Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-11-07

tain slavery by Federal usurpation," utterly re.
pudiatc the sovereignty Of the States, and tecitly
submit 70 the %enormities Of a government Of un-
limited porers." Or to what is practically the
same, a government which is the sole judge Of
its own powers" against the sovereign parties
who created it and breathedinto it the breath Of life.
As | conscientiously believe slavery to be the
greatest curse that can be inflicted on man. no hu-
man government, Constitutions or Unions are too
sacred to be demolished il such q course is abso.
lutely necessary to abolish slavery. II then, the
Convention should decide that the dissolution OF
the is necessary to abolish slavery.is it not,
let me respectfully ask, the duty--,he solemn moral
and political duty-of every member, who takes
this view Of the subject, to place THE vital aud
important question upon the best possible basis
"the freedom, independence and sovereignty" Of
each State Of the Confederacy, and its moral. natu-
raj and reserved constitutional right, in the Ian
guage Of the Declaration of Independence ito al
ter or abolish "its government and to institute a
new government laying IFS foundation on such
principles, and organizing its powers in such form
as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
happiness and safety 7"
On the other hand, to base thi, vital question on
the right of revolution" which even despots con
cede, is in my humble opinion, to prove false to
the sacred rights Of the slave, for whose benefit a
dissolution of the Union is sought to be effected.
I say false, because duty to the slave demands
that the issue DO presented to the people in the
least Objectionable form.
Let me place this question in the clearest light
that my humble abilities will admit.
Are the citizens of New York guilty of partici-
pating in the crime Of Slavery because they are a
part of a nation in which it existsf 1.-THE affirm
alive of this question be true then they have but
two ways to avoid this Grimm atty.
First, to abolish slavery by tho Federal Govern
ment. This, from the fact that, by the Federal
Constitution, three millions of their inhabitants,
acting against the people of the slave State Of
Delaware. have no voice in the Senate. and that two
millions have no voice in the Executive department
must necessarily be an event not soon to be &C.
complished. Second, to "destroy the unity Of
the nation" and establish a government for them
selves which would be acknowledged by all to be
a revolution. On the other hand, if the negative
of the above question be true, as it certainly
is, are the people of New York responsible for
supporting slaveryH
Most a~ssuredly they are responsible, and inf
nitely moro SO than if the affirmative were true
because New York being a sovereign state, volun-
tarily supports and sanctions slavery by remain
ing in the Federal Union with her co-States with
out an effort to abolish it. She might, however,
consistently remain in the Union if her people
believed that the Federal Constitution was anti
slavery, and exerted their constitutional means
to abolish it, through the Federal Government,
with q reasonable hope of success. But while
maintaining . mastery inactivity" and granting
the right of its c~o-states to enslave men, women
and children, it is equally guilty before God, and,
Its not doing. is set down
Amongst its darkest Deeds"
Clearly, then, the duty and responsibility Of
the people of any one state, Massachusetts for
instance, does not depend, in the remotest degree,
upon the action Of its co. Estates, whether nominal
dividual, each State being sovereign. and not q
part Of a nation, is responsible to the God of ma
tions for its completely in the crime Of its CO. States
against the sacred rights of humanity.
If this view Of the responsibility Of each
etate for its completely in the inhuman and
Remembering crime of slavery, be correct
it must be the imperative duty of the Con-
v%ention to place this vital question on the best
possible basis-the sovereignty of the States.
First and mainly, because it is the true basis, and,
second, because the proposed remedy should, in
good faith to tho slave, have the benefit of every
possible element of success.
Yours for the cause of humanity.
B. G. WRIGHT.
The following letter from the Hutchinsons is ex-
pressive of their earnest sympathy with the object
of tie convention.
ST. PAUL, Oct. 18th, 1857,
T.. W. HIGGINsoN, Dear Friend: We regret
exceedingly that we cannot be with you and the
host of the "True and Brave" at your council 10
be holden at Cleveland on the Doth, inst,
Our many cares here for the present, is our only
excuse.
Believe US ever with you in spirit, Chatting
the dirge of American Slavery.
Truly Yours
THE HUTCHINSON FAMILY.
Per. ASA B. HUTCHINSON