Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-29
DISGRACEFUL.

The Republican Wing of the Constitutional
Convention of Minnesota, now in session has by a
majority vote disfranchised the colored people of the
Territory. 1t makes a white skin an indispensable
qualification for the exercise of the right of suffrage.
Such cowarily, bastard Repu bl;canism in no whit
better than the Sham Democracy whose despot-
ism it decries. The Minnesota Republican con-
dennis this cowardice in a manly way. 1t says
What do we see? A majority of the Republi-
can Delegates to n Convention called on purpose
to frame an organic law for the establishment of
Justice and for securing the blessings of liberty,
lose sight of their noble mission and their oft-re-
peated principles, so far as to make a mans right
to self-government depend on the color of his
skin And what is it for? Why, tho fancy
Democrats have appealed to the base prejudice
born of slavery, which sneers at the black mans
manhood, and the Republicans we're too cowardly
to battle with that prejudice, and so surrendered
to it, and avowed their own participation in it, thus
bearing false witness against themselves, and
making themselves responsible for what they ad.
NIT to be wrong.
"But the BUCCANEERS" it is said, shave raised
this cry of nigger! NIGER NIGER and
we must take the wind out of their sails !" And
SO to save yourselves from defeat, did you think it
best to 60 over to the enemy! Not for the world
would you dishonor yourselves by joining the Sc
ceeding minority Convention in its council cham
Y lkttiS u bN' ~ W 1oi'S ~ III q vi &C
sense, by stepping upon its platform of intolerance
inhumanity and oppression Wherein can their
Constitution be more pro,slayery than yours? We
fear it would take a very long row of such Repub-
licans to stand up against the encroachments Of
Southern slavery, and restore the American gov
eminent TO the principles Of '76.
1t is true the people will be invited to vote on
this question, and are at liberty to strike out the
odiOus provision but we cannot see that the Con
%yention thereby lodges the responsibility of its
insertion.
Honor is due the large minority who fought
against this folly with all their might. Among
the members from the Eleventh District, who were
true to their principles, we observe the names Of
Bates, Messer and Hayden and it is probable
that others, whose activity we do not know, de
serve the anne credit.
The first Republican Convention ever held il
Minnesota, included the following in its declara
ton of principles:
BIRTHPLACE or RELIGIOUS BELIEF ="
IL is for the rank and fle-the people, to see tC
it that the party does not drift away from thai
landmark Of justice and true democracy. Better
} a thousand times that we remain in q minority
than purchase stccess by abandonment of princi
pie.
We recognize no such authority in any Conven
ton, even though it be dubbed Constitutional. ,
But we do say, that if Republicans are afraid to
commit themselves without reserve to the simple
doctrine that all men have natural and equal
rights, and that governments exist for the protec,
ton of those rights. deriving their sole powers
from the consent of the governed, the party has
a spinal complaint which will cripple all its efforts
to deliver this land from the curse Of pro-slavery
domination.
Speaking of the Bugle and of The duty of Yves,
tern Abolitionists towards it, the Anti-Slavery