Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-07-25
WHAT rs ANTI.sLAvERY 2
Speech Of Adin' Ballou at Framinghan, Mass, on
the Fourth Of July, 1857.


Mr. PRESIDENT AND FRIENDS: We have great
professions o. antisavery from all quarters in the
Northern section of our country, and | presume
many look with degree of resentment upon those
who claim to be exclusively ant-slavery, alleging
that they themselves, in their way and their udge
ment, are as anti-slavery as anybody. 1t will be
worth while then, perhaps to enquire what anti
slavery is. To be just and charitable TO all parties
| am constrained to say that there are two kinds
of anti slavery. | will distinguish the one
kind as uncompromsing, moral-princirle anti
slavery. / will define the other to be compro-
missing, expediency anti-slavery. will not raise
the question of personal honesty and good intention
in regard to the advocates and adherents of either
of these two kinds; but that they differ from each
other very essentially, in some respects there can
be 10 doubt.
understand that unCompromising moraprinci-
pie antislavery looks at the simple right and wrong
of the thing. 1t looks upon the simple enslaye-
ment of a human being the greatest wrong
which be perpetrated by man upon man. You
will ask-'Greater than murder? Yes; it must
be greater than murder inasmuch as, if we try it
by the Golden Rule, and ask ourselves whether we
would not prefer to be stricken down by deadly
weapon than be subjected -, as piece of property
to hopeless tondage we shall undoubtedly choose
the former. Or if it were the Of our wife, or
of our husband or Of our darling son or daughter
or of any dear friend, should not have been
long in deciding if there were no hope cf escape
otherwise, that death should be preferred to bond
age taking it in this point of view and not to dwell
upon the evils that grow out of slavery in all d.
rections, moral-principle, uncompromising Aboli-
tionists look upon slavery a sin per Sc, and moi
as an ordinary siu--not as fault-not as n light
and trivial ofence-but as q capital crime; conse-
quently, they cannot tolerate it. They go for ex-
terminating it and they cannot be consistent to
90 for anything less. We tolerate little drinking
a little petty larceny We tolerate great many
little vices in the community and in government ;
we tolerate attle error in The bosom of the church
because we say. human nature is imperfect, at the
best But we do not tolerate murder; we do not
tolerate the laying of the hand upon man, by an.
other man, and robbing him of all that is dear to
hm-never for ourselves--ncver for those that are
dear to us-neyer for those we love we love our
| selves 1t cannot be,
| Now, | understand that compromising anti,slaye.
ry takes a lower view. 1t processes to be opposed
to slavery, but it opposed to slavery crime
or sin, or Il defect in society, or wrong, which
may be tolerated to certain extent. which may be
compromised to certain extent;-it does not treat
it as a capital felony, 1t looks upon it as some.
thing with which we may be united, which we may
act in harmony with, to certain extent. 1t is on
| ly opposed to is going beyond certain limit it
opposes its ex.ension it insists upon its being re-
sisted, to some extent, perhaps but yet, at the
same tne, it looks upon it as thing to be tolerat
ed where it has obtained a loothold, Consequent