Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-02-18

In q report oil the proceedings OF the lete meet
ing of the Massachusetts A.. s. s. Society, IL The
passage - --
'stephon 8. Foster Of Worcester said he had
recently been studying the Constitution Of the
United States,-he had never before given Il .
thorough examination-aud his views Of II had
q great change. He was now convins
ced that the Constitution is an Anti.Slavery ID.
strument, and the We've to which he had arrived
had met the entire concurrence, in regard to theft
legal correctness, Of some Of the abless lawyers Ia
the city Of Worcester. Hence be desired to or.
gauise an Anti-Slavery Political Party. to carry
out and enforce this Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton"
We should have noticed the above last week,
only for the fact that not uhfrequently within she
last two OF three years, our friend Foster has
Complained of being misunderstood and conss-
qusntIy misfepresehted 10 some of bis public spec
bhes. We felt that such was probably the case in
the above, for it placed the speaker in such an ab-
surd position, that it was not until We had ths
most positive assurance from q reliable source
that it was no Misrepresentation, that We were
willing to receive it as correct. And even with
this assurance we are utterly unable to understand
how such a man as Stephen S. Foster could have
%lectured for almost a score of years, assuming that
the Constitution. and the Union, which legitimate.
ly springs from it. to be pro-slsvery in theory and
in practice. when he had not even given the Con.
%stitution a thorough examination" As there hes
never been before, so we trust there will never BE-
again a Disunion anti-slavery lecturer who will
press upon bis auditors the guilt Of their compro.
misses under the Constitution; urging a dissolution
of the Union as the only means BY which they
could individually wash their hands in innocsnsy,
and ra1aoon khap,onlra. fr,rr ~. oo1;t:n.I ..~>>.s
of slavery. and after having taught this doctrine
for twenty years, turn around and coolly say. II
never gave the Constitution q thorough examine
ton"
A change Of opinion is not to be rcprshendsd,
let it come when and how 1t may; but il seems
hardly right for a speaker to publicly advocate
measures year after year. without having first sst.
i.ied himself by a thorough examination Of The
character Of the foundation upon which he built.
1t seems very strange to Us. and very unlike shs
Stephen s. Foster we used to know, to have him
fortify himself in his change Of views, by the dec
~laration that the legal correctness of his opinions
was endorsed by some of the ablest lawyers in
the city Of Worcester" If the question Of The
character of the Constitution is to be determined
by the counting Of lawyers noses. and the weigh.
ing of their ability,i it is most unquestionsbly . pro-
slavery document, ''soms Of the ablest lawyers in
the city of Worcester to The contrary notwitk-
standing.
We should like 10 recommend to our friend the
investigation Of a portion Of the Constitution 10
which it is possible his recent examination hss
not yet extended, and concerning which We hsvs
a never known any other than tae one interprsta-
. ton. We refer to that clause which constitutsi
, the Supreme Court of the o. s. the final arbitra-
; tor and adjudicator Of all questions arising ~ to
a the constitutionality Of State and National laws
6 which makes it the expoundsr Of the intent and
. meaning Of the instrument. While Stephen 8
Foster and Charles O'Connor are agreed in rsla,
ton to this ella use, and while the records Of ths
!. U. S. Court prove that it has decided the Consti
tuition to be pro-slavery, ali arguments as to IL
anti-slavery character are practically az worthless
az waste paper; and we have not yet met with An,
6 argument by which the clause referred 10 wa
sought to be evaded, that reached in dignity 10 tht
e character Of a respectable bubble.
We have never believed that the theory of ID,
. anti slavery character Of the Constitution grew on
e of an honorable and candid desire TO ~corrsotl,
% ascertain the relation of its supporters to slavery
but was referable to a determination upon the par
of certain abolitionists to continue the exercise o
the elective franchise, and then, by torture of sen
fences and quibbling upon words. to justify them
selves to their consciences and the world a. bss
they could.
Our friend has been laboring for ysars-Ant
q with the most entire unsuccess-to form . Disu
MON political party under a pro-slavery Constisu
ton. No one questioned his sincerity; and hi
earnestness of purpose was manifest to all. II
believed that such a movement would be . com
b. bination of political with moral power; and that
a candidate Of such party was elected 10 Office, hi
refusal to swear to support a pro.slarsry Const
,s tuition, would be a political, as we'll as . mors
ID testimony Of great weight. Bet in this measure
as We have already intimatsd, no utterly failed
Whether he will succeed any better in drawing !
him in bis present position enough to say W
ut is questionable. From his remarks as reported
Is We infer that he ignores the existence of the &c,
10 rt Smith party. as his desire is not to 60 10 u. an
4. take others there, but to organise Q party himssl
to carry out his views. a5fsig .Ha IA
10 Asto the nationality and feasibility Of his prsssl
ip views a. compared with those he developed in b
project of q Disunion political party, We are sn,
r. BILE to perceive but little II any difference. Bot
d. are unsound. and both impracticsbls. AZ Of lsl
ID years the one has absorbed much Of his sntisls'
sry strength and effort. ., in al probability vi