Anti-slavery bugle. [volume], August 15, 1845, Image 1

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

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SWT
VOL,. I.
NEW-LISBON, OHIO, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1815.
NO. 1.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
At one dollar and fifty cents a year in advance, or two dol
Jars if not paid within six months.
From the New York Tribune.
First of August, 1845.
Among ihe holidays of the year, some portion of
cur people borrow one from another land. They
Imrrow what ihey fain would own, since their doing
Si i would inciease, not lessen, the joy and prosperity
of the present owner. I( is a holiday, Got to be cele
brated, 19 others are, with boast, ami shout, and gay
prncessinn, but solemnly, yot hnpefullv, in humiliation
find prayer for rmich ill now Misting in faith that
the God of good will not permit such ill, to exist al
ways in aspirations lo become His instruments for
Hi removal.
We borrow this holiday from England. We know
riot that she could lend us another such. Her CRroer
has beon ono of selfish aggrandizement. To carry
her fligeverv where where the waters flow, lo leave
a strong n.aik of htr font print on every shoro that
she might return and claim us spuds, to maintain id
every way her own advantage, 13 and has boon her
object as much as that of any nation on earth. The,
plundered Hindoo, ilia wronued Irish for oursolves
wo mutt add the outraged Chineso (lor wo look on all
that has hue 11 written as lo tho right of that war as
mere sophistry,) no less than Napolpon, walking up
and down 111 his "tarred green coal" in Ihe unwhole
toinu l.idgn at St. Helena all can tell whether she
be righteous or gene roiis in hor conquests. Nay ! let
myriads of lur own children sav whether eha will
ntietain from sacrificing, mtrcilesslv, human free
diiin, happiness, and Iho education of immortal souls,
fur the sake of gains 111 money ! We speak of Napn
leoti, for we must ever despise, with most profound
contempt, the piiltry use she m;ido of her power on
mat occasion, bho had been :ho chief means of lib
erating EnroDO from hit tyranny, and, though it was
for her own Hike, we must commend and admire her
conduct and resolution thus (nr. But ihe unhand
some, huso treatment of hor captive has never been
enough contemned. Anv private gentleman, in chain
in? up the foe ttvit had put himself in his power,
would at least have given hinloding.food and clothes
to his liking, and a civil turnkey and u great nation
could f,:il in this! Oh, it was shameful, if only for
tho vulgarity of feeling evinced! All this we say
licrause we are sometimes impatient of England's
brag on the subject of Slavery. Freedom! Because
she has done one good act, is she emitted lo the nngel
ic privilege of being the Champion of Freedom?
A nd yet it is true that once, once she nobly awoke
to a sense of v. hat wag right and wise. It is Irue
ihntshe t)l jo acted out (tint 6ense; acted fully, decid
edly. She was w illing lo muku sacrifices even of iho
loved money. She bus not lei go ihe iruih she then
luiil lo heart, and continues Ihe reolule foe of man's
trufiic in men. Wu must bend low 10 her as we bor
row ibis holy day, the anniversary of the Emancipa
tion of the Slaves in tho West Indies. Wu do nut
feel thai the extent of her practice justiflrs iho extent
of her preaching, yot wo ojiist feel her in be, in this
matter, an elder sister, entitlod to cry Shame to us.
And, if hor feelings be those of a sister indeed, how
must she mourn to see her next of kin pushing back
as fur at in her lies theadvauco of ibis good cause,
binding those whom tho old world had awakened from
iis sins enough to h ose ! But courage, sister. All is
nut yet lost. There is here n fatiltlul band detormin
ed to expiate the crimes that hnvu been committed in
the name of Lihertv. On ling day tliey meet and
vow themselves lo the service, and, as they look in
one nnoiher's glowing eyes, they read Ihore assurance
(hat tho end is not yet, and that they, forced as they
aie
"To keep in company with Pain
And Feur and Falsehood, miserable train.' '
noy
"Turn that necessity lo glorious gain."
may
"Transmute ihem and subdue."
