Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-07
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.


oieve the truth Of my position, | will now present
a few of those facts.
1t is a fact, according to the records of the past
that in discussing those parts of United States
Constitution, in the State and Federal Conventions
commonly called the Slave holding compromises
OF the Constitution, they used the word slave or
some word synonymous with it two.hundrod and
seventy times.
Ills a fact that from the adoption Of the Con-
stituticn to the present time, that three ffths Of
the slave population have been invented as a basis
OF representation. 1t is II fact that Congress
could not do anything against the African Slave
Trade till 1908. 1t is a fact that the Fugitive
Slave Law of --93 was passed by those who had
sworn to support the Constitution, and was found
ed on Art. 4, Sec. 2, and was signed by George
Washington as President Of the United States, who
was also President of the Federal Convention
1t isa fact that no Legislature of any State, has
dared to pass a law to protect fugitive slaves,
knowing it would DO contrary to the Constitution.
1t is a fact, that all Legislative bodies both State
and national all the executives, and all the judi
Charles, have acted under oath to support the Con-
stitution, from the time Of its adoption to the pres
ent time as though they understood the Constitu-
ton, as | explained 1t. So l might go on to the
end of the chapter if space would admit. Now
If those men who framed and adopted the Con.
stitution did not know what they meant by the
language they used, they must have been o set of
fools; and it is a fine thing tina; some wise-acre
should start up to tell people what they did not
mean, without even attempting to tell what they
did mean. | shall now say a few things about
your argument.
10 the first place you very adroitly, like q well
trained, pettiiogging %quibler, dislocate the scnten-
ces so as to endcavor to make the meaning APP
pear very different from what it wound, if it were
connected. No person held to service or labor in
one state under the lars thereof, escaping into
another, shall in consequence of any law or reg
ulation therein, be discharged from such service or
labor but shah be delivered up on claim of the
party to whom such service or labor may be due
Now taking into view the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, that it is the supreme law of the land,
and also taking into view all the actions and trans
actions under this clause Of the Constitution what
candid and judicious person is there, that would
not take the same view of it that l did in the ar.
ticle referred to. You say that if my views pre-
vail, Slavery will no longer be confined to African
blood in this country. 1t is no. now, nor ever was
but follows the condition of the Slave mother
You say the great Republican party will kick
against my views. ! should not think l had the
truth, unless every party great or small that goes
for upholding and susustaining Slavery where it
is, should kick but they will find in the end, that
it is hard to kick against the truth, and their
own decorating consciences.
The trainers of the Constitution declared slaves
to be both property and persons, three hfths per-
sons rs a basis Of representation, and property to
be caught by their owners whenever found within
the United States, you quote the sentence, protoc-
tion to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness as
though it was from the United States constitution
you cannot find it there, il is in the declaration Of
independent You say that eDactments against
Justice are void. Then | would say that nearly all
human enactments are void, and ought to be swept
by the board, for they partako more or less Of in
justice, intolerance, and tyranny. But who shall
decide what is justice, and what is not? Every
person will decide in exact accordance with the
developments of his own mind. But the Sn.
preme Court of the United States is the only trib.
unal to decide what is and what is not United
States Constitution. You speak Of lying to save
souls, | deny the premis and the principle alto
gether. There never was and never will be q
soul saved by lying, for salvation consits in being
saved from falsehood and error. You close w
with expressing a strong hope OF !inauguratins
your views in 1861. [ cannot imagine any ration
al ground Of hope you can have since neithel
the Democratic, Republican or American part;ei
are with you.
l have only given a mere glance at your reply
trying to say as little as possible and satisfy my
self. Yours, &C.,
A. COWLES.
GENEVA, March, 2. 1858.