Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-06-02
SALEM coLUMB1ANA COUNTY OHIO SATURDAY, JUNE O. 1860


in the sphere of high sovereignty Necessary
and just Let me ask for what allie Sed crimes he
was executed. You may say, if you please for
the crime of treason. What, then, is the charac-
ter Of this crime2 Whet arc the elements Of
which civil government is naturally composedf
What the materials Of which it is constructcdi
It is mado up Of certain principles immutable,
all-comprehensve, that bind everything that is
aud lives into one mass--a sublime unity These
principles are all embodied and presented in the
grand precept which John Brown wrote upon his
heart to which ho adjusted himself in bis aims
and methods, and exortons-- the principle Of
disintercsted benevolonce the principle Of equal,
impartial love; the principle embodied and pre-
scnted in that Law which we will describe as the
Golden Rule This rule comprehends order;
this rule comprohends justice; this rule compre
hends whatever may be described as human
! rights, 10 human prerogatiyes. These arc the
n.aterlals Of which government everywhere, from
the most retired nursery in the world, upwards to
the highest heaven, is constructed. These are its
essential and vital elements. Wherever these are,
there is government. Wherever these are denied,
government cannot exist. There is nothing there
deserving tho name, there is nothing there oxor-
| ting the influence, there is nothing there which
fairly claims the homage which is due to civil
government, under any name, or form, or modf-
cation; aud the whole universe through, he who
Is most distinguished for his regard, his unyiel-
ding and consistent regard for those principles,
who embodios them most fully, symme,rcally and
beautifully in his character, who responds most
promptly and earnestly to them in his heart Of
! bp,r ,t,,, 49,, Al.
and who is most distinguished for those attain
ments, for those achievements is Godaunointed
ruler Wherever be may be, whatever may be
the dispostion in his circle Of what people ca Il
the elective franchise whatever may be the decis-
ion of the majority, it is impossible 70 any power
in the world, in the whole compass f thought and
exerton, it is impossible for any power 10 pluck
the diadem from lis brow or take lho sceptre from
MS hand. lie is Gods own King, and shall be
honored in due time, and in very honorable cir.
cumstances, under that character (applause} -
And, Whatever may bear the name OF civil govern
ment, wherever these sacred principles are dclb
erately violated wherever Justice is trampled un-
der foot, wherever our common humanity is set
at nought there you have nothing, whatever may
be the organization, whatever arrangements
gnnized anarchy. That it is; and all those who
are connected with what may thus be described
make themselves, as God lives outlawe That
every philosopher who thinks-and all philoso
pliers think-on this subject will tell you thai
you make yourself an outlaw. When you refuse
to avail yourself Of the benefits which law brings
within your reach, how can law protect you? How
can it confer its natural blessings the rich blessings
with which 1t is pregnant upon you, when you
refuse, individually socially to adjust yourself
/ to its sovereign demands | say, then, that
throughout the whole reg on of slavery, wherever
humanity is trampied under foot, wherever the
demands Of awiul,yet benignNnt justice are ignor-
ed or resisted there is, there be- no such thing
rs treason. 1t cannot, under such circumstances s,
be committed From the very nature Of the case,
an outlaw is one Of whom any fellow whom he
meets disposes Of according to his discretion, &C,
cording TO his convenience.
Now, then John Brown could not, if he had
been intent on this thing have committed treason
within the limits of Virginia. for the plain reason
that Virginia herSelfis an outlaw cloud applause J
That is its apPro pirate character 1t tramples
openly, rudely, ruthlo6sly, and deliberately on
the elements Of law. 1t ignores or resists what.
ever may be appropriate to its character and its
influence. Il was John Brown-for we are we'll
informed Of his character, and we have received
our information from all quarters, from foes as
well frends-it was John Brown who wore the
crown, if may such symbol, and bore the
Sceptre. lie was under the catholic influence OF
the Golden Rule, which is q comprehensive des-
cription Of all la and all governments. His was
10 nj his a hnroio Gp;rit 10 Uos distin
uished for his magnanmty, for his ntrepidity, for
his daring, for his deep toned, yearning regard
for all those who had inherited our common ma
tuve. All this was admitted both by friends and
foes. How, then, in the name of all consistency
how, in the name of all the great red letters
which appear in those horn-books which we study
whenever we would make ourselves familiar with
the elements of the great art aud science ogovern-
tnent, could the dea tn of John Brown he describ-
ed as just, beSeech youi just, when outlaws
rushed upon him, when outlaws sought his blood
They were outlaws who strapgled him-men who
tramped upon everything sacred in legsla.
tion-men who ignored or scorned every charac-
terisc by which civil government, under its own
appropriate name, is anywhere, above, or below,
distinguished (Appause.) All this is undeni-
able; these conclusions are forced upon us by any
fiji regard for the very elements of thought which
here demand attention, which are here to be read
and applied.
affirm, then, that the execution of John Brown
was gross and bloody murder. 1t was not he
who deserved to be hung on the gallows; it was
they who deserved it, for they were traitors and
murderers who fastened upon him the hand of
violence, and hurried him to what we call pre-
mature grave. Now, then, pray you, what must
we think, however charitable we may be- however
disposed to be indugent by regard r the
temptations to which they were exposed, however
much we may be disposed to look with a kind
eye, with loving heart, on the men ] have ven
tured this evening to oriticise-w what shall we
think Of him as statesman, what reliance, pray