Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-28
THE QUESTION or SLAVERY.


memorial from the Free Church Of Glas
gov, Scotland, for the parden of John l.. Brown
of Fairfield, s c., who was convicted of aiding
in the escape of slave, and sentenced to be
hung
The Governor, after stating that he had par
doped the Individual and that he was convicted
under law passed while the state was British
Solony; that slavery is sustained by the old and
not prohibited by the new testament, and that he
denies the right of foreigners to interfere in such
matters, continues the argument as follows;
"But make bold to say that the Presbytery
Of Free Church of Glasgow, and nearly all tn"
Aboitionists in every part of the world, in de.
nouncing our domestic slavery, denounce thing
OF which they know absolutely nothing-nay,
which does not even exist. You weep over the
horrors of the Middle Passage, which have cca
sed, so far as we are concerned and over pic
lures Of chains and lashes here, which have no
existence but in the Imagination. Our sympa.
thics are almost equally excited by the accounts
published by your Committees of Parliament
and therefore true ; and which have been vcr.
us--of the squalid misery, loatllsome disease,
and actual starvation, of muItitudcs of the un.
happy loborers, not Of Ireland only, but Of Eng
land-noy, Of Glasgow itself. Yet we never
presume to iaterierc with your social or muni-
cipnl reguations-your aggregated wealth and
congrcgated misery-nor the crimes attendant
on them, nor your laws for their suppression.
And whea we zee by your official returns that
even the best classes Of English Agricultural
laborers can obtain for their support but seven
pounds of bread and four ounces Of meat per
wcek, and VIXEN sick or out of employment
must either starve or subsst on charity, we
cannot but look with satisfaction to the condl-
ton Of our slave laborers, who usually receive
as a weekly allowance, fifteen pounds OF bread
and three pounds of bacon--have their children
fed without stint, and have comfortable dwell
lOgs, where, with their gardens and poultry
yards, they can, if the least industrious, more
than realize sor themselves the vain hope of the
French King, that he might see every peasant
in France have his fowl upon his table on the
crops, purchase luxures and fnery; who labor
scarcely more than nine hours day, on the a.
vcrage of the year and who in sickness, in de.
cIlning years, in infancy and decrepIlude, are
watched over with tenderness scarcely sholt
o! rental. When we contemplate the known
Condition Of your operatives, OF whoa, that OF
your agricultural aborers is perhaps the least
wrctched, we are not only ashamed O. that Of
comparison. and should be highly gra'ted to
submt 70 a reciprocal investigation by enight.
ened and impartial Judges.
You are doubtless OF opinion, that all these
are more than counterbalsnced by h $ being de.
privcd Of his freedom. Can you tell me wha,
freedom is who possesses it, and how much
oIlt IS requisite for human happiness syour
operative, existing in the physical and mora
condition which your own official returns depict
deprived, too, of every political right, even thai
ot voting at the polls who is not cheered by the
slightest hope OF ever improving his lot or lea
seeks the four walls of a prison, the huks, an,
transportation, as comparative blessings-is he
free p! sufficiently free ! Can you say that THU
sort ofireedom-lhel liberty 10 beg OF steal--,c
choose between starvation and prison-.does o.
ought to make him happier than our slave, stu
ated as have truly described him, without
single care or gloomy torethought
But you will perhaps say, it is not the Thing
but in the Name. that the magic resides-tha
there s vast difference between being calet
slave, and being made one, though equally en-
saven by law, by social forms, and by immuta
bic necessity is an ideal and sentmen
tai distinction which it will be difficult to brn
the African race to comprehend. But if it be true
how many are there then entitled even to tha
name, except by courtesy and how many ar
able TO enjoy the idea to perfection Doe
your operative regard it as a sufficient comper
satlon for the difference between four ounce
and three pounds Of bacon If he does he is
rare philosopher, Ia your powerful Kingdom
Social Grade is thoroughly established an
acknowledged as Military Rank. Your commit
nifty see among themselves serie. of ascen
ing classes, aud rising above them all, ma
more, composed OF men not Il whit superior
themselves many oflhe endowments OF natur
who yet, in name, IN idea, aud IN fact, posse
greater worldly privileges TO what one of d
these classes does genuine freedom belong
To the Duke, who tawns upon the Prince
the Baron, who knuckles to the Duke-or 4
Commoner, who crouches to the Baron,
Douhtless van all b0ast of heinz ideally fre