New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-29
Definition of slavery. .

The Nature and Character Of Human Slavery are
thus lucidly set forth by DR. WHEwELI in his Ele-
rnenis of Morality;
Slavery is contrary the Fundamental Principles Of
Morality. IL negecis the great primary distinction OF
Persons and Things converting Person into Thing
object merely passive without any recognized attn
butes Of Human Nature sisye Is in the eye Of the
State which stamps him with ihsi character lot &C
knOwledged a. a man. His. pleasures ana paine MS
wishes and dcalres his needs and springs o action MS
thou and feelings of value whatever IN the eye
Of the community He a. reduced 70 The level ~ the
brutes. Even bis Crimes We have said, are not &C
knOWledged as Wrong. iest II should De supposed tnA
he may do Wrong be may suffer one And ~ there
for him Wrongs because there are no rights. 20
there y for him nothing morally night mat -. a. We
have seen nothing comfortable 10 the supreme hue OF
Human Nature. Tor the Supreme Rule OF hs condition
the will Of his He thus Invested u HI. NOR
al nature which Is contrary TO rne great PnncPe We
have already laid down that all moral beings
Principal which we have seen . one Of the universal
Truths OF Morality whether il be- taken as principle Of
Justice or Of Humanity til Principle OF Justice De-
pending upon the parucpaiion o. allan a common hu
mainly II s Principle Of Humanity ~ authoritative
and cOgent the fundamental Idea OF Justice
There Is one defence OF negro slavery. which repre-
senis the negro being inferior % the wns man IN
his faculties He asserted approach in MS nature 10
the inferior animals and hence Il IS inferred that ne may
be possessed Thing, ike the animals But ini- az
fence is nsniestly quite baseess Inc same ,acues OIL
mind have appeared in the IN the white 90 isr
AZ the condition Of nations and negro classes mas
afforded opportunities for their Development Inc ne
grOes do appear 10 be dniler runer or 'oar-' IN
mind or habits than many white nations or than
nations now highly cultured were. In Their early cond
ton The negro has moral nature and - therefore Ia
cuded in the consequences which follow iroA the Pm
cple that all men have common nature. Inc negro
mas the same affections and springs - action as we our
selves He loves his wife his children. hs nome and
any security and stability which u granted nun. lie can
buy and sell promise and perform He has az much a.
any of men, moral sentiments tie can fomlre ana
love what good he condemn and hate " haii- bad
He has the Sentiment Of Rights and Wrongs also Ihoueh
the Law allows him no Rights, ne feei bitterly the
monstraus Wrong Of the Law. His Reason - the Uni
versa Reason of He understands the general ana
abstract Forms in which Language presents the objects
and rules with which Reason deals. lie recognizes A
we do A Supreme Rule of Human action and Human De
ing for like he direct his thoughts and acts 10
what absolutely right In short there y no phrase
which can be- used describing the moral aud rational ma
fure Of which may not be used OF the negro A. Oh
the white The assertion that there u, between Inc
white and the black race any difference on winch one
found Right To make slaves Oh IN" "1"ei 10 u''S
false.
Again in States where negro slaves are numerous, 10
teach them to write read n forbidden by Law under
the severest penalties such Laws suppose the capacity
of negroes for intellectual culture and an implicit
confession that II necessary 20 degrade their rnds IN
order 10 keep their bodies in slavery When such Prac
frees and Laws prevail to defend negro slavery ny
asserting the incroriy The negro can hardly Dc
free from the guilt OF wtul blindness oil CONSCIENCE per
sisted in in order to uphold conscious wrong.
The Moralst then must pronounce slavery 10 be VI
,crly inconsistent with Humanity and with Principles
which being derived from the universal nature oil man
NAV be deemed Fundamental Principles of Justice sa
very is utterly abhOrrcnt 10 the essence Of Moraiy and
cannot be looked upon oierable condition OF Society
nor acauiesced in what may alowaoy be. whenever
slavery exists It's Abolition must be one OF the great Cd
jects OF every good man.