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


" igencies of an anticipated increase Of populatio
in future, they arrange for the election of Repre-
sentatives to express that WILL Executive to en-
force it, and Judiciary to decide upon the mean
ing Of the verbal expression of it, the Represents
t tives have given. After they have become domi
ciied, they discover upon portion of the islam
certain savages, whom q few Of the number desir
, to reze upon and use as chattel slaves, The rep
resentatives of sixty Of the colonsts to empo,
the general power to effect this purpose, and to Sc
cure those who seek benefit from thoir enslavemen
; against all resistance on tho part of the victims
whilst the representatives of forty vote against it
Inc crime is contaminated. by the forco of th,
} whole community, and the forty who vote agains
1t continue their allegiance to, and support of tn,
original agreement, notwithstanding their protes
by vote, Are they the less guilty in the sight o
God and all good men, than are the sixty? Oh
than they would have been, had they consented
by their votes in the lightning? And in moral
POINT OF view how do the responsibilities Of the
oitizen oil the United States, who, whatever may
be the motive or intention which guides him, con-
sent' to and cooperates with the government which
ensaves four millions Of chatels, differ from those
!
By those who have true conceptions Of moral obli.
satiOn but one answer can be given to these ques,
.ions For two fold reason this matter of iudi,
vidna responsibility In reference to the existence
OF slavery is most important considerations
Firstbecause of the primary duty of each individ.
ual to separate himself from all commission Of or
completely with the perpetration Of sin ; and sec.
ondiy, because through comprehension of our
actual relations with it,only is it possible to devise
that kind of antislavery action which affords any
hope of breaking the shackles of the oppressed
And this last duty, SO we'll expressed il the golden
rule is as imperative as the first.
9he position assumed thus far may smphatically
be stated afresh:
| lst The Constitution of the United States has
been SO arranged as to pledge the whole power of
the nation to the support and pcrpetuation of sla
very, as long as slave owners choose to continue
in that position.
/ Znd The nation has grown so powerful that no
force exists within, or without it, competent to
abolish slavery whilst the states continue in con-
fedesccy. aud the people all remain loyal to that
instrument.
Sd, No party can be organized to operate consti.
".
but all parties must uphold it, whatever may Le
the individual wishes of their members. In okAer
'eords there is no remedy Jut in recolution.
4th, Every individual who co.operates with the
government by holding Office, or voting for others
to do it, is OF necessity Shareholder, and respon
sibls before God for all the sin which that relation
involves. Do not fail to observe how slight the
distinction which exists between slave owning and
slave'holding-in moral point Of view.
1t is necessary at this point to examine some of
the arguments by which well.intentioned persons
often delude themselves into the belief they can
labor foz the overthrow of slavery by acting with
the Government. 1t is said by some who admit
the constitution is pIoslavery in intent, and infu.
ence at present. that it contains provision for its
own amendment; and the shortest way to reach the
abolition of slavery, is to act politically to effect
change in it. tbs true there is such provision,
but go arranged by the foresight and manag cement
OF the aveowning interest, that upon the ques,
ton of slavery it might as we'll have been pro.
nounced unalterabe. Article 5th declares "The
Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses
shall deem it necessary, shall propose amend
ments to this constitution; or, on the application
OF TWO thirds OF the Legislatures of the several
States, shall call a convention for proposing
which in either case shall be valid to
all intents and purposes, part of this constitu
ton. when ratified by the legislatures of tbree
fourths of the several States Or by conventions ia
three fourths thereof, one or the other mode of
ratification may be proposed by congress-" No
argument is necessary to slow to any intelligent
person, that thus has been closed the door of en-.
trance to hope in the minds of the most sanguine
of the possibility of amending it in that direction.
Another view of the case, taken by few is. that
the consultation is an anti slavery instrument in
word and meaning. A portion of these consist
entity with the idea, support for Office mel profess-
ing the same belief in regard to it with themselves,
but the larger number proclaim their own hypocri
~ by voting with parties and for persons, who
maintain its prosavery characts and that sh 1uld
be administered as such. On these, of course, ar,
sument wonld 10 wasted The objection to the
idea honestly entertained is that it il at variance
with oil probability. with all historical facts and
with common sense The Constitution being
bargain, a compact between different parties, is !
not subject to the rules of Interpretation with
IN ordinary legal enactment. The proslavery par.
icipants in organizing it in 1889. and in admin
stering it ever since, had, and have, the same
light to insist upon their construction of it being
,arred out, had, and have those of anti.slavery
ceiling. And fur.heI--that the English language
n which it was written was sufficiently explicit in
he meaning Of its words to permit q contract to
30 so expressed as to render impossible misun-
lerstanding of its meaning on given subject, no
we'll informed person may deny. For instance,
iad the words "no slavery nor involuntary servi'
ude except for the commission of crime shall ever
% permitted under the jurisdction.of this govern
nent." been inserted in the constitution, no two
opinions to it's antlsavery character could have
been entertained. Out Of this self evident PROPOSE
lion there spring two equally selfevident conclu-
'ions. Fret those who agreed to the form of our
Government and expressed iu language the con