Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-11-05
THE OLD HERO.

When the Wellington Rescuers were lying in
Cuyahoga County Jail, and the meeting of ten
thousand was held so near that the vote upon
each resolution was heard in its cells, we hoped
there was enough of the old revolutionary spirit
remaining in tho hearts of the people to open the
prison doors, and bid The c~aptives 90 free. But
that occasion, which might have been made the
turning poin. in freedoms battle. was permitted
to pass unimproved. The event sank in point Of
dignity and interest to the zero Of q mere party
~squabble, out of which both Democrats and Re-
publicans tried to make political capital.
And so with Captain Browns attempt to reduce
to practice the almost forgotten, and totally dis
regarded doctrines of the Declaration of Ameri-
can Independence. The principle upon which the
attempt was based, the glorious object of the
slaves deliverance which he had in view, and the
heroism oftbis martyr to freedom, have altogether
been lost eight Of, by that party which some sup.
pose-though we think mistakingly-has anti
slavery tendencies In treating of the event, its
principal desire seems to be, to disprove the ridi-
cslous charge of the Democrats, that the Republi-
can party is responsible for the attempt, and tina.
il endorses the course Of Captain Brown. The
Republican party hasn't heart enough, or princi-
pie enough to justify the instruction upon the
ground of right, even though condemning it as
impolitic. Every one who believes in the doctrine
oil self-de:ence as taught by political parties aud
churches, and who believes in the doctrine of hu-
man equality as set forth in the Declaration Of
76, should feel bound to justify the act of Cap
tain Brown. and exclaim "WeN done, old Hero p,
In 1856 the property of Captain Brown in Kan
Saa a dasfynuo1 nd ,a-..
dered in cold blood; and this by consent of the U.
.. Government, which had pledged itself to pro-
tect him and his there. The old man had been
a close student of the Declaration of Indepep-
dence. He honored the heroes of that day: and
no honored all heroes-Nathanisl Turner included
who had since fought in defence of its doctrines,
lie acquired from that his ideas of q Just govern.
ment, and although he found that the U. S. gov.
eminent fell far short of the standard therein Sc,
up, he and his friends waited awhile until satis.
fed that "a long train of abuses and usurpations.
pursuing Invariably The same object, evircea a de.
sign to reduce them under absolute despotism. "
then' with the Declaration rs their guiding star
they struck the blow at Harper's Ferry. And
whatever party politicians may say, whateve,
q%uibblers may pretend, that document yindicate,
their actions, for it not only as.erts "their right tc
throw of such government" but %enjoins it as q
positive duty.
AND where stand the men to-day who claim t.
believe in human equality, and in the right O
self defence Where stand the men who hav,
been telling John Brown on every 4th of July tina
he oughtto do that which he attempted t.
do at Harper's Ferryi They have slunl
away out OF sight. not daring to vindicat
the right of the old hero to strike such a blow
not daring to do more that suggest insanity as
palliation of the deed. IT was we'll that they di
not live in the days of the revolution; else the
would have pronounced Warren a monomaniac
and Washington a madman.
The old man was doubtless mistaken in 9Th
Hour"-he commenced the work before the prep
%arations were completed, and he is like to pay tn
penalty for bis mistake, and be torn to pieces b
the officials Of Virginia and of the United States
With our views of the character of the Fedora
government, and of the responsibility for it's &C
tions which attaches to each member of the organ
%ization, the condition of Captain Brown, wounde
and a prisoner, with few friends to sympathis
with him, and surroun led by hordes of bloc
thirsty enemies, is Infinitely preferable to that oc
cupied by any member of the government whic
is clamoring for HE death by the gallows. If b
is doomed thus to suffer, we fear there is nc
manhood enough in the nation to attempt a revel
sal of the decision of official tyranny; or if tber
. is, perhaps the attempt would be ~impotent I
save. If the slave power shall doom him to ex,
/ %cution upon The g%allows. and if the governmer
8 sustained by Republicans and Democrats sha
t see that the sentence is fulfilled, we trust that hi
death will awaken a spirit that will defy all law
and all constitutions that forbid the p~lucking {
, the captive from the hands Of his master.
War is always terrible, and a servile war nor
0 to be deprecated than q war between nation,
But no other war is SO terrible as the war whic
{ slavery wages. Gire as any other ,oar in pref.
snee TO that. All the real or fancied horrors of
ssrsil sinsurrection, burning cities. desolated vi
> lagos, and murdered people. will not bsginito CON
/ pare with the amount Of suffering inflicted upo
humanity by the continuance Of slavery. VIVA
is a burning city, compared to the destruction 0