Anti Slavery Bugle

Mercer, PA., Nov. 20th, 1845.

Friends Editors:—

In glancing over the "Bugle" I am generally pleased with its Anti-slavery character. I hope it may do good. I greatly rejoice at all the instrumentalities & influences of the present day, honestly put forth in behalf of the Slave, and with the intention of destroying the man of Sin, "the sum of all villanies," American Slavery. May God Almighty prosper the right.

Now I would rather both the Old and the New Organizations could "mingle into one," but God may bring good out of seeming evil, and each party may do good, and enlighten the other by holding up its faults. But I am sorry for crimination and recrimination, both agreeing in the main, but differing on some points. For instance, you are in advance of us in showing the criminality, and inconsistency of Liberty men in voting for candidates in communion with pro-slavery churches, when they will not vote for candidates in communion with proslavery political organizations. I see in you, however, a manifest criminality and inconsistency, in holding up the sin of pro-slavery Church, and State organizations. on account of their inherent corruption, immorality, and wickedness, whilst you do not set them an example of a pure Church and State organization, built on the foundation of the Moral Laws of Jehovah.

Now both old and new organizations, are for generating a moral influence for correcting and regenerating the public conscience. But is there a more effectual, powerful and peaceful channel, through which to exercise a moral influence than the Ballot Box? If there is I do not know it. We must reform present organizations, we must repeal the slave laws, or if we fail, we must pull down the old, and build up a new order of things in their place. But as J. R. Giddings says, the same public opinion, or moral power that would be adequate to dissolve would regenerate the union, the same power that would dissolve the constitution, would amend it. Why then denounce the action of the Liberty Party, when they are equally pledged with you to abolish slavery, or to induce some other party or power to do it? But should they fail in consummating their hopes, their honest exertions would hasten the dissolution of the union, and consequent emancipation of the slave. I am convinced if we are not successful, as a political party to abolish slavery, and save the union, there is no other instrumentality existing, so efficient, or so well calculated to bring about the desideratum you so devoutly wish.

I now say to you, and to my old friends, the Covenanters, come over to us, take your stand upon the platform of the Liberty Party, and labor with us, (and it will do you good, for God is with us,) until every yoke is broken, every burden loosed, and the oppressed permitted to go free. And if not sufficiently pure, we need your aid, to make us so. I desire to see concentrated on the Liberty platform not only old organization, the Covenanter, the down-trodden slave, and disfranchised colored man, the good, and the true, every where, but also the ten millions of women in our land. This would epitomize the Brotherhood of man. Now this we must do in order to exhibit the Glory of Christ's Kingdom on Earth, in order to give a practical exhibition of the Golden Rule, "all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them. for this is the Law and the Prophets." Christ's mission on Earth was to preach deliverance to the captive,—to break down all unholy distinctions between Jew and Gentile, Scythian and Barbarian, bond and free, male and female, that they might be all one in Christ, not a brotherhood of thieves, but a brotherhood of Christians.

To effect this consummation, the friends of God and man, must generate a moral power, sufficient to enlighten, correct, and purify the public conscience—must exhibit the glory and grandeur of moral over the physical power, (which heretofore has trampled under foot the proscribed classes.) We must cut the sinews of class Legislation, politically and ecclesiastically—we must bring back to the fold these proscribed classes—place them on a level platform of humanity, of civil and religious Liberty—restore to them their robbed, but God given rights and privileges—so that in all legitimate organizations in society, social, civil, ecclesiastical or political, they all may enjoy equal liberty of the Will, Locomotion, Equal rights, and privileges at the Ballot Box, that they may have a voice in making the Laws by which they are governed. They would soon know their rights as they now feel their wrongs, and would soon redress their grievances. This would break up class Legislation—repeal the slave laws—abolish slavery, and the slave trade, annihilate the divine right of Kings, monopolies, and rights vested in the hands of the few, by which the rich are made richer, and the poor, poorer. The thrones of tyrants would totter, Satan would fall as lightning from the political and ecclesiastical Heavens—Satan's Kingdom would fall. Michael would chain the Dragon, that he would no longer deceive the nations. The saints of the Most High would take the Kingdom, & rule in righteousness, and the Kingdoms of this world would become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

You see just what is wanted. Extend the right of universal suffrage. Enlist the moral power of the nation, bring woman on the political platform, the Lever which must move, and reform the world.

Yours for universal Liberty and Law,
R. HANNA.