Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-02-21
Delivered January %, 1857.

eNHttofs, w sGm"y VI" FN "O'U N""e'
Delivered January %, 1851.
Mn. CHAIRMAN: / am not ignorant of the fact,
that labor under no small disadvantage in COM
ing forward to advocate this Bill. In consequence
OF the degraded condition in which he has been
placed and the prejudice in which we have been
educated, the colnred man and his cause have come
to be ASSOCIATED in our minds with something lu.
diorous We find it difficult to give him the place
of man in our esteem. We are accustomed to
regard him as being sent by Providence to this
Continent to do for US, and not as being for
whom we are to do--as n being from whom we are
TO receive everything. but upon whom we are to
bestow almost nothing. 1t is not easy therefore,
to secure that consideration for his claims which
they really merit The suferings of colored
man do not affect us, do those OF white man.
If colored man dies, ind leaves his vile and
children without provider, it ho is destroyed by
a Railioo I'D accident, if in some half civilized bor-
der region he is whipped to death to make him con
fess a crime which it is afterwards discovered he
is entirely innocent of these things 10 not at all
impress us like similar caamites befallng one Of
our own race. | have observed, in conversation
with the members of this House in regard to the
rights of the coiored man, that they often find it
difficult to restrain smile whom the subject is
mentioned however much their kindness for me
might dispose them to listen with sci ious attention
Indeed, it must be confessed that we have practi-
cally forgotten that the colored man has suscepti
bilities of happiness misery in common with
ourselves. The African race in this country might
address us in language similar to that with which
.Shylock reminded the Christians of Venice, that
tbey had a common nature with the jew. "Hath
mot q Jew eyes? he says. Hath not jew hands
organs, dimensions affections, passions2 fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, sub
.ject to the same diseases, healed by the same
MEANS warmed and cooled by tho same winter
and summer as q christian is If you prick us,
do we not bleed If you poison us, do we not
die" The state Of feeling which is generally in
dulged towards the colOred race. would justify Il
similar solicitation of our attention to the
wants, sorrows and cnjOyments of our human na-
ture. In advocating this Bill | cannot expect the
general sym patty Of this House or the press Q!
this city l stand, in measure, alone. But
dare not for that reason, refrain from expressing
the cherished convictions of myself and my con
stituents, especially when this Winter has been
set apart ms tho proper time for proposing amend
ments to the Constitution. May not, thtf, under
these som ,what embarrassing circumstances, beg
for the friendly attention OF my esteemed assoc
ates in this House, and may not be permitted tc
suggest to men who | know desire to be candid
and impartial, that in considering SO unpopular q
proposition the one before US, we are much
more likely to err in giving it less weight than II
deserves, than in giving it more weight than 1t de-
serves?
In developing my subject shall, first, present.
some direct arguments IN favor OF striking out the
word white" from the Con stitution; and secondly
/ shall notice some objections. ..s-
Before proceeding, however tG argue the qucs
tion upon its intrinsic merits wish to call the at
teution of the Committee the real nature OF this
Bill. You will observe that this Bill does not it.
self strike the word white" from the Constitution;
il merely submits to the people of Ohio the ques-
tion whether they will strike out the word whites;
and it docs this in a way which the Constitution
itself has provided. There is nothing IN this Bill
which be offensive to anybody, unless 1t is
found in the fact that it assumes that 1T Is safe to
leave this question to The people. Is this so very
monstrous proposition, in democratic common
wealth, some gentlemen seem TO suppose! Chn-
not the people OF Ohio be trusted with an amend
ment of their own Constitution ? Are you afraid
to ask them what they will do with it? In this
connection | wish to mention single Tact. do
it in part to relieve my Bill of the odium which
seems to rest upon 1t in certain quarters, ana III
part to reinstnte myseso far as may be, IN the es
timation of my friends from Hamilton County who
were so severe on me the other day. Those gen
tlemen thought the proposed amendment so shock
ing that it should be entertained by the House
for moment One of them looked upon 1t as a
proposition to degrade himself and his family; and
another declared that no one having any sympn-
thy with it, could be "a member in good standing
of the Democratic Church." On this point wish
to read to the Committee the words of gentle
men whom claim as personal tnend-the gen.
tlsman who so ably represented the County OF
Augaize in this House last winter. His views are
recorded in passage on 563d page OF the second
volume of the Constitutional Debates.
"Mr. Sawyer / have given my views upon this
subject and shall not repeat them. l have now
merely to say, that have changed my opinion
some what of gentomeE who advocate these pecu-
liar views. l believe now that they are honest
and, according this to them, ask the same con-
sideration for myself, when oppose their views.
far nhp tina,
the question of negro suffrage, to the people, 10
separate clause"
Now, sir had ALWAYS supposed Mr. Sawyer
was "a member in good standing of the Demo-
cratic Church." | had even supposed that he was
an Elder in that church. And yet the proposition
in my Bill which these younger brethren OF the
Church say the House ought not to entertain IS
in the Constitutional Convention he was not only
willing to entertain, but would himself vote for
do not mention this, sir, to get the Democratic
brethren by the ears; should deprccate any such
result. mention it only to recover the kind re,
CARDS of gentlemen on the other side OF the Han
for myself and my Bill. l trust that hereafter
they will speak of me with considerable degree
of respect, if not of admiration. 1t may be said,
that since the Constitutional Convention was held
the question of extending the right OF suffrage to
colored citizens has been submitted to the people
and decided adversely. This is q mistake. They
have never had an opportunity of voting upon this
proposition separately, as both Mr., Sawyer and
myself, being neither Of us afraid of trusting the
people, wonld doubtless be glad to have them do
Whether they would oppose or reject such
a separate proposition, no man can tell, until the
experiment has been tried. But, even If this
question had been once settled by the people
there might be good reason, by this time, for sub
mitting il to them again; for there have been con
siderable changes in the political opinions of the
people Of this State since the Constitutional Con
yenton was held, as any one may see who will
consider in how different q manner that Conven
tion was constituted from what this House is
/, The fret direct argument which offer in ia