Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-09-10

~ OOuEt W tn6 Dthlt Tt
manded Thorn to the cells whose doors had beer
oOlted and barred by Federal officials. The,
tound there was no hope of redress from United
states law, no hope from the law Of Ohio
no hope save in the higher law, whose supremac,
the people dared not viudic,te.
Ii gives us no pleasure to chronicle their releas,
from prison, when we remember that IL was pur
chased upon terms disgraceful to themselves and 1,
Inc authorities that procured their liberation. TIL,
ola battle cry of"millions for defence but not a cen
Tor tribute" would have had no power to stir tn,
hearts OF the justice-mongers of Ohio. Utterl,
destitute OF the revolutionary spirit which unhesi
.aung'y sweeps Out of existence the laws which
forbid its progress and the institutions which stand
10 It's way, they sat down to discuss a question o.
barter with their oppressors, to settle the markev
value Of the liberty os their imprisoned citizens
and when the bargain was completed they copprat
ulated themselves upon their successful swar oil
one base villain for four honest men, preferring tina,
the kidnappcr should be let loose to prey again
upon his victims, than that four fr%eedom-loyine
men should suffer Imprisonment for righteous
deeds.
IL the limits of this report would afford space SO
to do, it would be interesting to discuss the ques-
tion-by whose authorit, the ~yiolators of State
laws can be turned loose upon Society, and wheth-
er the State is faithful to the compact with her cit
liens when she suffers transyressors to walk abroad
Tree as %irhooent men, upon the plea that she cannot
otherwise protect the rights of her citizens. Such
bargain and sale as this, such a despicable COM
pounding OF felony is a most convincing evidence
OF the entire prostration of Ohio OF the feet of the
slave power. Better than this that her jails
should be filed to repletion with the victims of
Federal tyranny, better that her scaffulds should
be stained with innocent blood, than that she
should thus meanly and ignominiously sell her
State sovereignty for SO paltry q consideration.
The case of the Oberlin rescuers was a glorious
occasion for the vindication Of our rights, and for
opposition to tho despotic mandates of Federal
power. 1t should have been as the peal of Gabri-
els trump to the buried doctrine of State Sever
eighty. 1t should have been the ~eventful moment
in which Ohio should have become absolutely free.
Bnt alas the summons fell upon ears that ore
deaf and cannot henr. The liberty of the people
is lost, but they have not yet perceived it, or if
they have, are satisfied with the substitution of vas
salage instead. The oppression of our citizens
has dwindled down into a small modicum of DO
litical capital, to be used as circumstances seem to
require, to secure the elevation Of VIM. Dennison
to the gubanatorial chair, and VIM. Gholson to the
judicial bench. That glorious opportunity to
make Ohio free, has assumed the vile garb of a
mental, and is made to do the drudgery of q party
hack.
In looking over our ranks we miss some, who,
in former days demanded for the slave the full
measure of his rights. These, becoming weary
in we'll doing, and persuading themselves that by
abating their demands they could obtain at least
half q loaf, which is declared to be better than no
bread, they have gone on until they are now hum
bly, begging of the oppressor for the veriest
crumbs.
The American people need a deep rooted con-
viction that a firm adherence to principle is not
only the best policy, but the only one which will
commend q cause to the serious consideration of
rejecting minds which will win from its oppo-
nents true respect for those who advocate it. Op-
posing slavery upon principle we can make no
compromise with oppression. IF we recognized
the right Of its continuance in Carolina, we would
as readily recognise its right of extension intoKan-
sas. If we recognised as righteous or expedient
the constitutional guarantees by which it is upheld
in the South, we should as readily recognise as
righteous and expedient the interstate traffic by
which Virginia and Kentucky supply the demand
of the South and southwest. And il the home
traffic in slaves be right, il certainly cannot be
wrong to open the foreign trade and this, perhaps
will be the eliminating point of our country's in
iquity-the last drop added to the already brim-
ming goblet of human blood.
The shadow of coming events indicate that the
political anti-siavery controversy. as it is called,
will speedily be narrowed down to the question
shall we become q nation of foreign slave traders ?
The Jeffersonian democracy will take the afirma-
tive. and that will indicate their appreciation of
human rights. The pseudo Republicans will take
the negative, and that will be their measure of
effort.
When this nation again occupies the position in
relation to the African slave-trade which it did for
twenty years after the adoption of the Federal con-
.stitution when Slavery has not only claimed but
every possible, and what, a few years
since seemed impossible concession, we may hope
for a large addition to our ranks and expect to
bear ringing throughout the entire north that rail-
ying cry which now family and feebly sounds-no
union with shareholders.
Although in Ohio the elective franchise is limit
ed to white males, yet in some localities persons
in whom there was a preponderance of white
blood have been admitted to the polls, and this
of "white male citizen" has been
by the judiciary in former years. Last
the Democratic legislature passed q law,
prescribing fine and imprisonment for any person,
who should encourage any individual with any
proportion of African blood in his veins to offer a
vote, and also for the judge of IN election to re-
oeivs such vote. and similar penalty to be inflicted
upon the voter himself.
Where the Bench of Ohio has felt called upon
to notice the law.it has treated it as an unconstitu-
enactment. But should the question be car
ried to the Supreme Court we Incline to believe
It's constitutionality would be affirmed, and the de-
given that when the people of Ohio framed
heir Constitution they intended to withhold the
elective franchise from colored persons, SO called,
and not simply from those who are the most deem