Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-01-02
Yours, truly,
JOSEPH A. ROWLAND,


For the AntiSlsyery Bugle.
CHERRY VALLEY, Ashtabula Co., O., Dec. 20.
Friend Robinson: We have had the pleasure Of
listening to n genuine Anti. Slavery gospel to.day,
which was very interesting; even though denoun-
ced by good orthodox people as only Lysielay in
disguise. If this be ~infdelity, and If in order to
maintain our standing in the church we must ig-
more this great question Of human rights, and pase
by on the other eide, and join hands With the slave
holder, then let us at once, and boldly too. bear
the stigma of reproach for the sake of this unpop.
ular truth, and take our position with the so called
infdels, rather than with those who have "%stolen,
the livery of heaven to serve the devil in
Strange that q person should DO suspected of inf.
deity, merely for expressing sympathy for the
oppressed and downtrodden slave; strange that.
our churches, with but few exceptions, are closed
against those who would plead his cause-stranger'
still, that our priests. and church members, our
lawyers and politicians should alike talk so grave.
ly of the rights Of the stakeholder; Of his right to
transpor, his property in man, where he will, UT.
der the protection Of our glorious constitution"
and that we have 'no right to NEEDLE with slave.
ry where it exists, under the protection of law"
Can any human Enactment change the nature of a
moral urong? Can God himself reverse the ma
turo Of evil and pronounce it good" Wonder
if these sagacious moralists would pay equal res
pect to the majesty af law" if it reduced them
and their dear ones to the degradation of slavery.
If the order of things could he reversed, and they
c,ulJ wear the letters they are willing to fasten on,
others. and bear tho heavy burdens they are will
ling TO lay upon other mems shoulders, should We
hear them proclaim the duty Of q people to rever-
ence and obey the unjust and impious enactments
of the tyrants in power. Experience is an excel
lent teacher; and l believe there is on old addage.
that says, fools will learn of no other" / think
those who advocate the rights Of shareholders
would learn a lesson in this stern school that would
teach .hem ever after to distinguish between the
might and the right. / think they would get con.
verted into full blooded abolitionists, and never
~backslide or "fall from grace"
But | was going to give a few notes Of the meet
ing. Doubtless you will receive official notes that
will be more interesting, yet a few thoughts from
spectators may not be amiss. The speakers pres.
ent were Mr.. Rowland and Mrs. Coleman. Being
unable to be present in the afternoon or evenings,
| can only speak Of the forenoon exercises; Mrs.
Coleman read with good effect that severe, but
truthful poem of Wbittier's entitled "a Sabbath
Scene" Alas! how many such scenes are enacted
yearly in this land that boasts of its freedom and
christianity! Would that we might call it a fiction
IF The poets brain; but we must reluctantly con.
fess that he has not exaggerated or "set down
aught in malice" only held 'the mirror up to
nature" and faithfully caught the hideous i'm
preston Of a painful truth.
After the poem was read Mr.. Rowland favored
US with an interesting lecture. founded upon tho
=" S,J, mud eti, varsas az tho lsf |, ptar uf S,,lnront
Songs, Il am black, but comely," &C.. &c. His
remarks in reference to SulomoDs color, suggested
= sumo amusing thoughts; and if he did not prove
: that he was physically black, "a niger" in mod
ern phrascology, the memory of his character as
y portrayed in the record which we have Of him.
! made it selfevident that he was morally. co!ored
with the darkest hue of iniamy. lie spoke of this
unjust prejudice against color and referred it to it's
l proper origin, the hatred of the evil doer against
those he has wronged. lie narrated incidents of
moral heroism worthy Of Greece or Rome. deeds
which if performed by the oppressed in other
climes, would win our admiration and the heroes
to md heruines would be exalted to saints-the calen.
nc dar of freemen. Yet now people listen to the re.
cital, culdly and COOL their enthusiasm by the re.
ne collection that that deed was performed by a
ne runaway niger, who in the vain attempt 10 secure
n. .'liber,y," Las rushed into The jaws Of death"
at Our hearts have often thrilled Us the burning
Id words of Patrick Henry's glorious choice, o!
give me liberty or give me death" have been
III echoed on the air by ambitious school boys in their
yn ~incipient attempts at oratorieal skill, and by sill
e. moro ambitious fnll.Aedged orators, who waste q
an deal OF eloauencs on the fourth Of July air, and
-. exalt this glorious republic" in the seventh
90 heaven of perfection. And yet when thousand
,ut Of our fellow beings-niggers If you please, ART
So giving fresh ut,erance to that heart cry, are liyin!
a, out n sentiment which they perhaps have neve
m. heard cluthe 1 in words, have We no sympathy fo
lie. them? Alas they are 'black," and We fail to se
all the comeliness of tho soul thai il thus strong 4
full do and to dare, to achieve each for himself. singl
ION and alone, the blessing Of personal freedom in
we strange land and an inhospitable cline. A tlss
the sing which he cannot transmit to his posierity
rd- unless he can take them 'out into the wilderness.
in, with him, and bear them safely through to th
he promised land" If the record Of moral heroisu
On. for the 10Th century is ever written, the autho
ul must search the annals of the underground rail
tn. road for it's portraits. and find its subjects anon
to the accursed descendants of Ham.
a, The lecture this morning was interesting; an
IN. yet some tell us that the speaker told us nothin
py, ne,v. Truth is old, indeed, Solomans said there wa
ion %"nothing ncw under the SUM-" yet there is oite
,ur new discoveries of old truths; and the truth utter
rth ed by the speaker will bear repetition. II shout
mr. he whispered in 70 still small" but sffsctosl voio