Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-03-26

British armies. The love of liberty for themselve
engendered by that contest, and the testimony t
the natural rights of all so general in the pc
! litical writings Of that day, had mbued the mind
OF many of the masters with sentiments favoraSl
! to emancipation, and as consequence slaves fre
quently were granted their liberty. All circum
stances seemed 10 combine to render it probable
they might at some time, attempt to claim the en-
joyment OF their natural rights and to secure th,
ability to do il by the same nsttume entaties thei
oppressors had found successful in their contes
with the mother country. Thus we perceive tha
motive of the strongest character existed for the
master to seek protection for himself in o power
outside Of the slave owning territory for the
present free, were then only nominally slave
states, from which all foresaw the curse so far a:
it depended upon the presence of the slave upon
their soil, must soon be removed.
We may now examine the method that has &C
fatally succeeded, which was resorted to in provd
ing for the perpetual bondage of this unhappy
people. In the fourth section of the fourth article
of the Federal Constitution it is provided that the
United States shall protect each of the States
against invasion /; "and on application Of the Leg
islature, or of the Executive when the Legislature
cannot be convened, against domestic violence"
In this quiet and apparently innocent arrangement
the slave owners obtained the tremendous power
By which four millions of helpless souls are held in
lifelong bondage Whilst the people of this mighty
nation shall continue loyal in spirit, and in act, to
that stipulation, and those claiming property in
their fellow beings demand the fulflmept of the
bond, it is not too much to aver that no power e1'
SITS rth IN ta
Twenty millions, possessed of the physical cour-
age. the skill in the use of arms, the wealth, i'm
tellgence, general characteristics and advantages
of position of the citizens of this confederacy,
united, will prove iuvncible against the effects in
arms Of four millions of slaves, with the combn.
ed power of all the nations Of the earth to back
them,. And this state of the case is perfectly
understood by the moro intelligent of the bond
men, and prevents their attempts to secure lbeT'
ty in that manner. 1t is equally we'll understood
by the statesmen who control the international pol
icy of all other civilized governments. Since the
emancipation of the West Indian slaves, the infiu.
ence Of Great Britain has been given wherever
practicable in favor of the abolition of chattle
slavery in othsr lands. Her diplomacy has been
employed to promote this object, with Spain. and
Brazil, with greater or less prospect of success
But when have her ambassadors at Washington
been heard even to whisper, in advocacy of the
right to freedom of the slaves upon soil 1t
is true she has recently recalled her minister to
this country, Lord Napier, because of his open
sympathy with the Slavery propagandists. But no
no proposition Of peaceful character
nor menace of contrary one, has ever been heard
in hal, of fha soI of In nd isI
difference Is it not manifestly because by all
minds it is perceived the government
of the United States is conspiracy of the white
men of the North as well as of the South of the
West, as we'll as of the East, against the liberties
of the colored race, and is too powerful to afford
any successful interference That through its
provisions the moral power of the nation, equally
with its physical and pecuniary, is pledged for the
perpetuation Of Slavery The facts recited, with
others which Sut for the sake of brevity might be
given lead irresstbly to the conclusion tina. chat
will be certain to exist, as long as the government
possesses its present form, and the people all
loyal to it in it's letter and spirit. The published
debates of the convention which devised the form
of our government, prove indubitably, that the
members oft from all sections, understood perfect
ly that it was an agreement to protect the slave.
owners Of the South against Instructions of their
slaves planned for the achevment of their liberty,
as we'll as against all foreign invasons projected
for the same object. And historical facts exist tC
prove that she power thus delegated, has been EN-.
poyed in at least one instance to reduce nsurgent
slaves, and compel their return to obedience to
-. Il
lion in Southampton, Virginia. in 1881: The va
,ious wars waged against tho exies in Florida,
were not in armed instruction till attacked |
ire also instances in point. Nor does any intelli.
gent, and at the same time honest person, deny
hat such must necessarily be the actonof the gen.
,ral government in everya like future contingency
o the one which occurred in Virginia, unless off
,ials become deliberately foresworn, and the une'
,uivocal intention and meaning of the constitution
violated.
The Constitutional provision for the rendition of
fugitive slaves and the laws made under it are too
well understood to require recital here to prove the
whole confsderacy is pledged against the escape of
he fugitive.
1t is taken for granted that it will be unnecessary
o offer testimony of the guilt and orime of slave
holding, to this community, and having thus dem
,nstrated through what nstrumentaities the pow
II which holds the slave in bondage has been accu'
nulated and where it now resides, the important
question arises, who personally responsible for
his crimef If the parties to this government,
hose whose cooperation and support create and
ustain itmsy be discovered, it will DO easy to des'
guate those by whose consent and assistance only,
is the preparation of this indescribabls iniqui
y is rendered possible. Allow this to be made
ntirely clear by illustration. Suppose ten indi'
iduals to conspire together to murder Senator
seward. They bind themselves by an agreement,
oemnized by an oath, that while the tenth man is
trkng the fatal dagger to his heart, the other nine
hall surround him with assurances they are
repaired and determined to shoot him down. upon
is offer of the slightest resistance. When the
esd shall have been accomplished. who will have
ctually incurred the guilt and responsibility p