Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-16
D D R z s s

smNhssu ADDRESS.
NJ. Chairman aud Gentlemen Of the Committee,
Esao no, appear before you on the pfesen. &C.
oaSioo for the purp ose of claiming at your hands a
legislation that shall be partial in its operations
or Of questionable benefit to community. We shall
not ask you to repeal old statutes, concerning the
benefcence and wisdom of which the better por-
ton Of our people are divided by doubt, but shall
pray you to recognize and provide for the securi-
~ Of rights, the existence of which no just person
cau, deny. Some one of our statesmen, / think it
was John Quincy Adams, expressed an idea like
this: every human being comes into the world en-
dovedy With certain rights, and if all the power in
the universe we're concentrated ip enc single ef-
fort, it could not destroy the least of them all. 10
oihs- words, they are inalienable, and lying deep
down iu the nature OF man, deeper Than laws dee
yer than constitutions deeper than customs sane
toned by hoary antiquity. With a conviction IF
the truth Of this position, and standing upon 3 plat
form that was erected by the great Architect him
self when be laid the foundations of human society,
the work before us is ny no means arduous. The
validity Of our claims may be the more easily tes-
ted also, from the fact that this nation adopted,
theorstically, the doctrine Of equality at its COM
mencement, and sealed it with human blood, and
wrote it out in history in characters that will
never die. And we have, besides, the cardinal
IDEA Of the Christian religion to sustain us. We
have those great first principles Of equality that
were inculcated by the great Teacher himself, to
produee harmony and happiness among the chill
dlen Of the Father. 1t cannot be disputed then, that
whatever promotes that equality, whether it be
law, civil, political, ecclesiastical, or social rela
tions, advances the general and individual inter
esLsf all parties concerned.
Certain rights are called natural, others couven
tional. Among the former is the right to life. t.
person, to property, or the avails of labor, to gov
erbment, to ones children, and the custody ant
oolsrol of them, the exercise of conscience, and tb'
full dsvelopement Of all the faculties Men in al
ages have contenied for these rights = in defence o.
them they have spread the bloody sacraments o.
the battle field, and martyr spirits have suffered
In the dungeon and on the block.
The history of our civilization presents the humil
Eating fact, however, that the dominant party who
have guarded With jealous care the rights of prop
erty, conscience, ard political sovereignty, aftel
having achieved their own freedom, impose upor
others an oppression often no less CALLING thar
that which they resisted. Even Cromwell who
tore of o nations shackles as with a madman'i
strength, Immediately rivited the chains of military
desp0ism.i Tho Puritans fed from the fagot anC
the stake in The Old worli, and kindled the fire.
Of persecution in the New. Our fathers, the bes
mea of their age, heroes erery one, resisted anti
death q tri6ing tax, and then com promised tn,
liberties Of more than half the people. Ard thi
appears to be the extent Of human development
in the direction of justice. The Britons begged
the Romans TO remain on their island as their pro
tectors-their rulers. But the Saxons establishe,
SqeH order, they could govern themselves an
thoughts they could g,vern their neighbors. Thi
rule has been perpetuated. And now, with th
did of increased light and knowledge, we loo
dsvs the vista Of time, and imagine a period, whe
men shah govern themselves, and allow others
do likewise, not even excepting the women an
pegroes.
,CAs period appears, to be rapidly approaching
&hen men must cease to deal in glittering gene
~alities. II they profess 30 believe in justice, tbs
muSt1 practice L.. The strength Of the State, Ill
the happiness Of the family, must depend upon Il
bafhony OF it's internal relations. If we cheri
any system of oppression, let it be more or lie
gross, which. makes q large class in our midst Il
ndtafal enemies Of our institutions, we weaken Il
the bond that binds us together, IL is exceediD
lSdMpolitic, and unwise, 20 throw unnecessa
Ieeal restraints around individuals which emba
rass, aud ~irritate, aud engender bitterness towa
the laws, Or the makers thereof. This brings n
to The subject Of discussion-the legal position
,be, carried women of this State. 1t makes no d
ference whose rights are deuied SO far as sex
concerned. Women feel wrongs as keenly as me
although they may not resist them in the san
way. Do i-pH ril
1 sometimes wonder If gentlemen ever fame
themselves in the legal condition they assign u
The scriptural injunction says, Remember tho
in bonds as bound with them" II we would kno
tho weighs Of human woe, &c il is felt by him vi
lies crushed beneath ii We muft put our soul
his souls stead. Would ~ no, be we'll to eiehan,
positions, and let u, 's;::Se for a time in the d
pisy Of our God-given rights. and let men take h
civil disabilities with all the wrongs that grow o
ofthenf Not that We want their places 10 q
other sense. or that We think they could 6ll GU
rasey have mot ~intsitiOn and Judgment for tn
Bat the civil condition. We will exchange. q
tismsa. ify6u please. We knew 1, viii nos
Agreeable 70 you. TO DO In our place. oven
Imagination. will doubtless stir your proud Sal
blood, aud set you to thinki5g Of firearms and a
niiSgsuof war; Rot perhaps a change, or look
az the subject through . different nsdiap, o.
qsskss ssaf ssrsI perceptions. and give new
~ree,ippa % your sense ofjsstce Let Us Try, q
sec bow ID will work