Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-04-26
law, we are blessed with the spirit oil
universal love.

! Should dare one singh, man enslaVe,
Or shed one drop of human blood.
Ro4eland Hill.
II is in high degree unjust and cruel
to reduce one human creature to such
AM ect state, thai be may mini ter to ting
ease, luxury, or avarice of another, HaI
Bot that other the same right TO have nm
reduced to this state, that he may minlf-
tier to his interest or pleasure On whit
is this right founded? Whence was i
derived Did it come from heaven, froh
earth, or from hell Has the great KIM
of heaven given this extraordinary right
to white over black men? Where is the
charter? In whose hands is it lodged ]?
Thus reducing men il an indignity,
degradation to our owl nature. When
we plead for slavery, we plead for the
disgrace and ruin OF OR own nature. l.
we are capable Of ii, we may hereafter
claim kindrr, Ii he brues, and re-
noupce our own supdior dignity.
Rice.
Hnnao legislators should remember,
that they act in suborlination 10 the great
RAler of the universe that they have
no power to take the government cut oil
his hands, or to enact laws contrary to
bis mandates; that If hey aitemp, it, they
cannot make that right which he has de-
claretl 10, ong; and that they cannot dis
solve the allegiance of his subjects and
ransler il 60 themselves, and thereby tied
themselves or the people from their obs
Il n Ion, oi,a he, io,,, 6 I =
gslators have not this authority; anc a
thousand laws can never make that liz
noecnt)which the divine law pronounces
criminal, or give them right to that
which the divine law forbids them 10
claim. ID.
Slavery, or the holding of fellow
creature and his poslerity III perpetua!
bondage, is source Of all kinds ofcru
city, and is peculiarly unmercifui sys-
tenn. 1t exposes a man to disgrace and
triumphs IN bis fall That slaves ar.
ignorant, barbarous, and unprincipled, is
consequence Of their condition. Men
regard their own interest before the in
terest Of their fellow creatures; and in
despite Of the rights Of humanity, have
forced them across the ocean and bouhd
them and their posteritr to tie severest
labor. Immortal souls inslayery! Sub
jects of the grace of God, and the pur-
chase OF the precious blood of Christ, in
slavery. Reing capable Of all The bles-
sings Of civil society, deprived Of them
all, to administer to the vices and plea
sures of others If this be mercy, what
is not! Hail sc sons Of beneyo,ence
Will you sing
That mercy to others show,
That mercy show TO me
Saetlsr
Take single slave from The millions
who are now iaurcd in bondage; read in his
woworn face, brief and striking history
of his misfortunes, olhls antecedent s1bln-
cation and subsequent degradation Torn
from lis friends, Row wishfdiIy he tax : :
a long, last and eager look at his vio-
lated wife and screaming children, while /
the tears trckle down his sable checks ]
he is forced from their embraces Will |
the atmosphere reverberates With their
sh,ieks and groans. When bring my
vile and children IN view, and consider
what should suffer, were in his situa-
ion, my heart weeps blood. Passing BY |
bis accumulated excrnciation while IN
der the whip of his task master; depict
aim in his smokey hut. alter the tolls Of
the day; see the tears begin to llow when
he thinks of his wife, his children and
friends j; he lifts his eyes TO heaven, signs,
and looks at bis homely fare, The days |
allowance of meal, and bursts into tears |
he loa,hes bis daily food, as his bodily |
anguish and mental despair vanquish his
constitution. He is lsnguid ard ieverish /; !
yet be has no friend, no relative to give
him any assistance. Again he looks Oh
his family; but the thought aggrsvates
his malady, and accelerates bis end. Ex-
change conditions with This slave. and
thou canst not bear the picture of his
death. Brannagan.
The compiler the foregoing extracts
WAS well acquainted with ncgro-man
and his master, 10 the state of Virginia
which negro-mah had wife and children
belonging to his masters brother, who
vas fixing TO move to Sout.. Carolina. |
Tae ncgro-nlan fell a, his masters feet,
snd cried and begged, with many broken
accents of grief, for his master to cell
rim to his moving brother, or buy his
family; but in consequence OF disagree
ment between the two brothers, neither
would comply; and final separation
ri