Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-03-05
DESPOTISM IN AMERICA.

1t we have despotism in fact, why not have - az
welliu form Prating about democracy and prac-
ticing despotism. is as absurd as it is wicked, and
rs wicked as it is absurd.
For moro than seventy years this government
has been drifting toward ultra despotism and
though it seems to deluds itself into o belief that
1t is intensely democratic, its acts are sufficient to
convince the most skeptical of the falsehood of
such pretensions. We have, it is true, q Demo.
cratic President, a Democratic Cabinet, and a
Democratic Congress, Jut no Democratic practice.-
Queen Victoria doesn't possess half the power
tha: ia welded by President Buchanan; and the
wearer of the British crown is more republican,
than the occupant of the White House.
The modest request, made not long since by the
President for thirty millions of dollars-ostensibly
for the purchase, of Cuba, bui really for the pur.
chase of political tools-was butthe stepping stone to
another requesto Of an equally modest character, and
couched in such language as orght 20 prepare the
public mind for the spee6y advent of q full fedged
Dictator. We are not addicted to any insane ven.
Grafton for the y. s. Constitution, yet we neverthe,
less thirA there are some portions of that docu.
Tent which are not altogether devoid of democra.
cy and common sense, among which is that which
ohiei tho u muklhR poWer upon OODRresS, anu
virtually denies it to the President. Not so, how.
ever. thinks the present Executive, who asks Con.
gress to give him the sword, as he has before asked
for the purse.
or course, he don't want to use it against France
or England, or any other nation where discretion is
better than valor, and backing out better than
fighting. But there happens to be a 10. of little
South American Republics. which don't know how
to govern themselves any better than would South
ern negroes, and the President hints that be might
give them some useful lessons on that point, which,
if enforced by bayonets and swords. by musketry
and cannon, would probably be remembered. And
there too. is Mexico, from which we have taken
several slices of territory, whose people-strange
to say-nre not as respectful and well behaved to.
ward our struggling citizens as the Presiden.
thinks they would be, if Congress would only
give him leave to fllibuster a little by authority
There is, as oil know, the Panama. the Nicaragua,
and the Tehuantepec inter-oceanic routes all of
which, should, of course, be kept open, and this, the
President thinks can't be efectually done, unless
he has conferred upon him the war,making power.
Why not give it him ? and then invite him to
proclaim himself Dictator. or else graciously per.
nit the pee pie to shout "Long live the Emperor ="
Long live James IL"
Hayti has changed her Emperor for a Presi.
dent; and as Anglo-Saxons, possessing q proper
Anglo.Saxon pride which teaches US to be as un.
like negroes as possible, why shouldn't we manir
fest q suitable contempt for the action of the Hay.
ten people by doing the very opposite, and OK.
changing our President for On Emperor? The
change could probably be made without civil war
or bloodshed, involving not even q change of men,
but simply n change of title, and the comforting of
a little additional power, which had perhaps be
better gracefully given now, than to have it rudely
taken-as ii surely will be-a little while hence.
CoTroN CULTIVATION IN AFRICA, by Benja.
min Coats, Of Philadelphia. We are indebted to
tho author for a copy of this work, in which is
advocated the cultivation of cotton in Africa, as O
measure calculated to promote the abolition of sla.
very in the United States. In the preface we are
informed. "that cotton Of superior quality, fully
equal to the best grown in America, con be raised
in Africa by free labor, in unlimited quantity, and
much cheaper than it can be produced by the ex,
pensive slave labor in the United States"
From a cursory examination of the work, We
should think it contained many interesting facts
and arguments in favor of a systematic trial of thu
cotton producing capacity of Africa. Should
this, however, be satisfactorily demonstrated,
would there not be danger, that the manifest des.
tiny of this nation would prompt it to annex that
continent, not as e sister state as is Texas, and as
Cuba may be, but as a colonial plantation where
negroes may be worked for the benefit of the
. Union, and by stringent Jaws be kept in their
proper places
We shall find room for some extracts In o future
number.
"THE FREE CHURCH PORTFOLIO" We cordially
welcome this new monthly among our exchanges
: Its liberal principles, and hearty sympathy with
the slave will doubtless secure the patronage Of
those whose especial support the editor desires tc
enlist-tho members CT the Free Presbyterian
Church.
Though differing materially from this body in
relation to Anti. Slavery action. we have always
found its members ready to give us a candid hear
ing, and they have freely opened their meeting
houses for our occupancy, even when such q course
has been senselessly construed into o pyoof Of their
infdeli.y.
Years ago they dissolved their union with a pro-
slavery church, not being willing to remain in it,
even for the sake Of reforming il. We should be
glad to have them apply the same principle of ac'
ton to q pro-slavery government, and thus stand