in d o a ter d d n k d d ix g ik k till ii e l d d d te d u d � o j v k w � r b j g fi r� g c r b i i p g r s n w system d moral vo ix x n f b op sup ed c ii v iii w v j do la philosophic par paris vol vol ii to recent in continental g k n i r e � e � sole vo � a w t s t e b vo fr t r und r vo g f a s t dr w l di con e e the same d di v de la b c t lo de m de t o de n j d l f de t o a y le di review no ii � march art i � has slavery in the united states a legal basis � the of slavery part first and second by mo � of s on the slavery by vo m pillar of domestic slavery as it now exists in the united states of america is tlie idea that it rests upon the law law is regarded with veneration as the great foundation and support of the rights of property � of personal rights in a word � of social organization with a natural disposition to the importance of a profession to which most of them have belonged have been induced to overlook or to disregard the natural foundation of rights of them represent the idea of property as resting on a merely artificial basis � the law not the law of nature hut the law of upon that same artificial basis too they are induced to rest oven the most important of rights these ideas widely spread through the community greatly public opinion upon the question of slavery in the abstract slavery all admit is sheer cruelty and injustice but slavery as it exists in the united states is supposed to be and being legal is supposed to acquire a certain character of right to use our best efforts for the of and injustice is admitted to bo a moral duty but then it is a moral duty and in the opinion of a duty to obey the law g ideas on the theory of government tend precisely no n i legal basis of american slavery march the same way those ideas derived from and represent government as a contract the natural state of man the state of nature is assumed to be a state of war of hostility on the part of each individual against every other to escape out of this wretched condition men we are told resort to the artificial expedient of government founded on contract according to thi theory the only moral principle involved in the idea of government is � contract and this contract we are told must be preserved or government is at an end and chaos comes again no matter how absurd no matter how unjust towards ourselves or others a bargain i s a bargain and though it for the of flesh it be fulfilled many excellent men ready to in the abstract a s the sum of all will tell us in the same breath that the of the constitution existence it is morally wrong they say to attempt to or got over or set aside those and this appeal to notions of honor is not without a powerful influence upon the best portion of the community opinions respecting law and government involve indeed the and absurdity of supposing that men have power by an l to make that right which naturally is wrong there have not been wanting able writers to expose this and absurdity these writers have shown enough that the basis of law the basis of property the basis of personal rights the basis of government arc to be sought for and found in the nature and constitution of man not in any artificial or arbitrary or they have shown clearly enough that law so far as it has any binding moral force is and mast be to natural � les of right indeed tliat in this alone its moral binding force and that so far as this is wanting is called law is mere violence and tyranny to which a man may submit for the sake of peace but which he has a moral right to resist at all times and forcibly when he has any fair of success such indeed was the principle upon � which tlie american revolution was justified the acts of parliament of which the colonies complained had all the of law and and other great lawyers said they were law but in the view of the they lacked the substance without which law cannot exist they those legal of slavery � principles of right and expressed in that and usage of tlie english constitution coupled t and representation together without was bj the as mere robbery to which though concealed under the form of law they were not obliged to and would not submit the le of tlie and of matter what their object character or operation been attacked with no less energy and success it has been shown that the very essence and of con i tract is mutual benefit whether in law or morals have no binding force without a consideration a good and valuable consideration men cannot bargain away either their own rights or the rights of others all such con ct are void from the beginning � the of fraud in the one party and ignorance in the other or of injustice and intentions in both to say that by committing the folly or the crime of to do an act a man lays himself under a moral obligation to do that act is to the very foundations of morality nor are these 