Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-11-14
Report of Speeches and Discussions at the
Cleveland DiSuniOn Convention.
(Continued)



to make them willing to sacrifice the union for the
overthrow Of slavery, he thought it likely slavery
might be better abolished without disunion. Ma
ny of .he people of Cleveland, he was sure, were
opposed to slavery, and honestly so, who would
much rather see the system abolished by the pow
er OF the union than by its dissolution. They
might choose dissolution rather than slavery if that
were the only alternative. But they thought that
by less effort than would be required to dissolve
the union, slavery might be abolished and the un-
ion stand, lie thought reformers often had too
little charity for those who had not advanced so
far as themselves. Men often repelled by se-
we're censure when, by more genial influence,
they might he won over to truth. He was in fa-
vor of full and free discussion he hoped we
should have distinctly stated the views of all
parties, in this convention. His own mind, he con-
fessed was not fully made up. The question is,
is dissolution necessity? That it would be n
calamity in some respects, all will agree. Groat
interests would be jeopardized if not sacrificed
by it. Again, if dissolution be a necessity, how is
it to be accomplished, and what are to be its re-
suits T.? That the abolition Of slavery would be
one result he had doubt; but there are other
great interests to be regarded Slavery is an evil,
but not the only evil of the land.
PARKER PILLsBuRY, said, he did not believe there
was any use in wasting the time of this Conven-
ton in discussing the question whether we can
abolish slavery in the country and the union.
1t was too late to talk about that. We had our
selves only half believed our own docsrnes.-
lie believed it was time to appeal to the more he
roic elements of hnman character. The slaves
should be encouraged to rise and assert their lib
erty in the spirit of 1776 rather than drag their
chains from generation to generation. And the
Northern people should stand forth in the same
spirit. Where, he asked, is Ohio, with her Repub.
lcan Legislature and her Governor Chaser Can
you protect your own citizens from outrage? !
will not ask you if you can protect Margaret Gar
ner and her children and others in their condition,
for you have shown that you cannot. Itis time
you should take the matter out of the hands Of
Governor Chase and his cowardly minions, and
pitch the Shareholders into the lake, when the >
oomS amongst you in pursuit of their victims, OIL
to interfere with your citizens. l should rather
see Cincinnati laid in ashes than that she should
have permitted the deeds to be done in her midst
that have been enacted there with npunity. Bet
ter give Ohio back again to the Indians and the
wolves than permit your soil to be trodden by mon
sters more fearful than wolves any other raw
enous beasts of prey. Let come up to this work
in earnest resolved to trife no longer. Let us de-
mand that the union cease, in the name of God
and be as earnest as the champions of slavery are
in the slaveholding states. Let us bear in mind
that every hour of this meeting is pearl of great
price, and not waste our time in useless and irrel
thaEo 70
A. PRYNE, of Ravepna, Ohio did not agree
with Mr.. Piilsbury. lie took it for granted that
this convention was appointed for the fullest dis
!, cussion of the different views of those coming
together. 1t was useless to call or hold, such a
convention. If the whole question is to be regard
ed as settled without investigation. Honest peo
pie are in doubt upon this matter of dissolution,
they have their objections and arguments against
it, and are not to be satisfied by Mr.. Pillsbury'
talk of "trifing" and "waste Of time"
, This question must de discussed in the light Of
the constitution, and in its bearings upon the anti
slavery enterprise. If this is to be forbidden then
it useless to come here at ALL l am opposed
to dsunion. l should regard it disaster, as
we'll to the slaves at the south, as to the whole
country. What is the Union In what does il
consist ? have heard good argument here to-day
against the American Government But none
! that aware of, against the union. If the
corrupt administration of the government were al
annulled, and the men who have perverted it al
removed the union woull still exist and be all tn'
stronger on that account. All the outrages o
, which you so justly complain have been done il
/ violation of the compact which constitutes thu
DoFo, Al thar thor
= was no union What was the process by which
union was formed? The Declaration of Iudepend
ence was. the first national act by which the colo
MES were brought together. Now if the Govern
meDt has trampled upon that instrument it ha
trampled upon the Union. Nobody objects I
the Declaration of Independence,yet on this is tn
= union based. But the states afterwards adopte
n the Constitution and is slavery in it MI
Pilsbury thinks it is waste of time TO inquire in
to this question: but if this be then it is useles
to argue the question of disunon at all. for in di;
i solving the union, you also destroy the Constitu
! ton and before deciding to do this you mus
decide upon its character
do not,at present. propose to goi into constitu
tiOnal argument, except to refer to few particu
s lars. l believe it is admitted on all hands tha
u the constitution, when literally interpreted
. is snti.slavery document. Its fret sen
tence declares its object to be, "to establish JUS
tice and secure the blessings of liberty" AM
then, as you proceed with it from clause to clause
il makes provision for the protection OF the right
i of all the people. 1t cannot, then, be necessar
to destroy this instrument to abolish slavery Bu
: Mr.. Burleigh says, it has always been rogarde
s pro-slavery. With his keen logic and long expert
ence, he should not be satisfied with such an argu
6 ment as this On this ground the New Testamen
itself should be trampled under foot, for thi
slaveholding nation has always claimed Chris
and his Apostles for slavery, just ss it has Claim