Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-11-25

Il
them absolutely nothing. An enemy inyad
inc this country has double temptation &c
resort TO IT; he not only adds 10 his own
strength, and weakens ours, but if he is faith
less, he llnds an advantage in seducing the
Islavesto follow him that he may get their
value in the West India market. Such was
the conduct of the British during the Reyo-
lutionary and late wars.
May we not add TO this list ofeyils SPRING
ing out of slavery without subiecting our
selves TO the imputation of cant or hypocrisy.
another which affects not our prosperity here,
but our hopes of happiness hereafter If il
be our duty TO spread the Christian religion
throughout the world, may it not be consid-
cred an offence against Heaven, not merely
10 withhold, but TO exclude part of our owr,
household from the use the means by which
they might obtain knowledge ofthose i'm
portant truths upon which their eternal ham
pinesS depends; and yet, as we conceive.
self preservation compels the Shareholder TO
go this length. Intelligence and slavery are
so incompatible that it may be taken as
general rule that they cannot exist in the
same individual. Recent events prove that
we cannot impart 10 our slaves even that de-
gree OF learning which will enable them TO
read the Scriptures, without endangering the
safety of society.
! All OF the leaders Of the horrible South
ampton massacre, and of all the other, pro
Jccted rebeIlions, were preachers, possessing
probably precisely that degree of learning.
which enabled them 10 read, s. nothing more
And we may advance the opinion, without
/ lmpiety, that the Scriptures are the most
dangerous book they can read; they learn
from that volume that all men are created c.
quail, and all equally dependent on their Gre
ator. !hey viii be apt 10 apply what is said
ofthc situation of the ISraeiites in Egypt. TO
their own condition, and to consider every
unusual appearance in the sun or in the
Heavens, as signal Of their deliverance.
Fanatcism is The natural oflsprino oflim-
tied intelligence, and person who is barely
able TO read is much more likely to become a
blood thirsty fanatic than an humble Chris
tan. higher degree Of Intelligence ena-
| Gles the human mind TO avoid these errors
into which the more illiterate are apt TO fall.
But II is vain TO attempt TO give the slaves
Just so much knowledge as will enable them
! 10 seek their own future happiness, without
becoming dangerous to society; ior the truth
IS, that slavery is not only incompatible with
any useful degree of intelligence, but with
the true spirit of Christianity itself. The ex-
amples OF Luther, Calvin, Knox, and the
other protestant leaders, afford the most con-
elusive evidence that an individual who has
lmbibed The true spirit Of the Christian reli-
gion (Which teaches him to regard the Deity
alone ,as superior 10 himself, )Can never brook
the dominion Of man, and that the fear of
punishment can never deter him from seek
ing not only the liberty of conscience. but
his temporal liberty also, at every hazard
But II this reasoning be not conclusive ON
the subject, the dreadful tragedy of St. Do
mIngo ought TO teach us lesson, never TO be
forgotten or diSregarded The slaves in that
island enjoyed more privileges, and received
more education, than those ofany of the 9th
er islands; tho consequences were too horri
lie to relate. There appears, then, to be no
alternative but TO keep our slaves, as lonr as
We retain them, in the most abiect igno-
rance and ifthe sins ofthe slaves be impu-
ted 10 those who withhold the LIGHT from
them, where shall we find the master who
will be prepared 10 meet his Maker.
moments reflection, we should suppose.
on the terrible apprehensons which slave
holders must feel in times apprehendcd in
surrectlons, would be sufficient to make ev-
cry conslderate man wish 10 get rid of his
slaves. w hat must have been the state OF
feeling in the county of Southampton. during
The late disturbances there, we shall not at
tempt to describe; you are acquainted with
all the facts, and you can imagine what the
whites must have felt during that awful be
riod.
But all the evil consequences Of slavery
which we have enumerated, serious as they
are, bear no proportion 10 that dreadful Ca
tastrophe, III which it must inevitably result
TO MS, at no distant day unless we can man
age TO get clear of our negroes Ii is vain TO
attempt TO shut our eyes 10 the appalling truth
which already stares us in the lace, that tbe
time must come, when either the 81. Domin-
20 tragedy will be acted over again in this
our beloved country, or the whole slave pop-
ulation must be eXteTminated This IS NO
IDLE surmisc, or rash attempt at prophecy, il
is an inControveTtible fact, capable OF the
clearest demonstration. Ii must be perfectly
: obvious 10 every man at all acquainted with
{ human nature, that when the proportion O
{ slaves III any country TO the free people shall
2 become very great, tie slaves will no longer
TRANQUILITY submit to the dominion of tLeii
I; masters. All experience proves it and i
a requires no argument TO prove that where
D vera general instruction does take place i
C viii end in the total determination of IN,
e. slaves OF the whites. What the proportior
C or rather dispTOporton of the slaves I,
!, the free must be, which will embolden then
c to attempt TO throw off the yoke, it is moi fol
us TO determine; certain it is that in this stat,
S They arc rapidly approaching towards tina
S point. 10 shew with what rapidly they ar,
p gaining on the white population in Easter
# Virginia, we insert the following statemen
D., from memorial which has been publjsbe
n in several newspapers
e BY the census of 1890 there were cast {