expresses desire on the
part Of the State of Alabama to have no further
intercourse with Massachusetts,"
! am not aware that there is anything to justify
this assumption in the condition of respective
States, with reference to any of the elements that
constitute the strength and character of civilized
and Christian Commonwealth. In their generous
ly endowed universities and schools, their munif-
cent charitable institutions, their extensive mer-
camille marine, their manufactures and railways,
their liberal contributions to religious and benev-
oent enter2rises, and to the literary, scientific and
historical treasures of the world, or IN the cond-
ton and spirit OF their people, find nothing that
should prompt this desire OF non-nterconrse
on the part of the Executive of Alabama, unless
it be the contrast such intercourse might sug-
gest.
If this desire of your Excellency is gratifed to
its full and literal extent while we are deprived of
the privilege of furnishing you with the produc-
tions of the free and intelligent labor OF our peo-
pie, it will BE slight compensation to know that
the paper manufactured in q Massachusetts, mill
and bearing the stamp of respectable Massachu-
setts firm, will not as is the with the sheet
now before me- bearing your Excelency's auto
graph, be the vehicle of conveying to US an insult
| ing and vituperative communication from Chief
Magistrate of Alabama.
Your Excellency concludes your letter, the whole
of which have quoted in the following words ::
"And we wish TO be free in future from insult from
a State whose citizens do not recognize accounta-
hilty for insult aud libelous mputations upon the
character of Southern States and the citizens
thereof"
Your alluson cannot fail to understand. You ad-
vance as your chief and closing reason for decln-
ing further intercourse with our State that of
her Senators has declined summons TO a personal
combat, and the other, il is we'll known, would do
so in obedience not only to the laws and sediments
of Massachusetts, but also OF the rules and orders
of Congress, and of the Statutes OF the State
of Alabama itself. find the following provision
in the Code of that State, published in pursuance
of an Act of your General Assembly; Every per-
son who gives, ACCEPTS, or knowingly carries a
challenge,in writing or otherwse,to tight in single
combat with any deadly weapon, either in or out
of this State. on conviction must be imprisoned in
the psnitentia,y too years" Because Senator OF
Massachusetts, refuses to do what the laws Of Ala
bnma make penitentiary odsnse, your Excel
lency wishes no further intercourse with our
Stste
i In prior portion Of your letter you arrsign
uassscsase'ts FOX alleged d!srsfara Of lie lave