Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-06-25

brough, from Aflica, can say that in myl
time cauuul remember to have known orI
heard Ct a single instance of delibera;eI
self-desIrdclion. and but one Of suicide an
all. As to insanity, have seen but one
permanent case Of it, and that twenty
years ago. II cannot be doubted that
among three millions Of people there must
be some insane and some suicides; but II
will venture to say that more cases OF bothI
occur annually among every hundred
thousand of The population Of Great Bri.
tain than among all our slaves. Can NJ
be possible, then, that they exist in that
stale Of abject misery. goaded by constant
injuries, outraged in their affections and
worn down with hardships, which the
Aboitionisls depict, and so many ignorant
apd thoughtess persons reIigiously believe?
Asregards their religious condition, tits
we'll known that majority Of the com.
municants Of the Methodist and Baptist
Churches Of The South are coloFed.-I
Almost everywhere they have precisely
the same opportunities of attending wor
ship that the whites have, and BESIDES
special occasions for themselves exclusive.
Iy, which they, prefer. In many places
not SO accessible TO clergymen 10 ordinary!
Missionaries are sent, and mainly support.
ed by their masters, for the particular
benefit OF the slaves. There are none Il
imagine who may not, if they like, hear
the Gospel preached al least. ouce MONTH
most Of them twice month, and very
many every week. In our lhinly settled
country The whites fare no better. But inl
addition 10 this, on The plantations Of any
size, the slaves who have joined the church
are formed into a class, al The head of
which is placed one of their number.
acting as deacon or leader, who is also|
sometimes licensed preacher. This class
assemblies for religious exercises weekly!
semi weekly, or oftner. if the members|
choose. In some parts also Sunday
schools for blacks are established, audi
Bible classes are orally instructed by dis
cree and pious persons. Now where will
you find laborins population possessehI
of greater religious advantages than these!
Not iu London. am sure, where it is!
known that your Churches, Chapels andl
Religious Meeting Houses, of all sorts,
cannot contain one half of the inhabit-
ants.
have admitted, without hesitation,
what it would he untrue and proGtless toI
deny, ,nat slave holders are responsible tol
the world for humane treatment of lhej
fellow w-belnss whom God has placed inI
their hands. think it would be only far|
for you TO admit, what is equally undeni
able, that every man in independent cir
cums,auces, all the world over, and every|
Government, is to the same extent respon
sible to the whole human family, for theI
condition Of rhe poor and lahoring classes
in their own country and around them,!
wherever they may be placed, to whom
God has denied the advantages he hasl
given themselves. If SO, il would nalur:
ally seem the duty Of true humanity and
rational philanihrophy to devote their fime|
and labor. sheir thoughts, writings andI
charity, first 10 The objects placed as il werel
under their own Immediate charge. AUDI
j, must be regarded as clear evasion andi
sinfufueslect Of this cardiual duty. 10 passs
from those whose destitute situation tt,eyE
can plainly see. minutely examine audi
efficiently relieve, to enquire after theE
condition Of others i'll no way entrusted tos
their cure, to exaggerate evils of whlchs
they cannot be cUeniaant, to expend a1E
their sympathies and exhaust all lheirE
energies on these remote objects Of their
unnatural, mol TO say dangerous, benevo-f
lence; aud finally,.to calumnia,e, de-
nounce aud endeavor TO excite the iudig
nation Of the world against their un0fend.E
ins fellow creatures for not hasIeuing unders
their dictalion TO redress wrongs which areS
stoully and trulhfully denied, while theys
themselves 60 but liuIe farther in a.evia.
ting those chargeahle on them than openlyi
and unbIushiugIy TO acknowledge them
There may be indeed sort of merit in|
doing so much as to make such an ac
acknowledgement, but il must be very
modest If il expects appreciation.
know of no Shareholder who hasl
visited the West fniies since slavery was
abolished. and published his views of it.I
All our facts and opinipns come through
the friends Of the experiment. or at least
those no, opposed to it. Taking these,
even without allowance, TO be true as
stated. DC not see where the abollIlonlsts;
find cause tor exul,atton. The tables of
exports which are HE best evidences of
the condition of a people, exhibit wofu
falling of-excuscd, il IS true, by unPre
cedenled droushts and hurricanes, to-
which their free labor seems unaccounahlyI
more subject Than slave labor used TO be.
will no, 20 into detail. II is well known
that large proportion Of British Lesisla-
ton and expenditure, aud that proportion
still constantly increasing, is most anxious
ly devoted 10 repairing The monslrous error
Of emancipation. You are actually gal;
vauizing your expiring Colonies. The
truth, deduced from all the facts, was thus
pithily stated by The London Quarterly
Review, as long ago as 1910. "Noue Of
the benefits anticipated by mistaken good
iuieu,ions have been realized, while every
evil whished for by knaves and foreseen
by the wise has been painfully VERIFIED
The wild rashness Of fanaticsm has made
the emancipation of Slaves equivalent 10