indeed we do not see lhat ihey 'bale a jot of heart
or hope, and it is because Ihey feel lhat the power of
the Great Spirit and us peculiar workings in the spir
it of .Lie lye are with iliern. There is action and re
action all ho time, and though the mum current jg ob
vious, the. e are many little eddies and counter cur
rents. Mrs. Norton writes a puem on the sufferings
of the poor, and in it she, as episode, tunefully la
ments the suficrings of Ihe Emperor of all the Run
sins for the death of a beldved daughter. And it teas
a deep grief, yel il did nul soften his heart, or make
it feel for man. Tho fust signs of his recovered spir
its are in new ill' iris lo crush out Iho heart of Poland,
and lo make the Jews lay aside iho hereditary marks
of their national existence, to them a sacrifice far
worse than deaiii. But then Count Apraxin is burnt
alive by his infuriate serfs, and ihe life of a serf is
far more dog-like or rather machine like than thai
of our slaves. Still the serf can rise in vengeance,
can admonish Ihe Autocrat that humanity will yet
lurn again and rend him.
So with us. The most shameful deed hag been done
that ever disgraced a nation; becauao Iho most con
trary lo consciousness of right. Other nations have
done wickedly, but we have surpassed them all in
trampling under foot the principles lhat had been as
sumed as ihe basis of ou, national existence and our
willingness lo forfeit our honor in the face of ihe
world.
The following stanzas, written by a friend some
time since, on the Fourth of July, exhibit these con
trasts so forcibly, thai we caucot do better than in
sen them here:
Loud peal of bells and beat of drums
Silute approaching dawn,
And the deep cannons' fearful bursts
Announco a Nation's Morn.
Imposing ranks of freemen stand
And claim Iheir proud birlhright,
Impostors! rather, thug lo brand
A name Ihey hold so bright.
Let the day see the pageant show!
Float, banners, to ihe breeze!
Snout Liberty's great name throughout
Columbia's lands and seas!
Give open sunlight lo the Free!
But lor Truth s equal sake,
When Night sinks down upon the lam),
Proelainideud Freedom's wake!
Boat, mulllod drums loll, funeral bell!
Nail every flag half-mast!
For, though wo fought the battle woll,
We're traitors at the last.
Let the whole nation join in one
Procession to appear,
We and our sons lead on the front,
Our slaves bring up tho rear.
America it rocked within
Thy cradle, Liberty,
By Africa's poor palsied hand,
Strange inconsistency!
We've dujj one grave, as deep as Death,
For Tyranny's black sin,
And dug another al its side
To thrust our brother in.
We challenge al' the world aloud,
"Lo! Tyranny's deep grave!"
And all tho world points back and cries
"Thou fool! behold tty Slave!"
"Yes, rally, brave America,
Thy noble hearts and free,
Around the Eagle, as he soars
Upward in majesty.
"One half thy emblem is iho bird,
Out-facing thus tho day;
"But, wouldst thou make him wholly thine,
Give htm a helpless prey."1
This should be sung in Charlston at 0 o'cloqk in
the evening, when the drums are heard proclaiming
"dead Freedom's Wake," as they summon 10 iheir
homes, or to ihe custody of the police, every human
being wiih a black skin who is found walking with
out a pass from the while. Or it might have been
sung to advantage the night after Charleston had
shown her independence and care of domestic institu
tions by expulsion of Ihe venerable envoy of Massa
chusetts! Its expression would seem even moro forci-
bleihan ncw, when sung so near iho facts, when the
eagle soars so close above his prey.
How deep the shadow, yel cluft bv light! 1 hpre
is a counter current lhat sets toward ihe deep. We
are inclined to weigh as of almost equal weight wilh
all we have had lo trouble us as lo ihe prolongation
of slavery, the hopr s lhat may be gathered from the
course taken by such a man as Cassius M. Clay. A
man open to none of the accusations brought to dimin
ish the influence f.f Abolitionists in general, for he
has eaten tho bread wrought from slavery, and has
shared the education that excuses the blindness of the
slaveholder. He speaksasone having authority; no
one can deny lhat he knows where he is. In ihe
prime of manhood, of 'talent, and the energy of fine
enthusiasm, he comes forward wilh deed and word to
do his devoir in this cause, never to leave the fit Id till
he can take with him tho wronged wretches rescued
by his devotion.
