Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-04
Gbt Anti glaperp Bnalr.
SALEM, ONO, APRIL 4, 1857.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT 1T,

Our readers will fud the articles we publish this
week on the bred Scott Case, worthy of their at.
tention. Mr.. Downing the author of one of them.
is q colored gentlsmen Of Providence Rhode Island.
lie makes it decidedly clear, that if the SCHOLARLY
requirements of a historian, or the tact and skill
of = logician are to weigh in the decision of
American citizenship, he has a better claim there.
to, than the Chief Justice himself. From the
facts and arguments presented by Mr.. Downing ms
we'll as those elsewhere ELECTED, especially from
MIR. Giddings' elaborate argument, it is manifest
that Judge Tsney's decision that colored men are
not citizens, is at war with the facts Of history and
the practice of the country. That it is a new
theory and has received the anction of the
Supreme Court to inaugurate it into general
practice.
This is true, notwithstanding the strictly
logical inference which Gerrit Smith claims, that
if human beings are property in the Carolinas,
they are property in the Territories and property
in New England, and this like the right in every
other species of property, is entitled to protection
as such, against any conflicting claims of person.
atty which may be set up either by the slaves or
their friends the fanatics. True, this makes the
Constitution an absurd and miserablv conflicting
document, like the creed of the Republicans. But
We are under no obligation to attempt to reconcile
the Inconsistencies of the one or the other. We
r%epudiate both,a as utterly inadequate for the object
they profess to seek, namely the establishment of
justice and the security of liberty.
We hope Mr.. Smiths suggestions of the incon.
sistency OF the Republican position will
secure the careful consideration of the members of
that party and lead them boldly to assume IL
higher and truer one. In no other way can thew
effectually serve the cause of liberty in it's now as.
saulted and down-trodden cond ition in this coun.
try. We are most happy indeed to see that some
1.-TWO or threc) of the bravest members of the
party, are already making this same suggestion ::
and urging with much force of argument and
earnestness of manner, that since the Constitution
is now annuled, 20 far as its provisions for liberty
are concerned, and Slavery extended over all the
States, it is as well to take the yropagandists on
their own plan and carry the war into Africa.
Since the Shareholders will insist upon carving
Slavery into all the States, the non. shareholders
shall insist upon abolishing it in all, and that the
Republican party should DO remod cled on this
principle. Let that suggestion be adopted, and
our warfare upon Republicanism is ended. We are
its allies and supporters. That will be the adop-
tion of something both practical and prac-
ticable. We fear such a contamination il vet n
long ways in the future; though we would no,
even by the expression of this want of faith
quench the slightly smoking fax" of spasmodic
Republican zeal.
The Washington correspondent, ~. S. p" of
the Now York Tribune, who does up a great part
OF the more thorough anti slavery work Of that
paper, and whose labors are often neutralized by
the counter efforts of his more conservative CO.
laborers, writes an admirable letter on this sub.
ject. We know not how better to occupy our
space than by quoting largely from it. In answer
to the t%aunting inquiry of Democratic submission
lists. What are you going to do about it?" The
writer replies -
For one, we make answer to the insulting in
quiry by prompt and unequivocal reply. We pro.
pose to revolutionize the revolution. We design
to prosecute countcryailing measures to the u.ur-
patton, which shall be sufficiently radical and
effective to accomplish its overthrow. We intend
to strike directly at the usurping power. That
power is Slavery. We propose to drive directly
at its vitals, wherever it exists. Forced into war.
drlven into straits where one party or the other
must sink, we go for sinking Slavery. In a CON-
49, ~ 'Aeh ahu iutl tNUlIS
we cannot stand upon Having no al.
Tentative but to yield to Slavery or to conquer
Slavery, we strike for its unconditional extinction
in this Government, whether by expulsion or other
wise. Upon this ground we believe the battle
should be fought by all who do not intend to he
m and degraded by the gross and insulting
rule of the Slave Power.
Brave words and ftly spoken are these. And
now that his blood is stirred, the writer proposes
to do in substance what the Disunion AbOlitionists
have all along been urging: that the States in
their independent capacity must do the work !;
that all hope from national politics has proved
utterly futile and SO must continue. For wears
Wendell Phillips has devoted all the energy of
his intellect and power of his eloqusnce to impress
this fact upon the mind of the nation, but only to
be jeered at; and with quite as good will by nation.
al Republicans, as by national Democrats. II is
encouraging to find an auxiliary coming up from
the Republican camp. Thanks to Judge fancy for
so hopeful an indication. The writer proceeds:
This war upon Slavery must be made by the
Free States acting in their own sovereign capacity,
or by such comparative union among them as shall
be deemed best by the parties. Ii cannot be
effectively carried on to its successful completion
by the sole action of Federal agencies. 1t is too
late for that. This plan has been tried end found
wanting. The reasons why. might be given at
LENGTH but we must omit them here. The lower
House OF Congress may, where possibls, be used
as an auxiliary force, but this is all. The Free
States, acting in their own separate and indepen-
dent capcity, must accomplish the work. What
those States must first do is to rise from their de.
pendent, secondary. half torpid position, and as
sumo the attitude Of independent, selfrespec,ing
seif'reiiant States. They need organization.
They must be aroused to feel and to declare their
rights. ID is time to shake off the dust and sloth
OF generations, and to assert their powers, so long
IN absyance. They have need to recur to first prin.
Ic'ples,to bfash away the eobwebs which have 40