Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-23

political ambition. De assured, there is no maliec
or revenge 10 tso genuine, liberty-loving, boar..
Its maghanimous purpose is incompatible with
such passions.\
Ali the poor, priestridden, g%Overnment-Op-
pressed. and selfenthralled world, never knows its
true friends until after it has crucifed them.
Thus l have endeavored to unfold and present
the principles Of political philosophy which should
guide the nation in this, her most trying exigency.
TWO OPPOSITE COURSES SUGGEST THEMSELVES.
Two opposite, courses Of national policy suggest
thomselScslin view Of the present crisis. N-DJ
First, that of physical coercion, and
Second, that of passive consent.
Lot Us examine q moment their relative proprie-
ty or improperly. ,srlrsr4s s-H sa
First, lock at the policy of coercion, I mean only
the enforcement Of the laws of the United States
upon an unwilling or secediug State. To this pol
fcy, 1 suppose, tho incoming administration is,
quite fully committed. The late remarks Of the
President elect OF Indianapolis put the matter De-
yond ambiguity or disputo--although he strangely
denies that this is c~oereionl ESQ
The same policy is prompted by the first i'm
pulse of the popular mind. The Union has long
been the popular idol of the country, aud to touch
the Union is to desecrate the household gods of the
nation. The rankest despolism over soul and
body, has been preferred to the dissolution Of the
Union. Nay ! all political virtues have been snc.
ri6eed upon it's altar, and oven the authority OF
Jehovah, in the hottest mandates of Christianity,
have been ~trampled upon in obedience to this
phantom ideal of the land. l
Of course, a dissolution Of the Union is ropu-
II Ia,lr waOawdoA m h -. 4. LII &c A..
son. Hence the popular demand fer coercion.
Hence, also, the position of the popular leaders.
But let us examine this policy in the light Of
first principles. Is not the coercion or suhjugation
of an unwilling State, BY the other States, a viola
ton of the natural right of selfgovernment7 Who
are The natural and legitimate rulers Of q given
terri!ory-the people of that territory, or 1hose Of
q foreign territory
The advocates ofcoercion do not, I believe, pro.
pose more than to hold the forts, re-take those thai
are lost, blockade the porte, and collect the reye
nue. of the seeding States I oti r9
But would.that be effecting the legitimate objec'
of government Would il be protecting the PEG
pie of those States21 q What is it to hold the FORT
Of an unwilling people but military subjugation'
What is the collection of q forced tribute bat ma
tional robbery, or the legitimate spoils of con
quest2 And what more did Rome TO conquered
Carthage, and Alarie in turn 10 bundled Rome.
COERCION WOULD PRODUCE CIVIL WAR.
This policy of coercion must inevitably involve
. the whole country in a most disastrous civil war
1t is the most provoking kind of a casas beli. 1
s must call out and unite, in a harmonious antago
9 nisn in the seeding States, all the national re
. sources of patriotism, pride, and soltinterest
1Eren the whole South will probably be q uni
against the policy of s~Qsrpiens Tho necessities o
her contested rights, even the mother right of self
't~gqsernmsnt, require il. Submission Is poli.icA
suieidc.
Nor will shsre.b wanting in tse North homes
land effective rssistance to q policy 30 utterly sub
} yersiSe 6ff the great principles of popular liberty
! involved 10 the constitution OF The American gov
eminent.
Nor can the event be doubtful. The policy o
coercion can never triumph. It must yield befo.
the r~esistlesa might of great principles. It en-
sures to the slave States concert-couiage-perse
~yerence, and all the advantages which naturall
result from q correct political position. And j
must throw discord, doubt, and imbeoility into til
councils and measures OF the general government
In this unnatural attempt to subdue the seeding
States and literally put them under tribute, you
most formidable enemy will be, not, q united an,
3 Indignant South, in whose well known constitution
pride is a stronger principle Than life; but it viii
be the great principles of popular liberty wbicI
you challenge to mortal combat. You will wa
t against the principle. Of Jour own immortal Revc
. luton, viz the right Of any people to choos
their own government. All the glorious reminit
. cences of revolutionary valor will swarm aroun
5 your armies and haunt your council chambers
YOU will stirtKe very bones of revolutionary he
roes, as your fratricidal armies march across tn
feldsfendered sacred and classic by their deatt
The tornbs Of Kosciusko, De Kalb, and LaFayett
will become vocal with execrations at your trease
against tho great principle of independent natior
, atty, to which they generously devoted their live
would Il not be far wiser and more Statesman
r ike would IL not be more consistent with tn
dignity, and more conducive TO the moral pove
Of the government, to- consistently concede
$ States the right of secession and self-governmen
s and magnanimousiy bid them 90 in peace; tina
0 thus TO deny that right, Violate the prinOipl
, or our own Revelation and suicidally attempt til
: subyersiSn of the government Itself, and, after al
r be obliged to retreat from our position and yiel
Z reiuctanSyrand Of necessity the great right Of sci
4 government, which we had unsuccessfully atteml
: ted to 'oserthrowf - asae 'fis q 'n- at' 30.
? Z ITS EFFECT ON rue CAUSE OF rREEDoM.
But suppose the combined policy of c%opcessio
and coercion should be successful, and q two-fOl
cord should thus be formed sufficiently strong /
? bind the incongrpous elements in, one nomini
IconfederacY; what must be the effect upon th
cause Of freedom North and South ? On this poll
1 am sure that many Of the moderate ~well-WisheI
? Of the slave are deluded, A.
This. policy Of coercion, if successful, would il
augurate in the North The very dcspotisp who
YOU'D most ofsetively sympathise with and uphol
: the slavery Of the South. It is ~ my mind til
most csilaip-O Of prospective events. that the spir
os. freedom ip tie. North would be subject to en-
barrassments never before known. The fugitiy