Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-05-14
LETTER FROM J. R. GIDDIN Gs.

uluU1nRb, u II U I u NtlllhStOh ipoOhS'os ~
tone of the letter is good, in the main, though we
utterly dissent from some of its positions. The
communication treathes a spirit of resistance to
oppression, and AYERS a determination to have the
right triumph, if not By law, then over law.
TT may be we have not as much faith as we
should have in the declarations of politicians,
whether delivered collectively, by resolutions or
addresses, or individually, IS in the letter of
which We are speaking. But we have seen 30
much backing down from positions which we're
found to be Unpopular, so much compromise just
bt the time, and ON the point when stern integ-
trrity was most needed, that we have come to re'
fcord all pro.estations which are in advance OF
nub,ic sentiment, MS merely Pickwickian expires,
'sions, when they emanate from such a source.
lMr. Giddings, though living a much higher pc.
I;,;cal life than many of his associates, has not
sslxays redeemed his declarations by his deeds,
and we Must therefore be permitted to receive
.,;,h some o1estionings bis declarations of what.
in a Certain contingency. the people-including'
~ ,cSurse. himself-will do. In 1913, he, with
~Id,heteen other members of Congress, issued an
asdetess to tho people of 'the North, declaring that
THE snnexation of Texas would mot only newt
'suNy result In a dissolution of the Union, but
tsIUN j,tstify e." Texas tcds annexed, and the
fJnidn ,cGs not dissolved at least If it was, We
.fsvsr 'hs.t any evidence of it. IF we mistake
taot. Mr.. %Siddihgs has sometimes declarec-para
1aohicHl bsi seems-that the act OF annexation,
wis e. esct'6f dissolution, and that since then we
ihkd been living under another than the old Union.
IF Ne ala say so. we will venture to a11rn, he not
only YeVsr made a single convert to his doctrine,
hStt never con WINGED any that he beloved 1T him
Serf- TOT the governmental machinery moved on
without any 6imihntion in its power, with no
sstfhti6n in the rules and regulations for its enid'
anas. with no change even in it's egineeIs save
fnAt effected in q Constitutional manner. We re-
Ssht Il the annexation Of Texas was not tho dis
~sSrhtion of the Union, and if Dissolution was a
G~ouyenplatcd contingent movement On the part Of
Mr.. Giddints and his associates at the time they
issued their address, all we have to say is, they
never took the first step towards it. but backed
Cat silentiy-and may we not add. ANONYMOUSLY
from the position they had assumed.
All of us must feel the otter hopelessness OF
4ookipp either to the National or State govern
tmeht for protection, if we believe that Mr.. Gid
ding 's advice to execute Lynch law upon the slave
catcher be sound in theory, and right in practice
for Lynch law lie the last, desperate resort. Abo-
a;,;onists have generally condemned 1t when it has
hooY Sssd ocoinst them, and we do not SEQ but it's
general effects would be as bad if applied by them,
ns IN them. We don't wonder the U. S. govern
meut protects its STRENGTHENING witnesses now in
Cleveland, we don't wonder the Marshal is unwili'
ing to afford an opportunity to the Sheriff OF Loraih
County to arrest them, for may he not suppose
the legal arrest is but a trick to get them into the
banda of the people of Oberlin, that they may be
t'erecuted promptly" according to Mr.. Giddlngs
doetrine aud advice. IF these men violated State
law. let State law vindicate its authority, and
nupisb the kidnappers according to the measure
meeted out to them by State Legislation, and not
nv measure of Mr.. Giddings. If we are to have
State government and State laws, lot Us support
them if We conscientiously can. But if the people
rtsolyo to take tho government into their own
hands, don't let them hypocriticaily profess ale
glance, when they don't intend to give 1t. IL we
nre going TO lynch slavecatchers, don't let us com'
nlain when Shareholders lynch abolitlonists' IL
= State government is to be abolished. let It De zone
vboly. and not only in part. Don't, for the sake
NJ yourselves and your children, try to engra't
f,vncb law upou Statute law or if you do, don't
wa ask in the name of consistency, condemn
others for doing the very thing you claim a right
to do yourselves.
Whom we read the concluding sentence OF Mr..
Giddinp's letter, "Yours, for Liberty and the
Constitution" we were tempted to exclaim in the
language Of another.
ooh, most lame and impotent cOnclusion"
Mr.. Giddings did not 20 to the Constitution Of
chr ttn;,pa States for written authority to oppose
nm opbressite government, but he went TO d doc'
sNent ,ssned anterior to the Constitution, ana IN
that. he found a warrant for a6oltShtng a govern
ment which tails to secure to man his rights
which. should he attempt to execute in regard TO
the Federal go%yernme ut, he would himself be cx'
ecuted as a traitor by the provisions OF that very
Constitution. He is slightly mistaken in the as
sert;on that the document from which he quotes
vas adopted. and issued by the trainers of our
government, for it was given to the world thirteen
Years before our government was framed, and by
men. some of whom afterward aided in the forma'
ton of our Constitution, and some OF whom did
not.
The Constitution and the Union is a popular
tune among politicians, and it suits their purpose
~ s;np IL out of season, and in season, If such time
"a the latter can be found, but it is a significant
fact that when men propose to stand IN defence
of liberty and the rights of man, they go,not to the
Constitution, but to tho Declaration OF lndepend'
sncs,for aclear and full endorsement of their course.
1t is the Shareholders and slavecatehers who shield
themselves behind the Constitution and laws OF
the Union; and to destroy the power OF oppressors'
YOU must destroy the Dulwarks behind which they
ara entrenehed. We must exalt the Declaration,
and make that our political chart, not in theory
only but in practice, not on the 4h of July alone
but on every day of the SG5, not evon-in the
language Of travelling advertisements-"Sundays
excepted"
.~ss.as-I edi -
: yay-The boys in tho Office have a pic mic In pros