Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-09-22
JUSTICE AND GENEROSITY.

JUSTICE AND GENEROSlTH,
TO tie EAHor af Tie Fe3 Democrat
have just seen your article of the 1l,h inst, in
which, after maniully commencing the people of
Ripou, for the defense of me against the kidnap-
pers, and vindc tting them from the assaults Of
the Democratic press, voc call upon mo to be as
generous the people of the country have shown
themselvos' to be- and withdraw from the State
to place Of security or safety till this admin
istratiOn comes to an end and the fight ceases
You acknowledge my right to do other people
do, to % whore | please, to speak or be silent,
and think the people vii! protect me in doing
but the tax upon them will be SUCH the difficult
ties and dangers they will be led into, and the sac
rGce the friends Of Freedom will be called to
make in defending me will be so great that it
would be not only generous but JUST in him
(mc) to relice them of that trouble by withdraw
ing to a place of safety. Any other courses. will
result perhaps in bloodshel, and very probably in
returning him (me) to a lock up in the Custom
House,
ans~oT.
lst There is no place, as you well know, to
Which can withdraw in safety, without leaving
me country, No other State tan or will Protect
me against the tyranncal administration of dfl-
bolica and unconstitutional act. This State. by
IS highest tribunal, ha' dec ed me innocent, and
pledged itself in the most solemn manner, to pro-
tect my liberty. claim its protection, and if
those who administer the government and the laws
not deaf to the voice OF justice aud insonsible
10 shame, | shall have il.
You advise nc to become an exile from the
[
tain my personal liberty within the State except
5y continual fSht.' If this be so, in what dis
graceful position it places tho government of thi,
State. II 60 into exile, the sovereignty and ju
risdicion of the State, the writ of ha6eas corpus
and the laws protecting personal liberty 60 with
me. The fight ceases with my exile, only because
Liberty has sWreade,cQto 10 Siarery. As a matter Of
personal convenience, it might be pleasanter for
me to be in exile than in prison, bus the would
Le just As much Surrender o! the principles Of
State Rights and State Sovereignty, and just as
much triumph Of tue Slave Power, as the other.
TO avoid this fight by running away from it,as you
advise, is to yield the whole controversy, and to
resolve into a personal matter that which
concerns the rights and liberties and interests Of
the people Of the whole State. Your advice is Just
enemies of S,ate Rlghss-in the Republican as
in the llunker party-approve. In my judgment,
question which in wolves the principle of a free
government, of the right and power Of the State to
protect the liberties of its citizens against al ar
btrary and irresponsible despotsm, can be better
settled By .fgh! than by fight and its right settler
ment will be worth oil the sacrifices and bloodshed
the friends of Freedom will be called to suffer, ev-
en- though they should be greater than ances-
tors endured IN achieving our National lndepend-
ence. TO flee the country nov, is to proclaim
what am not yet ready to admit, that we no long
er have State Government worthy Of the least
respect from Republican people, and that our
State authorities. chosen by the people to maintain
Liberty and the conquered serfs and the ablect
tools OF the Slave Power.
The election Of Lincoln will not settle the con-
troversv, for pardon by n Republican President
would leave the State humiliated, and the princi-
Piles of State Sovereignty overthrown, as much
as m2 continued imprisonment. And if the
difficulty is, as you say, in the Supreme Court, l
must wait three years in exile, and perhaps foc
before can be restored to my rights.
2nd. Those friends who have rescued me and
defended mo hitherto, advise me to maintain my
ground in this State. They do not believe my
hegira would be a remedy for State sovereignty
overthroVn, and laws trampled in the dust, by
my kidnappers and pursuers. They are ready 10
tight ii out, and if these bloodhouuds continue to
prOw around their dwellings and attempt to
search them-as they have done-a little while
longer, you may see the tables turned, and the
kidnappers hunted as have been, and driven out
from among them or extermnated. You poorly
comprehend the temper of the people. if you sup
pose they will submit to such outrages much long,
er. Some of these miscreants already had warning
and if they repeat their visit in some sections they
will be shot with as little compunction as if they
we're mad dogs, or beasts of prey. The people
are determined not 20 submit their liberties to the
keeping of Federal kidnappers and slave cetchors,
aud, Ns the State authorities have lef: them with
out protection against the enemies and assassns
of Liberty they will protect themselves, and do
it effectually. When those who have rescued and
defended me wish me to give up the controversy