Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-03-24
LETTER TO AARON D. STEVENS.

LETTER TO AARON D. STEVENS.
SALEM, CoLvmBIANA Co. o. Fen. 9th, 1860,
Mn STEVENS DEAR Sin: Though a stranger
to you, your earnest, exalted manhood, and fra
ternai faith embracing all mankind, assure me
that 1t is Of little moment to you, whether Stran.
ger or KIN visit you in your prison-home to sym
rathize with you in your labor and peril to give
freedom to the oppressed Of this land, and to offer
the adectiOuate regard and sincere BORROW; of one
who under society's limited desperation Of Cous-
ms, feels it too great an honor to claim even this
poor relation, to a man, whose name, God and
posterity shall set in the hearts jewels Of all COM
ing generations.
As man, a christian, and an abolitionist, you
are entitled to the united fellowship and sympathy
Of every true lover Of his kind; as a Hero aud
Martyr enriching society with new acquisitions Of
thought and beauty, mcdiatiDg between the Op.
pressor and the Oppressed, making visible the
attribute Of Divine boneGcence, in the harmony and
joy Of universal Freedom, you command the hom-
age Of the world. The Inspired eye of prophecy,
saw foreshadowed 10 Christ "a highway and q way,
for the Redeemed to walk in The amounted eye
OF this generation beholds in your Harper's Ferry
revelation a ~highway and a way, cast up for the
@wretohed boudsman, tie Redeemed Image of the
Lord to waIk in.
How grateful I am tina the Infinite Spirit, who
dwelleth in temples not made with hands, gave
you, who had eyes to see, a plan Of deliverance to
.tho down trodaen Slave; and whispered to you, who
had ears TO hear, let my people 30 that they may
serve me-
The Religion and the Government of this land
lL...l II. L. - - q. .L,-l L. r Co.. L.. 1T.
iasIic and Governmental gewgaws, hung from up
lifted hands, screened from their dull vision the
bleeding cictims ut their feet, and il, was reserved
for su "a as Stevens with the hatred of Slavery in
his heart and the sword Of freedom in his hand,
to REUTER- the cousecratiy e iDspirAtion-'Here am
|, send me- In listening to the voice of conscience
and obcying It's behesis, you have demonstrated
your faith in the declaration of this nations indie
~pendence, That ali men are created equal and
have shown unparalleled integrity, to the right
eOus Rule, OF doing unto others as. you would have
them do unto you; and the nineteenth century may
realise in the history Of the Harper's Ferry strug-
gle, a trucr basis 70? a Governmental structure,
which, when completed, among the wondering ma
lions shall be called tie Peoples Democracy, tue
Universal Republic.
AHHNSN N"'HS w N|i JNu H"'S v HhN -
You have eliminated a principle involving the ho-
illness Of hatred Of Slavery, and The soul Of
patriotism, which oxyiAtes that judicial crime upon
the gaiiows.
Virginia makes practical confession of her crime
against humanity aud her sin against God, in her
terrified submission to your handful of men, arm
ed with the right, The slave you have inspired
with new courage to strike for his own freedom,
in proportion as he has witnessed the fea. and the
cowardice of the stakeholder. The ~Ilarper's Ferry
affair makes still moro apparent the supine feal-
ty Of the Union-!overs Of the North, to the Slave
r., power Of the South; and crowns with due honors
a., the constitutionalist who sacrifices his manhood
10 secure to the master the unlimited ownership in
his slayos. Who dares receive the dreadful sacri-
I dce2 Government, aye, Government may swallow
. all rights!
The question of Slavery you havO reduced to its
simple proportions, and the people viii work it
out. If slavery is right, then ought these men to
die; but II wrong, then are they Immortal. The
argument follows.
In this country and over the sea, the generous
. philanthropist eomprehends your mission, and
h counts it n success; and the true men aud women
Of all lands, are usily weaving Cor you chaYlots
, of honor and of fame beyond those of conqueror
or of King.
= Righteous martyrs, read 10 their angel visits t
earth, the worlds estimate of their DECIDE, as ms
"a cribed on the enduring marble, or engraven OF
tablets of human hearts. We sigh for the age o.
Heroes and Martyrs, but are ever too proud to
do them homage, till we have mingled the worm
wood aud the gall, and plated for them the crown
Of tborns.
In tho work that you have done, you not only
feel innocent Of cl.ne, but have the assurahc,
J. that your conviction Of duty was Divinely inspir
ed, and your adherence to it, the ~graudest eervicr
N that God and Humanity could demand. You havt
is had courage and character to live a life Of deeds
d 20 these shall he added The magnetic sympathy
O. and support Of thousands Of strong hearts, wheI
you com to diel
Jesus aud Paul offered acceptable sacrifice upor
the Cross, and the Block; and Stevens, and hi
a fellow ~lal-rers, will renew and intensity the oGer
b iug upon a Virginia Galiows; upon the acceptance
of which hang tho hopes of millions nevej
before redeemed. | thank God for such an altar up
on wsich may be laid the broken letters of Amer
d ica's bleeding Slaves, and am eomforied ever il
a the thought that your generous, noble spirit will
uh0 tnat INTENSE Joyi u s"oe' ioPose III u Do
som Of Infinite Love, of which you have bsel
robbed by an impious Slaveholdiug Religion, an
n a cruel Despotic Government.-I would that J coul
~ offer the maguanimOus prayer of Jetus, Father
d. forgive them they know not what they do
N In the name Of Woman ! thank you for your tot
z and your suffering, your daring and your death
With the success Of your mission, her interest
D. and her destiny are closely interviewer. The 50
n cred right to her per,oD, to the husband Of he