Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-01-07
From the rrncips.
MIRANDA'S EXPEDITION AND JOHN
BROWNS.

Few of our readers will remember Miranda's
exyeditio., for it occurred before the majority Of
them were born, and the paragraph Of history
that makes mention Of it, is 50 brief and so incl
dental as probably to have made enduring
mark upon the memories Of mast youthful rea-
dcrs. "IJho was Miranda ? And tehat ,cas his
erpedhionP will be asked by most persons, under
fifty years of age, who may notice the caption Of
this article
Miranda was the John Brown of South America,
who fourshed about half a century ago, and
whose name filed the public journals Of both hem
iopheres for considerable space of time. Unlike
our North American John Brown, Miranda an
nounced his purpose before hand, and announced
it as revolutionary. He collected force, made
the attempt, and was oyerborne. Whether be-
was hanged, shot, or imprisoned, whether he
fed iEto obscurity, we do not remember; but we
remember be was commonly consideie ed mad
man, reckless agttator, traitor, especially after
bis expedition had failed. His treason consisted
in thinking and saying that the South American
provinces Of Spain, should lie independent repub-
lies, should throw off the Spanish yoke, and his
madness consisted in making the attempt, under
the belief that the people were ripe for the move-
ment, and ready to rally under his stand J..
ard. In this belief he was prcmoture Transla-
ted into a prophecy, illumined by his own heroic
attempt, it proved true, nevertheless.
Miranda's expedition recorded miserable
failure So 1t seemed, and ~ indeed it was, for
time, and in the literal term. Bat what was it's
influence, and wha. was its ultinate effect
Miranda had enunciatei great idea lie had
forced the contemplation of that idea, upon the
mind of every South American subject Of the
Spanish throne upon the mind of tho Spanish
monarch himself, and upon the mind Of every in
habitan. of Spain. It was an idea never to be
thrown of until realized, for it OF those
ideas, the very conception Of which, in the minds
Of the mlionsi is Of itself the presage and the
ulfailing guaranty Of its realization. It was one
of these ideas that could not be thought Of by the
millions, without being desired by them, nor de-
sired without being measured aud deemed practi-
calle. nor deemed practicable without being at
tempted nos earnestly attempted without being
done.
But, what of all this? What has Miranda's ex-
pediton to do with John Browns? Well, we
shall see. History will tell.
| The Spanish provinces Of South America threw
off the Spanish yoke, and became independent re-
publics, but few years after 'the mad expedition
Of Miranda" had SO "miserably failed" Undoubt
edly this result was reached some fifty or one hun
dred years sooner than if the "mad attempt" Of
/ Miranda had not been made Does the slavehold-
| ing oligarcby of Virginia stand securely aow
as it did six months ago Ask the Richmond En-
quirer Ask Governor Wise
/ We deem the abolition Of slavery to be as iney-
table now, as was the revolution of South Amer
lea, in 1908. The great question is whether il
shall be done by the swutd, as suggested Iy the
attempt Of Miranda, and Of John Brown, or,
whether it shall DO accomplished iy the peaceful
instrumcntalites Of religion, repentance, prayer,
preaching, aud ecclesiastical and political action,
iu accordance with Gods word, and the Cunstitu-
ton of the Uuited States This is the alternative;
and the ministers and professors OF religion in the
non-slaveholding States, piH dete'miae, by their
course of action, which Of these two it ehal be.