New-York daily tribune., 1844-11-29
For The New. York Tribune.
niscnssiOn on SIuyerY


Mr.. EDITOR: Will you permit me to call your
attention to discussion on the subject OF Slavery,
recently commenced between Rev. F. WAYLAND,
D. d. CT Brown University, Providence, and Rev.
RICHARD FULLER, D. D. of Beaufort, S. c. Both
sfthese gentlemen are eminent Divines OF the Bap-
list denomination, and from the friendly spirit in
which the discussion is commenced, as we'll as IRON
he we'll known abilities Of the parties, we may
safely expect productions OF much interest The
discussion is published in the Christian Reflector"
{ Boston.
I, appears that the editor of the Reflector request
ID Dr. Fuller to communicate for his psper the
Reasons for denying that Slaoery as Moral ErA
nd ibis is the subject M Issue. ln the Reflector
f Nov Or. Fuller accepts the invitetion Of the
dior and commences the discussion.
He b. gins by stating the subject: the Abolition
doctrine he states to be ,iaf St00ery is Itself
sin ;tis therefore Arrays san: sta amidst any
circumstances" He quotes from DR.. Charming,
rhc condemned the Abolitionists aud called their
.nirit rec. bitter and abusive He declares the
willingness of the South to hear and weig reason
md their unwngnes5 TO listea 10 assertion, abuse
md b!ustering.'
He allows the momeptous importance Of tie sub
,cr md SAYS that with the SoRth it is mol the value
f so much slave property but "resa,ds ali KINGS
If property, all ciyiza,ion, and life l:seii.
He grants that " Ii slavery be sin, surely II is
ne immediate duty Of masters TO abolish If, what
yer be The result" This brings him directly to the
question al Issue: Is Slase,y a Morai Erit?'-
De offers various reasons for denying this:
lst :. II comes in direct conflict with The Bible"
He quotes from the Old Testament, showing that
slavery then existed, aud says: ain the Gospels
IL, tla rOI
Grated" He says, 81 find my Bible condemning
the abuses of slavery, but permitting the st stem IL
SELF in cases where It's abrogaIion would be great
er calamity thaH its existence"
Cd His second reason for denying that slavery is
moral evil, is thatit was not condemned, as neces-
ssrily snch by our Saviour or by his Apostles -
This brings him 10 conflict with both DR.. Wayland
and Dr.. Chanting. He declares his high esteem
for {" the noble President Of Brown University" but
is constrained to dissent from his position. He
states Dr. WAY lands position, IL his Moral Science,
10 be "That the moral preceprs Of The gospel con-
denim slavery ii is therefore criminal; while at The
same time admitting "that neither the Saviour nor
bis Apostles commended masters TO emanclPate
their slaves, but the contrary prescribed duueS 10
both parties in their present condition"
He saws that DR.. aylands reason for this alb
stinence by God from censuiiug widespread in
fraction of his law, is really nothing more nor less
than expedicncy--the apprehension OF conse-
Quences."
The absurdity of saying tina, the Lord Jesus and
the Apostles taught e1pedlency," he considers TOO
msnifest 70 need reiutalion.
DR.. Channing's position with regard TO Tie Apos-
tie Paul he considers to be very similar, and as re-
presenting The Apostle 10 be q tempoIizing pat
term and :" time server"
3d. Under this head, DR.. Fuller does not confne
hiusefto the question at issue, but INDUCES in va.
rious desultory remarks upon tns Abolitonisis and
upon different JaacisS n tho positions assumed by
NortherDers with regard to ths subject
One Of these fallacies is that OF condemniEg Sla.
very on account OF It's abuses, and Of considering
these abuses as essential 10 the system itself.
Another fallacy is the popular argument that a
human being should not be treated as chattel and
at the same time assuming that property ia human
being involves his degradation 10 the state OF q
chattsl He considersthe various relations conferred
by property as clearly dered that property in fur
uiure is one thing; in brutes very different thing
and in slave still different, and that :" TO treat a
brute as we might treat chair, would be barbar-
GUS; and to use slave as we mishtthe brute would
osiiy be Infamous in any society" Alter noticing
briefly one or two ether topics DIR. Fuller concludes
with the following remarks, with regard TO The mass
of Abolitionists at the North: Most OF them are
every day proving themselves destitute OF thssound
mind and cksrity of the gospel-lhey are people
who are essentially monomaniacs-who cannot 1--we
without running into some insanity-and VINO, II
Slavery were abolished would be just as mad upon
smalgamariop, or masonry, or Miliersm or some
otber msuer.'' In The Reflector OF Nov. Ia Dr.
Waylapd addressed communication TO DR.. Fuller!
in reply, hch We may consider hereafter D.