Now he hag made this last sacrifice of the prejn
dices of "Southern chivalry," more than ever will te
ready to join the herald's cry, "God speed the right."
And we cannot but believe his noble example will be
followed by many young men in the slaveholding
ranks, brothers in a new sacred band vowed to the
duly not merely of defending, but far more tacred, ol
purifying their homes.
I he event of which this day is iho anniversary,
aflords a sufficient gusranlv of the safely and practi
cability of strong measures for this purification. Va
rious accounts are given to the public ol iho state ol
the British West Indies, and the foes of emancipation
are of course constantly on Ihe alert lo detect any un
favorable result which may aid them in opposing the
good work elsewhere. But through all statements
these facts shine clear as Ihe bun at noonday, ibat Ihe
measure was there carried into etTbct with an ease and
success, and has shown in Ihe African race a degree
of goodness, docility, capacity for industry and self-
culture, entirely bevond or opposed to the predictions))
which darkened go many minds with tears, those
fears can never again be entertained or uttered with
the same excuse. Ono great example of ihe safety
of doing right exists; true, there is but one ol Ihe
sort, but volumes may be preached from such a (ext.
YVe, however, preach not; there are too many
preachers already in Ihe liald, abler, more deeply de
voted to ihe cause. Endless are the sermons of these
modern crusaders, those ardent "surs of thunder,"
who have pledged themselves never to stop or falter
till this one black spot be purgeil away from the land
which gave them birth. 'Ihey cry aloud and spare
not; they spare not others, but then, neither do ihey
gpare themselves, and such aro ever Ihe harbingers ol
a new advent of the Holy Spirit, Our venerated
friend, Dr. Channing, sainted in moro memories than
any man who has led us in ihe nineteenth century'',
uttered the last of tua tones of soft, solemn, persua
sive, convincing eloquence on this day and on this oc
cssion. The hills of Lenox laughed and wore glad as
they beard him w ho showed in that last address, an
address not only to the men of Lenox, but to all mar.
for he was in the highest sense the Friend of Man, thi
unsullied purity of inl'nncy, iho indignation of youib
at vice and wrong, informed and tempered by Ihe
mild wisdom of age. It is a beautiful fact, that this
should have been the last public occasion of hii liuV
Last year a ouble address was delivered by 11. W
Emerson, in wnich he broadly showed the juste
milieu views upoa this subject 10 the holy light of a
high ideal day. The truest roan crew more (rue as
he listened, fur the speech, though it had the force of
fact and tho lustra of thought, was chiefly romiuka
ble at sharing the peuetrating quality of too "still
small voice, most otten heard when no man speaks,
Now it spoke through a man, and 00 personalities or
prejudices, or passions, could be perceived to veil or
disturb its silver sound.
These speeches are on record, little can he said that
is not contained in thorn. But we can add evermore
our aspirations for tbee, O our Country, that thou
mayesl nol long need to borrow a holy day, not long
have an my lestivats blackened by tnlsehood, lyran
ny, and a crimo for which neither man below nor God
abovo can much longor pardon thee. For ignorance
may excuto error, but thine, it is vain to deny il, is
conscions wrong and vows Iheo to Ihe Mammon whoso
wages aro endless lormeut or final death.
From the Honesdale (N. Y.) Democrat.
James G. Birney.
The abolition candidate for President, in a letter
written on the 12th of Doo. 1S-14, though but recently
published, makes (he following extraordinary decla
ration: "The objection lhat appears so insurmountable to
you, against swearing to support the Constitution of
tho United Slates, does not present itself in the same
light to roe. Such parts
of the Constitntinn as are opposed to ihe law of God,
to common justice, to humanity, to good morals, I re
ject as no part of that instrument. I 6hould have no
hesitation in 'affirming1 to support the constitution of
the government, whilst I should bo prepared, indeed
consider myself bound lo disregard any immoral pro
visions lat might be found in it."
What is (his but a virtual justification of perjury?
