Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-11-24

you eVince an arrogance seldom united with great
moral worth. You censure Governor Dennison
FOR adhoting to a practice that has been followed
By Executives Of both slave and free States for
more than thirty years; and in a note contained in
the pamphlet edition Of your speech, you half
apologize. saying tho hertSy had its origin ten
years since when ycu were engaged in official du-
ties, and did not notice it. You next read a lee.
ture TO the people Of our State for not elecling a
Judge whose opinions they disliked, while you al
ways approved them; and then condemn the Leg
%islnture OF our State for not passing a law to pro,
tect slavery, by prohibiting the organizing of a
military force in Ohio for the purpose Of invading
other States. No such organization has ever oc-
Cured in our State, nor have our people ever inva-
ded any other State. But while our State had
been olseu invaded by armed forces from other
States, while innocent men have been barbarously
shot down upon our soil, our ciiizous driven by
armed force from other States, and free men born
under our laws, have been kidnapped and carried
TO slavery; you do not ask protection for them,
But tho electors of our State have responded to
your attacks IN language more emphatic than !
can use.
You speak sneeringly of 'irrOpressi5le conflict
men," of men of extreme opinions" of "aboli-
tionists," of higher law men." Epithets are not
arguments. They are adapted to minds that re
volVe in a certain sphere of thought; but are sell
dom uttered by statesmen or philosophers. You,
however, are Understood as referring to men who
DIRE your peers men whose craftsmanship, whose
integrity, will not suffer by a comparison with
yours; to men who will not shrink from the juig-
ment of the present OF Of coming generations.
], sir, believe in that higher law" Of the Crea-
tor, which holds the sun in mid-heavens, guides
the planets in their courses, gives action to your
throbbing heart and heaving lungs, which inspires
you with a love of life, a thirst for happiness, a
consciousness that liberty is yours, i~mpresses you
to acquire knowledge, and removes you to another
sphere at the close Of this life. You sheer a!
these doctrines, a cold Atheism perVades your
speech. In it there is no recognition Of right, Of
enduring principle, flood, His attributes, or laws.
You evidently hold that human governments pos
sess the same power to legislate for the murder of
innocent men and women, which they have to pro-
'ect human life; the same power to enslavo men
which they have to protect liberty. Republicans
hold with the fathers that governments arc insti-
tuted to secure he enjoyment of life and liberty.
That the murder or enslavement of The humb!est
OF the human family, is not merely unjust, but
That all enactments by Congress, au-
or proposing to authorize one man to
hold another in bondage, to fog him, rob him of
his labor, his wife, his children, his Intelligence,
his manhood, are not only despotic, but barba.ous,
in direct violation of that clause in our Fed
eral Constitution which declares that mo person
shall DO deprived Of life, liberty or property, with.
out due process of law" that Is, without a trial be-
fore a court of competent jurisdiction, by a jury
of his peers.
For the establishment and maintenance of these
views have labored long and steadily. You
have labOred long and jus: as steadily to oppose
them. We have lived to see an overwhelming ex-
preston of the American people in their favor.
They have elected q President pledged to ,heis
support. WW he redeem that p1edgef I believe
he will Time will solve the problem.
Very respectfully,
J. r. GIDDINGS.
JEFFERSON, o., Nov. 7. 1850.