Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-07-09
U 0 III II,
SuMMir Co., June 9th, 1859.

left homo on an anti-slavery lecturing tour, and
the next day, had the pleasure Of attending the
basket meeting in Davis Grove, some three miles
from Limaville. The meeting was got up by those
indefatigable friends Of the slave, Irwin, Brooke
and the brothers Holiday, and was well attended,
especially in the afternoon, by friends from Deer
Creek, Marlboro and Alliance. The speakers were
Jehu Holiday, DR.. Brooke and myself. 1t was
good to be there, though a sad and g%rieved spirit
induced by surrounding circumstances, seemed to
pervade the meetings. The lustre Of the beaut iful
forest which shaded US was dimmed to its early au-
tnmn tinge the pastures and meadows looked scar
IND brown the broad cornfelds, utterly Invested of
the rich green which clothed them with promise
buta few days before, now showed only their ma
ked burrows bleaching in the sun, as when they
were first turned up, two months ago and the
wheat-felds, instead of the first rich yellow tint
which gives the farmer promise of lis 6lling treas
ure, now were oyerspread by the pale and sicken.
ing wilderness of the bligbted grain-heads, standing
bolt upright in their emptiness, as though delight
ing to taunt the careful cultivator with his loss
Besides this, the mortal remains Of our beloved
broth er, JAMES D. Johnson, were that morning
consigned to their final resting place, and many of
our friends came from his new-made grave to our
afternoons assembly. On my way to the meeting
| had thought with pleasure of meeting him, and
| canot describe to you the shock which the in
formation Of his premature departure occasioned.
lie was in the primo and vigor of manhood, and no
other person Of my acquaintance has within the
last three years, so rapidly developed the excel
lences of an intellectual and moral character
His practical benevolence and tho devotion with
which he consecrated himself to the anti-slavery
work, made us hope for long and useful labors
here. But they seemed only to have ripened him
for the EN- ployments of another sphere, md before
we were aware be had gone! Blessed are the
righteous, for though they rest from their labors,
tn cir works do follJw them. / trust some filter hand
than mine will briefly trace his character for your
readers, who already know him as a former CORES
, pendent of the Bugle.
But far more than for The ravages Of the mer-
CHESS frost, lying waste the beauties and treasures
! OF nature, or than even this cruel stroke at our
} cause BY Detah himself, Gid the heart sicken at the
thought of the moral condition of Ohio, us devel-
} oped within the last three weeks. The slave an
an outcast, his friends imprisoned-Churche and
ministers indifferent or approving.--The General
Government enforcing the fugitive slave law-the
beihOCIutlC party lOTDdily approving IN us STATE
platform this persecution for righteousness sake
The Supreme Court of Ohio in the name and in
behalf of the people of Ohio enforcing the penalty
against humanity-the Republican party in its
convention most cowardly conserving to this same
and even the dissenting anti-slavery judges teach.
ing us that ii is the duty Of the State to surrender
up the fugitive differing from their judicial breth-
rem only in regard to ,oho shall be the agents in the
a work), thus all together voluntarily and solemnly
v re-af6rming their obligations to slavery and re-
t nouncing their allegiance to the God of justice and
e liberty. Thus are we all shut up to the necessity
of renouncing Righteousness, and the protec.
ton of the ccmmonest humanity, accept for
ourselves of robbery and imprisonment at the
hands of the Government. Thus all parties have
together turned their backs upon those imprisoned
men in Cleveland and upon the anti-slavery
sentiment Of which they have been SO conspicu-
ously the representatives. This, l repeat, was the
saddest thought Of all. But I should add, though
the Abolitionists in Davis Grove were sad at this
complication Of untowart events, physical and
, moral, they seemed not dishearted or their faith or
? purpose abated. Indeed they all seemed more
0 deeply than ever impressed with the Importance of
t infexibly adhering to principle, and trusting only
to such measures and plans as are in harmony
. with invincibe truth and right. They have had
/ ample experience of the worthlessness of any poll
: cy and of all parties based upon compromises and
bargains with shareholders.
a l have since held meetings in Marlboro, Lima.
Vile and Mogadore, all of which were attended
by attentive audiences, and in all of which were
4 some, hitherto not with US, who seemed not unmov
" ed by the facts presented. l am now enjoying tn,
,s hospitality Of our good friends tho Suliot family
and tomorrow they will kindly take me on m,
way to Geauga County, where | shall spend tn,
week.
l visited the "Rescuers" in the Cleveland Jai
IN last week, and am happy to report to your reader
that the seem all in the enjoyment of excellen
health, and to be cheerful in the consciousness O
the rectitude of their course, though all courts ant
parties have condemned them. OF course, Their
is no hope left them, but to suffer whatever tn
e. ~cupidity or m~alignity of kidnappers may impos
he and the servility of their tools infict, since tie viii
10 of the kidnapper is the law of Ohio, and the Com
lie missioner's warrant the highest judicial authority
d. Mr.. Langston's term of imprisonment expire,
some time since, and that of Mr.. Bushnell vii
terminate in about two weeks from the presen
time. When the others are to have their trial dc
le ponds upon the good pleasure of Judge Wilson
After the sheriff has exhausted his best efforts, q
or course the provision for their comfort and accom-
th mediation must be very mad quate. They use tn
ly small Jail yard for exercise, end / observed some q
b. their number were prosecuting mechanical occu
i'd pations under a shed. This must be some relic
es from the mOnotony of their confinement, now tina
I'D they have a respite from the exciting incident
d. which marked some Of the previous history Of thei
n, persecution. This is a dark hour of their trial, bu
their faith and fortitude does not fail them. LIE
!, all the friends Of freedom be willing to labor and
~ il need be, with martyr spirit. with them to suffer
and the hour Of our nations repentance and of tn
! slaves deliverance will be fastened.
Yours,
NJ. r. ROBINSON.