If the Constitution of the United Stales, in Mr. Bir
ney 'sjudgm cut, is opposed, inane or many particu
lars, "lo the law of God. to common justice, to human
ity, and lo good morals," that is a good reason why
be should not swear to euppoit it. But, his nntionfot
swearing to support Ihe Constitution, wilh a mental
reservation to disregard such portions of thai instru
ment as, in his opinion, conflict wilh strict morality,
is mobstrous. That he should make so infamous an
avowal is astonishing. If a man may lake an oath
to perform the duties of a public office according to
law, with a mental reservation to regard only so
much of (he law as he thinks lo he right, why may
not another man adopt the principle of mental reser
vation in giving testimony in courts of justice!
If Mr. Bimey'g par'.y should be successful, and
elect him to the Presidential cilice, whnt a spectacle
he and it would present lo the world! On the day ol
his inauguration, ho would stand up in tho presence of
a great multitude of his fellow-countrymen, and
swear lo support the Constitution, in all its parts and
particulars; to support il not as "ho understands it," but
as the authorized expounders of the Constitution, the
judiciary, understand it. And Ihe next day, perhaps,
ho would Lo found violating tho plain and unequivo
cal requirements of tho Constitution, and justifying
his conduct with the plea that he reserved the right lo
do so when he tuck the oath!
If Mr. Biruey believes any part of the Constitu
tion immoral, he cannot swear or affirm to uphold it,
and be an honest mini. At the commencement of his
present career, he put himself Bt the head of what
was professed to be a great moral movement for the
liberation of Ihe slaves. To consummate that move
mcnl, ha and his associates declared that they would
use no other moans than argument and persuasion.
But, soon limy discovered, or thought they discovered,
in iho strong religious sentiment and feeling lhat per
vaded ihe country in favor of emancipation, a pow
erful instrumentality which ihey could lurn 10 politi
cal account. Forthwith they seized upon it, and eei
al work Insecure (o themselves all tho 0 dices of the
Stale and General Governments. Previously lo this
last movement, however, they had denounced the
Cons'tluiiun as an i minor u I compact, entored into, in
part, for purposes at war with justice ami humanity ;
they had thus denounced it so frequently and so
omtodly, (hat ihey could nol recede from that posi
tion without being exposed to inferences discreditable
to iheir integrity. Having considered the difficulties
in which they wcro involved, they determined to main
tain their stand, and uvow the intention, in case they
should be successful in their political scheme, to set
Ihe Constitution at defiance, and take credit to them
selves fur it, under tho pretence, that they wero too
conscientious 10 support such an instrument. Their
plea for forfeited oath and violated Constitution, is lo
be conscience the plea that great villains have set
up in all ages fur Iheir unnumbered crimes. The
baseoesj of iheso men is last developing. This dec
laration of Mr. Birney is the must cool and impudunt
confession of fligitioua purpose that has been made
in modern limes.
liCinembcr the cause of the ilava.
From the Indianapolis Sentinel.
The Indiana Slave-case decided.
United States Cirenit Court, Friday, May 2rd,
1845. Vaughan vs. Williams Debt for tho rescue
of slaves, damages $500. The above case cams 011
for trial on Wednesday last before tbe Court and Ju
ry, Judges McLean and Huntington presiding.
In tha fall of the year 1835, one Tipton, a citizen
of Kentucky, owning three slaves a man, a woman,
and a child earns to Illinois, and settled in Warren
county. During the limo ha was there, in the win
ter following, and in the spring of he built him
self a house, and cleared a certain lot of land about
thirty acres pari of which wat done by Ihe aid end
assistance ol the slave Sam, which was the name of
one of the slaves; also, Tipton was assisted by his
sons, who had previously settled in this Stale, and
henido whose farm wat that of iheir father; the no
stra woman worked in ihe house, and was understood
by the neighbors lo bo (he wifo of Sato; iho child, a
girl, was iheir child.
