Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-18

"well pleased with it." lie merely proposed ono
verbal amendment 1t was then reported to the COM
mittee of FIVE. DR.. Franklin who was member
Of the committee, was regarded as exercising
greater concentration of thought and precision of
expression, than any other man in America. The
declaration came under the ordeal of his scrutiny.
He and bis fellow members well understood that
they were speaking to the civilized word that
their language would be examined in other coun-
tries and in coming ages, and they mast have
brought oil their powers of thought to bear upon
the subject. DR.. Franklin suggested four verbal
amendments, each calculated to improve the force
with which the IDEAS were expressed bu. not one
of them proposed a change or modification Of the
doctrines avowed, 1t was then reported to the
ffty-seven representatives composing the Con-
gress,
These representatives had come from each of the
colonies. They knew the sentiments of their peo-
pie. They were all men distinguished for their
learning, their integrity and love of liberty
While the declaration was under their examina.
ton, other verbal amendments were made Some
tedundency OF ideas and of language was strick-
en- out; but no amendment was made or offered
In regard to the great primal truths which were
enunciated. These had been already settled 10
the popular mind of the nation. They had been
substantially avowed twenty five years previously
by the Quakers of England, and by those of the
northern colonies, when they emancipated their
slaves in l75l. They had been declared in their
published address of l7G3 They had been con-
frmed by the highest courts of England and Scot
land They were avowcd by Otis, by John Adams
by Hamilton, by Franklin, by Jefferson, by Paine,
by public conventions of the people and of the
colonies, and proclaimed by the Congress of l774
and approved by the nation. On these doctrines
the had been commenced and battles fought,
and not member of that cOnvocation of patriots
and sages, denied or doubted the perfect adap-
ton of the language used to express the ideas m
tended. They regarded the principles so obvious
ly just that they declared them 'seli.evident."-
No use of language no form of expression could
have been characterized with greater precision
than that which proclnims "all men to be endowed
by their Creator with certain inalienaLle rights
That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness"
You admit the doctrine: you admit the Ian
guage to embrace the whole human family but
you deny that they Intended to enunciate truths
thus warm and glowing from the bosom of God :
You assume that they intended what they did not
express You say that the 'black man had no
rights which white men were bound to respect"
On this assumption in plain and direct opposition
20 the record to history, tradition and facts you
bAse your decision, and insist that the government
was founded upon the piratical doctrine, that black
men had no rights which white men were bound
to respect.
And the democratic party in all branches Of the
this new doctrine, to revolutionize our government
and render it destructive of the principle which it
was intended to establish.
Very respectfully.
j. X. GIDpISos.