Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-02-12
Gbe Anti-5laperp Buale,
SALEM, OHIO, FEBRUARY12, 1859.
THE ANTI-sLAvERY PLATFORM TOO
NARROW.

From time to time during our editorial expert.
ence, we have received arguments, rebukes
and COMBINATIONS for the narrowness of our views
and Of our plans of opeTation-we are sectarian
and orthodox, and the Bugle therefore, it is Of.
frmed, is unworthy of support. So We are in
formed sometimes by the same mail that brings us
denunciations from ministers and churches for our
~culpable liberality and blank iDfdelity. Recently
we have received several communication of the
former sort. Some of them designed for
publication, and others for private person.
al remonstrance and edifcation. In most
cases these have come from persons who have
hitherto been hearty workers for the slaves en-.
largement, and who, we have no doubt are strong.
ly influenced by the same consideration in
their labor of love with US. Those designed for
publication were not inserted, flor reasons which
we do not here wish to state but will only say in
regard to them that they were not suppressed on
account of the force of their argument or that we
were unwilling to have the subject discussed.
Marcena V. Miller, an active, earnest abolition
list, a liberal contributor to the funds of the Society
and an efficient agent for the Bugle in his locality
has written us two letters for publication on this
subject.
Though we shall not publish Mr.. Miller's letters
entire, he and those who think with him shall have
a hearing, though there is error in their plansiand
the adoption of their policy would be a virtual SUR
render of the slaves cause to a secondary position
The following extracts exhibit Mr.. MilleI's views
on the subject. He says:
at seems to me that the time has come when
the true friends of "Human Progression" should
lay aside all names, creeds, constitutions, or what,
ever serves to fetter or bind the human though,
or expression, and leave every one free to express
his own thoughts upon whatever subject his
may think best for the promotion Of the truth, and
the welfare of mankind. Let us teach mankind
the truth, and leave them to act out their own con-
~victions OF duty as seemeth to them best. My
opinion is that tho time will soon come, if it has
not already arrived, when the anti slavery move
ment as a separate and distinct movement, mus,
be abandoned. The time was when the temper
ance cause could be sustained as a Sc 2arate move
ment, but that time has passed so l expect it will
DO with the anti-slavery cause. Friends, there are
great and powerful distractions in the way of tn,
slaves redemption that cannot be reached by tn,
present anti slavery movement. The religion o
this country with the foundation on which it stand
has got to be ovorthrown before the slave can b,
recognized as a brother, and to accomplish thir
great and;glorious work, Old Orthodoxy has got tt
be met face to face and attacked boldly.
swell, then, let US 60 at the work OF tearing
down the monster orthodoxy and get it out of tn,
way. And as a means to accomplish this object
the auti.slavery cause has been a great and might,
fundamentally but on the Reserve my opinion i
that it has ceased to be an instrumentality. or a
least it has lost it's vitality and ceased to agitat
the public sentiment of the community. 1t ha
been as it were a great entering wedge in the grea
moral cut of reform. 1t has been driven by tn
power of truth. and q mighty rend it has made
but at last it has reached the great and might
knot of Orthodoxy"
Again Mr.. Miller says
i have tried as opportunity has offered to &c
some more subscribers TO the Bugle, but hav
been unsuccessful thus far, The paper is too inf
del for solne. and is not broad and comprshensiv
enough for others. Som of the latter class ar
disseminating the Bugle on that account. Man.
of the friends of the slave think that his only hop
is in the overthrow of the popular religion O
this country, and to establish a religion of reas
onableuess and righteousness in its stead. An
to accomplish this object the foundation on whic
it stands has 60. to be removed. Holy Books
Holy days, with all their authority will have to b
done away with, and mankind will have to b
taught to listen to the voice Of God within and t
the instructions of their own souls. When man
kind settle all questions by the light and vote