In tho spring of 1836, tho neighbors of Tiplon
having hinted lo the negroes thai they were free, of
which he heard, some time in April, same year, lu
took thoru in a covered wagon to Missouri, and therj
sold them aa slaves. The man who bought them
from Tiplon, sold then to Ihe plaintiff" for about
$1,100. This was soon after their arrival in Missou-
111 1S37 they escaped and came 10 the State ol
Indiana, and resided in Hamilton county, on a small
farm bought for them by tbe kindness of some friends
until the time of their re-eeplure, which was sorno
timo in 1813 or '44. Tbe old Ltgro roan is about fif
ty, the woman about thiity, and the girl about nine
years of age. Some lime in 1843, '41, armtd with
a writ from Missouri, and a warrant from this State,
iho plainlifT attempted lo arrest the negroes in iheir
cabin under night, but was prevented until the more
we, when the neighbors, alarmed with the crie3 pro
ceeding from the cabin, flocked in to iheir aid, and
tho defendant, with others, refused to allow ihe plain-
till to carry ofT the negroes by force. An investiga
tion was demanded and agreed lo, but wbiie on tha
way to iho justice's office tbe negroes escaped by the
aid and assistance of the defendant and the crowd.
The action was brought to recover damages of
$500, recoverable under the act of Congress, against
any person aiding or abetting Ihe escape of fugitives
from labor when arrested by iheirowner. Tbe cast)
was ably conducted by Messrs. Wick and Barbour,
and O. II. Smith for ihe plaintiff, and Messrs. Brad
ley and Quarles, and Judge. Stepsons, for the de
fendant. Judge McLean after summing up the evidence ia
a very able manner, charged the jury as 10 the law in
the case, who, after a short retirement, found a ver
dict for the defendant, which was in strict accordances
with ibe charge of ihe court. Tho Iriol lasted two
das and a half, and created great excitement.
By the above decision, the following- point is eel- .
tied in this State, vix:
That slaves brought into a free State by their own
er, ho becoming a resident or citizen thereof, and us-
rig Ibem as his servants, are free, and any subsequent
sale of them in a slaveholding State is void and in
the eve.it of their escaping afterwards to a free State,
ihey cannot be re-caplured as slaves.
Slavk Whipping in Nkw Ouieans Our fellow-
citizen, Jeremiah Curtis, Esq., in a speech recently
made in this city, stated lhat, while in New Orleans)
not long since, ho was informed by his steward, an ex
emplary member of a christian church who had been
taken from his vessel, and thrust into tho 'calaboose,'
under the laws of Louisiana, becauso God had given
him a skin somewhat colored lhat ihe public whip
pings were inflicted (here in the morning, and that if
he wotld come early in the day he would have the op
portunity of witnessing them. Desirous of acquaint
ing himself with slavery in all its operations, Mr. C.
went early tho next morning to the prison and thera
witnessed the merciless application of Ibe bitter lash
to iho naked backs of men and women. He learned
that the regulations of the city required lhat. when
slaves were lo be punished, Ihey should be whipped
by tho public whipping-master at the calaboose iho
number of lashes should not exceed 25. The fee for
infliction was a cent a lash. The whip used had a
shorl handle and long lash, which ihe master, stand
ing at a good distance, handled go 'scientifically' lhat
every stroke brought the flesh, and the blood flowed
in streams down the back of ihe victioj.
At the time Mr. Curtis went lo take his steward
away, ihe whipping mister came out of Ihocalabuoea
with hands covered with blood, and remarked:
There, lhat is tho most obstinate nigger that I ever
nw.'
Mr. C. then went into the calaboose and Inere saw
1 black with his throat cut, and lying on the floor in a,
pool of blood. On inquiry, he learned that the mar:
bad been a slave who had always sustained a most
estimable character: lhat he had ever done all in his
power lo please his master: that he had never been
punished, but lhat for some imaginary offence hie
master now bad sent him up for a whipping and lo bo
placed in the chain gang, and that he had declared bo
never would submit to that, When Ihe time came for
the execution of the punishment, and he was satisfied,
by the entrance of the whipping master, lhat there
vas no reprieve, he drew hie knife across his throat
and fell upon the fl iorand shortly afterwards was a
corpse
What a commentary is this, upon the (ft repealed
toxt, "the slaves are contented and happy." Han-
gor tidzcttc.