Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-01-15

stock, | declined giving my reasons for refusing to
swear, mainly because it was a matter with which
you, as State Auditor, had no business to inter,
NEEDLE, The nero fact that did refuse to swear,
was all upon that point which it concerned you to
know. IL was prevented by conscientious scru'
pies, /: was not for you to decide whether those
scruplcs were well or i'll founded. If views of
policy withheld nc, it was not for you to judge
whether | was mistaken. You greatly mi5under'
stand tie character of your Office, if you suppose it
coniers upon you inquisitorial powers, With the
artecodcnis of those who come before you, or with
their principles or policy, whether peculiar or 9th
erwise, you have nothing whatever to do. Your
province is simply to enquire whether injustice
has been done the applicant, and if so, to redress
it. Whether or no you thank me for enlightcning
you upon this point, community l am sure will be
glad | have conveyed to you SO desirable a piece
of information.
You had my statement as given before q Justice
of the Peace, that wrong had been done me, and
you had Mr.. Colestock's assurance tina, he believed
that statement to be substantially correct. The
facts as therein set forth are such as you cannot
deny, tho injustice is so palpable it admits of no
excuse. But instead of considering the grounds
upon which redress is asked, you raise the enquiry.
what are the political views Of the applicant %
and having ascertdined that he is a disunionist, you
very significantly say, If therefore decline to grant
any relief.
thank you, sir, for being so oxplicit-your Ian.
guage is incapable Of being misunderstood OF mis-.
construed. The only reason you give for net doing
me justice is, that | am a Disunionist, and there.
toie' relief is refused. Had | been a Republican,
or even a Democrat, l might have hoped for just
ice; but being neither a Republican or Democrat,
but an opposer Of both, therefore" there is no re
lief to be obtained, and tits q great piece of "as.
Surdnce' to ask for it,
Had you possessed a little more shrewdnese, you
would have endeavored to conceal tho motives that
Influenced your decision, and have at least pre-
tended you were not satisfied with the correctness
of my statements, and not have presented a reason
so absurd, and so wicked, so unjust, and so unoon'
stitutional, that those Of your Republican friends
who have any conscience will be ashamed of their
State Auditor, and your Democratic opponents will
marvel that so incapable a man was foisle1 into of,
fee. Judge fancy decided that the colored man
had no rights which Q white man was
bound to respect you, sir, have taken a step
in advance Of the Chief Justice, and decided that
n Disunionist has no rights which a Republican is
bound to respect. There is, however, a degree of
consolation to be found in the thought that you
do not yet occupy q seat upon the bench of the
Federal. or any State Court, or even fill the Office
of Justice Of the Peace.
You think tina. Disunionists have great assur'
ance 10 ask you to do them justice-to equalize or
abate taxes wrongfully laid. 1 believe cells mani
fest even yet, some uneasiness at being skinned
alive, long as they have been used to the operation
and although the legal rights Of Disunionists have
been so often denied, let me inform you they have
not yet concluded to entirely refrain from protest
in4 against the wrongs done them, nor have they
ceased to appeal for redress whon there is n reas'
onablo prospect of obtaining it; and much as J
may be supposed to deprecate your displeasure, l
cannot refrain from writing you this letter, al
though I fear you will consider it a piece Of assur-
ance almost equal to my application Gor the remis'
sion Of uni ist taxes.
Il is very true that Disunionists refuse to adopt
for their government, or endorse by their support
any code Of laws or form Of Constitution. the
faithful observance of which would require them
to disgrace .heir humanity, and trample under
foot the teachings of Jesus. 1t is very true
they refuse to become parties to a confcderacy
with slave claimants, by which t~he'slave is held
in his chains. 1t is true they refuse to sing
praises to that GLORIOUS Union, which has
not only sacrificed the rights of the colored
American b~oudman, bus has so ~trampled upon
The rights of the whites that men have been
driven from the South for holding the senti'
men.s Of the Republican party, while the party
itself has been prevented from forming m electoral
ticket in any Southern State. All fulsomo pane
gyrics upon such a union, all praises of its glory,
and unbounded professions Of allegiance and de-
votion they leave to the Republican party, whose
monopoly OF them cannot be questioned.
Disunionists, however, DO not refuse obedience
to laws which they consider just and righteous
but they have no reverence for unjust laws. and
no "~respect" for them although they come clothed
with tho authority of the National government
You, Sir, I presume hold with Governor Chase and
the Republican party, that Federal laws, 'wheth-
er just or unjust, if properly administered, aciN Je
respected". This position is in accordance with
your oath of office, and by swearing to support the
United States Constitution, to stand by and see fu-
gitive slaves taken from the soil and from the pro.
lection of the people Of Ohio, you possess the
power, as you have given the promise to do the
work of the Shareholder. Embued with his spirit.
you make outlaws Of all who refuse to take the
wicked oath, and when they ask for justice,
not according to their standard, but according to
tho standard of Ohio law, you lecture them with
official pertness about their assurance.
Disunionists have never consented to your tax
laws, nor to any other of your laws, I may add,
though they generally submit without much COM
plant when they are themselves alone concerned.
Had they been parties to your governmental con-
tract, there would seem to be more ~propriety in their
keeping silence in regard to taxation, no matter
what form it might assume but such not being
the case, it would be difficult to convince any hon
est person of average intellect, that it was a piece
of assurance for them to ask that justice be done