Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-08-20
From the Northern Independent.
THE

-
From the commencement of this paper up to the
present moment, q class Of men have distinguished
themselves by the bitterness Of their opposition TO
it. But their course is easily accounted for, as in
almost every instance these men we're avowed enc.
mics of the anti-slavery movement now going for
ward in the Church. The opposition was and TO-,
tor the most part, a mere coalescence Of proslave-
ryism. The men who opposed the N. G. Advocate
when it was anti-slavery, or tolerated it only be-
cause they we're obliged to. are the men who vent
their spite against the Independents. Proslavery-
ism in Western aud Central New York, has on
.organ-a General Conference organ-manned and
managed by the avowed enemies of anti-slavery
reform. Had it not been for this proslavery feel
ing, made strong by the violence committed against
the rights of Northern Methodists, none of the
c!amor about an independent paper would ever
have disgraced our Church. As il is, we must en-.
dure the reproach for a time, and impute it to the
exigenoies of the peculiar institution" rather
than to anything malignant or incurable in the
Church itself. We have those among us, and their
numbers are legion, who are determined never to
give up slavery whatever the consequences may
be, they purpose to hold on to the domination
No depth Of prospective ruin appals them, no sp-
peranuated twaddle disgusts them, no hard-faced
proscriptive measures balk them in the pursuit Of
this chief object of their ambition. Nothing Of
tends them, unless in some way it appears to mill
tate against this ~favorite design. Give them sla-
very. and they ask no more. This is the reason
why they are not satisfied with an independent
press. Such a press is destructive to slavery, and
they cannot away with it. Every unofficial pro-
sla very nanpr in the Ghurat has haop annrornJ -
The Baltimore Christian Advocate was started for
the express purpose of warding off the controver-
sy from the slaveholdiDg portion of the Church,
ana keeping the Border in countenance, without
the necessity of reform, but not a word of disap-
probation do we hear-no, and that is not ILL.,, the
enterprise is warmly commended by DR.. Stevens
and the whole coufederacy of south-side doctors.-
Who doubts that the single element which made
this Border sheet better than the Independent. was
its avowed proslaveryismi DR.. Stevens had no
ground of quarrel with the paper, because the pa
per had no quarrel with slavery. The Buffalo
Advocate is reeking with pro-slaveryism, and con-
sequently is highly esteemed if it should BY any
means become anti-slavery, its present patrons
would cut it at once. Had the Independent start
ed as a pro-slavery sheet, it would have met with
a cordial reception by all those who now condemn
it-they want a pro-slavery paper. and can be sat-
lshed with no other. The high road to popularity
with ~fogyism, is open before US.
1t we should advocate moderation. and delay,
and doubt, on this vital question, the whole race of
standstillists, with the editor of tho Advocate and
Journal at their head. would soon applaud our
measures, and declare themselves wonderfully de-
lighted with our "sweet spirit" But Just 30 long
as the Independent is the incorporating foe of
slavery in and out of the Church, it will be reviIed
BY the whole host of doughfaess, as bitter in spir-
it and disastrous to tho Church. Herein is our
offence. We cannot even for the sake of 5eine "a
leading denomination" consent to put darkaess
for light, aud light for darkness-ws claim fr al.
what God has given to alive insist thai The
chartered rights of humanity shall not be violated,
and that the slave shall be treated in all respects
as q man, because God made him in all respects, a
man. This doctrine is too broad for the enemies
OF the Independent. They hate the paper, because
it will not be either neutral or equivocal. We
advocate slavery extirpation without regard to
consequence, and no more think it necessary to
be governed by possible results in this case than
in the avoidance of any other crime. The prohi-
bition of murder is without conditions-we do
net insult the moral sense of the world, by afr
ming an intention to abstain from this crime if
we can do so with the consent of the Border. or
Of any who may DO murierously inclined. For
the very same reason any regard to consequences
whatever in the prohibition of slavery, is a shock
ing indecency. No honest man should ever omen
his mouth in favor Of a moderate course in nut
ting away this "sum of all villanies." DR.. Stew
ems course puts Methodism to shame all over the
land. 1t not only makes questionable our reli-
gion. but actually places the Church beyond the
society of honest men. Thus his boasted care for
Methodism is a death stab at it's very yi,als: his
policy carried out, sinks evangelical piety into the
basest hypocrisy. Hence, instead Of being the
friend of the Church, he is to-day it's worst enc
my. He infuses through our bounds. to the full
extent of his influence. the curse of oppression
making the Church which should be an ins,ru-
ment in Gods hands, of opening the prison doors,
and breaking the slaves chains-the most eff
cient means of ~ri'eting them forever. Til
paper is for the slave, and because it is for the
slave, its opponents spare no pains to crush it in.
to the dust. Its offence is plainly not to be for.
given. They like a pro-slavery sheet. however js.
juns and triaiug. but an anti-slavery, be it ever
so good, they cannot like.