Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-09-12
THE CONSISTENCY OF RADICAL ADOLF
TI0NISTS.

TIONISTS.
MR.. EDITOR: 1t seems to be mans nature to re-
pei invasion from whatever quarter it may come.
1t is upon this principle that l am writing at
present, feeling as l do that | along with many
others who are standing on the same political plat
form with myself have been most grossly misrep-
resented. Stephen S. Foster in his speech nj Ali
ance on Sunday afternoon charged the radical alb
oitlonists who voted for Gerrit Smith at last.falPs
election, with abandoning their party and their
and uniting almost to a man in Support
OF the Republican papty. | do not know certainly
upon what grounds he has based his charge, but
presume that he had ONE to the conclusion that
a. Pryne OF Ravenna was the great ruling power
which governed the entire embodiment of political
abolitionism and that as he had endorsed the poIit
ical faith Of Salmon p. Chase and other Reoubli
cans, the whole squad must, Of course, 90 with him.
| shall not speak of the action of the radical abo-
lition party out side of my range of knowledge but
so far as | am posted in this matter, the Gerrit
Smith abolitionists stand firm to their posts and
are increasing in both faith and numbers. 1t is
true our friend Pryne has consented to give bis sup
port to Chase and others of the Republican ranks,
bu. what Of that. lie is but one man. All, but,
you say, this one man has stood at the helm of your
party, and now he has deserted you at a time when
the elements of political strife are threatening
destruction to your little bark. But l answer as b.
political abolitionists that although l deeply mourn
the loss of our friend Pryne,I yet feel consoled with
the idea that the neat little vessel which he has
himself helped to fit up and launch out into the
vast sea of human progress will ride majestically
and triumphantiy onward until its strength and
superiority bids defiance to all the concentrated
forces of the Enemy. We who are identified with
the radical abolition party knowing as we do, that
its destiny hangs upon the faithful energetic effort
of its supporters must and do feel the loss of such
a man as A.. Pryne with feelings Of The most pro-
found regret. But what are we to do? Vote for
Salmon p. Chase with all his acknowledgements of
OF the rights of the Southern demagogue and that
too, when be stands upon n platform erected by
the Republicans of Ohio which utterly disregards
and lays aside with contempt the grand idea of o
universal brotherhood Of man.
Let every abolitionist who intends to vote the
Republican ticket this fall, read and study the re-
publican platform and see where their Champion
Chase stands. He stands upon a platform which
discards the idea that a colored man has a right to
citizenship in Chic, and no man dare deny it,
w nav uuc ~ Heun NHeT ~ sayS IL Is U ne U INC
leading objects of that party to secure to free schite
labor its just rewards and its full social and polit-
ical rights. Does that little word white there mean
anything; or is it simply a dead word in the SEN
tence. The only legitimate construction that can
possibly be placed upon tits this: we acknowledge
with deep regret that the southern niggers have
found foot hold upon our soil and in order to check
the emigration here, VT will add to the already
overwhelming pressure Of prejudice a little more,
of the same ingredient and thereby press them until
every spark of manly independence is annihilated
or else every man, woman and child of them press
ed out of the State. A magnanimous principle.
that for abolitionists to support ! Such.an aboli-
zionist for instance, as we, deceived radicals of Deer
Creek, took Mr.. Pryne tobe. wonder if Mr. ryne
remembers how he headed an editorial about one
year ago in relation to Frederick Douglass when he
advocated the election Of John C. Fremont instead
of Gerrit Smith. | wonder if he remembers with
what eloquence and enthusiasm he denounced
Saunel j. May for exchanging his dignity as an
abolitionist for the servile meanness of republican
ism. IF he has forgotten all this and settled down
f in the belief that principle bartered for popularity
} is more avilable for present purposes than a sound
substantial maintenance of right, we who acknow-
t ledge ourselves to be his converts stand ready to
l jog his memory for every misstep and we will do it.
g Mr.. Pryne's elevated position compared with
our own Insignifcance shall be no bar to the free
y and independent expression of thought. Men of
j dignity and standing in society have been gazed
/ at with too much reverence by the great masses Of
!, tho people and it is no wonder that little, %insigni-
fcant, obscure clodhoppers are trying to pull Town
a the polished characters of theolcgians and p%oliti-
IS clans to the common level with their own actions.
1t appears that Mr.. Pryne bases a portion of his
r reasons for supporting Chase upon the fact that Mr..
s. Chase once in his life and that many years ago,
said that if he were one of tho Supreme Judges
W Of the United States Court he would decide that
Slavery was unconstitutional, and thereby strike
Of a death blow to it in every slave State in this
Union. What Salmon p. Chase was ten years
ago, has nothing to do with what he is now. If
we support him for Governor in 1857 we endorse
d his political views of 1857. Now compare his
views upon the slavery question as they were put
forth at a very late day in Baltimore with those
e presented by Mr.. Pryne in regard to the constitu-
tionality OF Slavery and the contrast is SO vast
that no discerning mind can help seeing it.
1t really looks to me like a lawyers bubble to
bring up old worn out testimony to prove a mans
character spotless, when at the same time the man
himself whose character he is laboring to sustain
N repudiates with contempt every idea advanced by
his apologizers in connection with his former
10 views. | have watched the Retoymer with great
N interest for the last few weeks, confidently expect
re ing to sec the iniquity of the Republican move
&c ment exposed but my hopes and expectations have
been hurled back into my burning bosom in utteF