Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-03-01

looked to your Inaugural, not to say, that no man
should be taken from your State, as a slave, with
oat fret having had u fair and proper trial. But
| looked to it to say, that there should be no trial
whatever in your State Of the question whether II
man is a slave--or, in other words, whether a
being, made in the immage of Coo, is a chattcl and
II marketable commodity. If need be, in order to
arrest such a trial, | would have the Governor Of II
State march a band OF armed men, Oliver Crom'
well like, into the Court Room to expell from it
the Court guilty Of such an outrage on the dignity
of human nature, aud Of such blasphemy against
the Majesty Of Heaven.
The duty Of Il Governor in regard to these fire.
quent forays into the Northern States is, in my
own mind, clear Of all doubts. What if the pirates
Of all the seas, collected in one mighty fleet, were
known to be bearing down upon the City Of New
York? should not the Governor of my State feel
hiaself bound to summon, if need be, all the
brave hearts and all the strong arms in the State
to meet these pirates--these hoStes hRmdni geReriS?
But these human hounds who scented their prey to
your Cincinnati, were as emphatically pirates and
hoSteS huD1dni generiS, as any buccaneers, who
ever sailed upon the deep;--and, all statutes aud
Constitutions to the contrary notwitbst inding, they
were as destitute, rs those buccaneers, of all law
for their plumbers and murders. ] will not doubt,
that you view this matter, as | do. | will not doubt,
that, had you been appraised of the coming and in
tent Of these kidnappets, you would have been
amply prepared to make it their last expedition
into your State.
IL Is S0ld; tnat the people oil OnlO WOUlu hpt
have Obeycd your summons to meet these invaders!
and that they would have been withheld from such
obedience by their respect for a long, unbroken
line of judicial, legislative, and Constitutional ar-
thorities? They are ignorant of human nature
and they grossly wrong human nature, who say So.
When the thousands, who were assembled before
the prison of poor Jerry in Syracuse, were bid to
rescue him, they cared naught for these counter
authorities; but they FASTENED to obey the instincts
of their own high nature, the convictions and de-
mands of their own glowing souls, and the voice
of the great God. Thus would the people of
Ohio follow your lead against the enemies of the
human brotherhood. 1t is, as | have already init
mated, that the cause of freedom is perishing for
the lack Of brave and true men to take the lead.
The people are ready but the leaders are want
ing.
l confess to you, my dear friend, that if 1 never
coveted Office before, | did covet it, when this
Newspaper notice of the outrage in Cincinnati first
fired my indignation, and filed my veins with boil
ing blood. Forgetting at the moment, that 1t re-
quires wisdom as well as spirit, to be n Governor,
| was actually guilty of wishing, that | were Gov
ernor Of Ohio. So intense and engrossing was MY
desire TO WELD the power Of free Ohio against the
slave power, that with me all the qualifications for
a Governor were at that moment summed up in
that one desire. | owe you an apology for my
wish to be in your official place. That wish was
more than foolish. 1t was unjustly so. 1t impll-
ed a di5trust of your bravery to meet, and of your
ability to discharge, the high and responsible du-
ties of your Office. The world already knows your
great ability; and it will yet know, that your bra
very equals your ability. / confidently predict,
that this horrible occurrence in Cincinnati will
prompt you to such a demonstration of your pur-
poses, as will effectually prevent during your Ad.
ministTation at least, the carrying into slavery of
any more of the inhabitants of Ohio. | confidently
predict, that you will tell your great State to pro-
vide safety for all the innocent upon her soil, at
whatever expense of treasure or blood and that
YOU will tell her. that Ohio cannot he said TO he
governed and protected, if there is, anywhere with
in her limits, even the humblest black parent, or
even the least black baby, over whom the shield
of her Government is not firmly and faithfully ex-
tended.
Had | time and room, l should like to add q
few words about Washington matters. This fail
ure OF all attempts to organize the House helps
80 open many eyes to see, that liberty and slavery,
those deadliest enemies of each other, cannot dwell
together always, and cannot always be partners
in Government, In all this new light /, of course
rejoice. But, alas, how lamentable, that in the
face of all these providential instructions, your
party should persist in saying, that liberty and
slavery can dwell together, and can govern in part
nership that slavery is entitled to the absolute
control of fifteen States and to hunt for slaves in
all the others!-and that liberty should be content
with what is left! When, oh when, will the anti.
slavery men throw away their nonsense and wick.
edness, and become what common sense and COM
mon honesty bid then Observation-Disclosures
outspokcn, incorporating abolitionists? / fear,
not until it is to late:-not until slavery shall
have provoked civil and servile wars. 1t is not vet
too late to expel slavery by the ballot-box and the
peaceful operations of Government. Would, that
we might have the courage. and wisdom and in.
tegrity TO DO it, before it is too late!
/. With great regard,
your friend,
GERRIT SMITH.