Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-07-31
From the Radical Abol'ionist.
THE PIEBAID PLATFORM.
W HOSE is 1T ?

"Whether Col. Fremont or another shall lead us
in the contest Of 1860 it is not possible that he
should be immeasurably, recklessly, atroriously
detained, was our standardard bearsr in 1856
Our principles are better known our purposes
cannot be made the bugbear that then we're
We war not on the right of any State to establish
maintain slavery ii it will, but on those nssump
tons which had converted all the territory Of the
Union into Slave Territory, and were fast convert.
ing the free States into virtual Slave States -
Our existence party is active protest against
the ceaseoss agg~es sions and encroachmens of
the slave pOwer--against that naughty spirit
which had succeeded in making belief in the in
alienable Rights of Man, Il bar to any par
ticipatior in Federal Offices against
that spirit which has trebled. by purchase and
conquest the area of slave labor under stars
and striTes, and the high road to uncheck'
ed dominion when checked by the organization
and attitude Of the Republican party.--N. y,
Tribune. yume II,
1t ss%A us that this platform is, at once, pro-
slavery Hd anti-slavery. 1t is pro slavery in re
spect to slavery in the States, which is, very near
ly, all the slavery that exists. The anti. i.slavery
what little if any, there be, must be found out.
side the States, in the Districts, Territories out
posts, &c, The pro-slavery part is definite explc.
it, unmstakable. The anti slavery part, what there
is Of it, is vague, indefinite uncertain.
The right of any State"--"if it will'-to buy
SELL chattelize, brand, burn, hea'henize, task,
scOurge, detauch, brutaze, and reduce to a condi-
ton OF forced adultry and cOncubinage one sixth
part Of "the people Of the United States"
by and for whom the Constitution was "ordained
and established" the right to deprive them of
liberty without due process of law-the right"
to "pass bills of attainder, expost facto laws and
laws impairing the obligations of contracts :" the
right TO perpetuOte anti.rePuhlicGn forms Ct gov
ernment, TAN which the Constitution expressly for
bids and debars, l-the right in this way to per-
petuate the oligarchy, which, by the boasts of Sen
ator Hammond has controlled the country tor six
ty years, and which must inevitably control it
while it exists all this is expressed "with ire.
sitiGle clearnesss," an. no one can mistake the
meaning
Not so with the pitifu the ininitesmal portion OF
nnti-slavery intermingled Herewith. Who can tell
what it means?
"The assumptions that have converted all the
Territory of TIE Union into slave Territory. y
What assum ptiOns ale those, aside from the as,
sumption of the right of property in man, which
the platform abundantly comedies? How are the
ohat;els to be converted into men, crossing the
line between the State and the Territory? ? By an
act of Congress cmanciIating them ? Does the
platform mean that? If so, why not say it, in
plain terms If not, if the Tribune would not
adventure to say so, why nspire the vague hope
of hat it dares not definitely propose
Converting the Free States into virtual Slave
States" Well. Does the platform propose TO re-
peal all fugitive slave bills, or to nulity them BY
State enactments IF So why not say so, 6islinct
ly and honorably? If not, what does it mean
And what is its practical value?
"The ceaseless aggressions and encroachment
of the slave power" Why not specify some o
them and promise to 20 against them q? Why not.
if it be really intended to do anything but talk
and declaim
If the anti slavery profession means anything
but sheer 6unkun Jet us be told, distinctly, what
it does mean, so that there may be no backing
out, afterwards. Let the party say, manfully,
we go for an act excluding slavery from the Terri
tories for an act ropenlng all fugitive slave laws
for an act suppressing ihe slavery existing in viola
tion of the institution, in the District of Coum
bia, for an act, interdictng the coastwise and in
land domestic slave Iade and in general. for all
! Legislation against slavery, which Congress has
Constitutional authority to enact.
Let the Republican party do, at least this, OF
let it cease to make any anti'sayery pre.ensons
at all. Or ask anti slavery votes
Quite remarkable is it that since the Criten
den Lecompton vote Of the Republicans in the
House of Representatives, the Tribune cautousl
forhears to pledge itself or the party to the prin
cpe of Federal exclusion of slavery from the
! Territories which then, for the time being al
! least, relinauished. Like the free soil motto o.
"NO more slave States" the motto of free Ter
rtories by Federal action" appears to have
become obsolete.
! Not q word has the Tribune to say, in the ar
ticle just quoted from, in respect to any one dis
tnct political measure of resistance either agains
slavery or its aggressions All its bright prospect
lie in another direction, Kansas. as a free State
is to shus out Slavery from the North Vest
Missouri and Delaware are to become free States
Clear sighted political economy"-"ihe enlght
ed moIaltv Of the aye" ()-"determined bu
Constitutional esistauce"-(how, we are not told
are to insure the decline and disappearance o
slavery
And this IS to DO the platform and the profess
ion Of the party, for whose triumph in 1860, tn
Tribune cherishes joyful hopes"
; We have two things to say in conclusion.-l
#, To the Tribune and associates we say, your pros
poets Of triumph in 1860. on that platform or
not promising. There is not the slightest probs