Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-04-02

from tie manly use which ie made of our new life.
and that all the varied troubles that barass our
families and our Statcs, and the more depressing
fears that haunt those who can think and feel, are
bat the inevitable result Of our neglect Of Ameri'
can obligations9 In tho last seventy five years,
what have we not invented Almost everything
that makes us a peculiar people," until we live in
an outward world Of Our own. So far have We
pushed out from tho landmarks Of the past that
we are now drifting over an unexplored sea, Of
which there II no chart in any book Of history.
where only a force of character, such as was never
before known, can save us. Have we that force Of
character adequate to guide the ship Of our civili'
cation to a safe port7 | do not know what new en-.
ergies may be developed, what great heads may be
born, or what latent virtues may be d~islodged by
coming trials but il looks now to a rejecting
man as If character in America was creeping on
at a snail's pace, and opportunity running on the
wings Of tho wind.
Our commercial pants, which lately excited US
into semi-insanity, was not on isolated affair, it was
one phase Of a chronic American disease. That
disease is tho semi barbarism Of the people, where
by IL Happens that they hare not moral uisdom
enough 10 manage the inrohed machinery they hare
set up on this continent. 1t is said that's celebrated
engineer, having constructed an elaborate piece Of
machinery, on witnessing its first exhibition before
a crowd, was so bewildered by The confusion CT
wheels, and mingled hum Of sxles, and shouts Of
applause, that g sprung into it and was torn in
sbreds by his own invention. Somewhat like this
is the matter with the American people. They
are confused with their own institutions. 1t needs
an angelic clearness Of mind and elevation of
soul to guide Alright this fearful mechanism of Re-
publican government. church, literature, business,
and society but through q continent Of whirlipg
forces VIC rush as wildly, and disport ourselves
with as little forethought and frmnes as if we ran
over an open prairie. What wonder that we re.
ceive our retribution on every hand. Now the
disease breaks out in sccial life, and details of
sensuality, luxury, crime and roltenness Of domestic
ties send a thrill Of horror to every heart. Now it
is a panic in the churches, Romani.m and Atheism
threatening the people, and q Protestant ~ecclesias'
ticism too busy in Sighting over shreds of doc
trine, or building Sunday drawing rooms for the
elect, to stay the storm Of error and sin. Now our
national ignorance looms above US like a black
cloud, and our new agencies of intelligence are
per verified to it's advocates. Again. it lie q sectional
political controversy and q revolutionary campaign
wherein It requires no superabundlnce of insight
to discover barbarism and civilization fighting over
their old conflict between man and man. And
now the sympathies of the people are wrung even
to insensibility by repeated di. aster on land and
sea. And now our commercial system explodcs
and faith between mar and man departs, and the
nation, like T%antalus, sees its own abundance hang
ing as in mockery above its reach, while it wildly
talks of starvation.
These varied ag%itations are but the symptoms Of
one disease which visits in turn every limb of the
body polite. We are living below our opportuni'
ties, we are under the feet Of our own inventions
and instead Of rallying a new moral force Of
American manhood and womanhood for the crisis,
we are dreaming that some new contrivance will
get US out Of the difficulty. How vain this hope!
Not neW intentions. but better men TO manage those
ue hare, is the need Of the times. We are debating
whether we shall r~epudiate our manhood in Amer
lea, and 90 in for o "free fight" for the selfish en-.
joyment Of American privileges; already the shud,
dering throes in our national constitution proclaim
the danger and upon the decision Of this question
rests our success or disaster.
l speak not to those who scorn ths word Of
warning but l ask thoughtful men and women if
they can say in conscience that their own elevation
of character is what it should be to control these
agencies Of our time are you honest enough,
pure, intelligent enough sufficiently economical
and patriotic, and prudent? Do you live like wise
men and women, determined to increase in recti'
tude as yoc increase in privileges, or are you catch
ing the popular insanity? And if your conscience
rebukes you fer short coming, what shall we say Of
those who are below /; the great wairling frantic
mass who drift hither and thither with no care for
their own souls or the good of the State?
1 have no professional opinions to offer Oh the
late business complications. for do uot know just
what screw is loose this time in our complex sys'
tern of American trade. But l do know wha,
some of you perhaps do not, that in such a time
every dishonest, or careless, or ignorant transac
ton of the past years comes in to make confusion
worse confounded )" and reaps the bit.
ter fruit of a colossal sel6shness and q corroding
untruth. We have traded in an nnchristian man,
ner, and here is tho retribution. We have wor'
shipped our calf Of gold, and now it is ground to
dust, and we are drinking the fiery draught.-
Once in twenty years. we explode in a general pan
ic; if we loved our neighbor as ourself in ouI
trade, would it be so with us'
Let these experiences teach 10 that never wa'
it 80 imperative that man should rule his inven
tions as now. Never was Christian manhood sc
essential to safety never degeneracy of any kline
go fatal as just here to-day. viii We not arouse
and be worthy to WELD those forces Of our own ere
alton? Young men. young women, will not yo'
become the kind of people America needs t.
guide Der many'sided life and make it q blessing
D to the worldS For present emtarrassments ant
, fears l have butthis counsel: Do net lose the manli
ness you have in any confusion come out of ever.
8 ''panic" better and wiser than you went in. II
good time confidence will be restored, and you
t dropping fortunes will revive; but do not then for
r get the lesson of to-day. Let every man resolv
D that henceforth his character sha!l be his chic
anxiety let every woman keep her wo,nanhoo'
lL;.L ahora haz aa4ata in LIZ Tina uiu n sla,