Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-19
OUT ON BAIL.

1t seems that the Rev. Daniel Worth lie now in
the North, his case having been appealed to a
higher court, and he released on bail. If possible,
he designs raising the money among his friends
and sympathisere; 10 which event be will forfeit
his bail bond, and pay the South a Communication
fee Of $4,000. Such forfeiture of bail-bonds, while
decidedly more comfortable to a v~iolator Of law
than the suffering Of Imprisonment, seems to U.s.
a policy that does not, in its general application
operate we'll for the cause of reform. We have
long thought 1t an unwise expenditure of means
to purchase slaves with a view to their liberation;
for while the individual redeemed may be benefit
ted, it is very likely to be at the expense of those
who remain in bondage, the means applied being
such as would otherwise have been used for the
isseminaiionlo anti slavery truth, and the pay
meut of which is o bonus to Shareholders. The
forfeiture of bail.bonds is open to mowha SINH
lar objections. While we should be very glad to
have men courageous enough to circulate Helpers
Impending Crisis, as did Daniel Worth; trample
under foot the Fugitive Slave Law, as did the
Oberlin Rescuers or sword in hand follow out
their convictions of right, as did John Brown and
his companions, we7wOuld have them do these
things intelligontly, knowing the risks they we're
running, and willing, in:case of detection and ar
rest to meet uufiRchingly the penalty.
The Oberliu Rescuers compromised the matter,
and obtained their liberty by consenting to the
release from an Ohio Jail II SouthernRkidnappers;
and the moral effect of their law.defying action
dwindled into insignifcance, and became a matter
of bargain and sale. Daniel Worth has purchas-
ed-or is about to purchase-his freedom for $4,000,
and the deed of which he was found guilty has
thereby resolved itself into a dollar and cent
transaction, where the Profit and Loss isibalanced
on the public ledger. Had John Browns life been
bought for Sl00,0 900, or any other sum, his name
would not be associated as now with one Of the
most sublime instances Of unselfsh and heroic de-
votion the world ever knew, and which shall make
his memory glorious while freedOm has a name
to live,
If, however, reformers consider it a wise policy
to buy of offenders against Southern laws, W.
hope the matter may be distinctly understood, ant
the principle made of universal application, Sc
that every man who is arrested for the violation q
unjust laws may feel assured that if money car
buy him clear, then he shall go free. We sus
peet that sueh o course would so greatly increast
the number of Northern rescuers, southern circu
lators of incendiary documents, and %violators IL
general Of slavery's laws, that their names woulC
be Legion, and the money needed to meet the ext
gences Of their cases would soon be counted b.
millions, and be even a more important item il
southern commerce than cotton itself. We woult
suggest, however. that those who have sufere,
imprisonment all their lives, who have endure'
every bitter thing that slavery can press into til
cup of existence, should first be bought free Of ibei
prison bonds, seeing they are By far the creates
sufferers.