The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-11-13

W w. oho I've enacrt rs an. ieSo eues ossi wv
Gods earth.
And what would be The eject Of these laws
relating 20 marriage, and the separation Of fami.
lies, if they were passed.
II must, inevitably, elevate the character Of
the slave, and add largely to his industrial ca.
pacity. We al know what contenfedaess does
for man We oil understand what fresAness Of
spirit can accomplish. The colored population
would feel both, and be stimulated by both, the
moment they knew. that the law protected them
in their homes, and mase II impossible for man
to separate their families Nee. NO responsibility
rests upon them. Then hey would feel II. koc.
II is ayInatter Of indifference whether their work
be well or III done, whether the farm be we'll or
III kept-ihen they would be interested In all,
and knoc in part, at least, that they would pres
per as the master pr0spsred. Says the learned
Divine already quoted:
| When servants feel that their masters con-
duct towards them il siraply governed BY self
interest, ana that no real desire for their welfare
anmaies him, they naturally feel that their in
terests are opposed TO his, and seek their own At
the expense Of his. Even his favors they sus-
pect Of selfshness, and feel that no gratitude In
due for them. Bat let Them be satisfied, from
his course, that he really desires their happi-
ness, aud the happy effect will soon be visible
in their labers.
We believe, indeed, that five years test Of this
plan, would lead, simply, on the score Of Pecu-
MARY interest, to the payment of wages, on
the part Of masters to their servants, ere they
L I,. .ln han,
in Iegaliring their marriages, in prohibiting. by
law, the separation of families, then, We should,
as DIR. You've well observes, not only make
them more cheerful, more active, more intelli-
gent, more virtuous, more faithful, but, in addi-
ton TO the reward of increased valus IN their
services, we should receive besides, the reward Of
beginning Of well-doing towards those who
are to be our equals before Gods bar. Is not
this an eject worth considering7 Are net these
RESULTS worth legislating fOr'
| Nor would masters suffer any material incon-
venience from the passag. Of these laws.
| What one can be stated What one taat will
w,.gh a feather in comparison with the good
secured? No right is invaded. No wrong done.
The law, regulating marriage, might limit the
parties 10 a circle Of seven miles; might say
that, in this circuit, from the masters domicil
the man might seek wife, and forbid masters
from removing either party beyond this limit.
Some Inconvenience, occasionally, might occur
when planters are emigrating: but this would
be only temporary Inconvenience even in
those States where emancipation was rot dream
ed of: for all that would be required, would be,
a transfer to the owner of the wife and children.
or some one in the neighborhood, to avoid a
would exact only from the hard and sallous what
the generous and true-hearted now do. Says
distinguished Keatueky Dirine:
Ii is clearly violation of the principle which
God lays down for the government of his con-
Duct towards them, when we sell them for the
purpose of gain, without regard 10 their welfare.
Can We imagine that then we are ',gipiRg them
that Uhieh is Just and eqgal''-that we are do
ing 10 fhem as ire te0uid that they should do nm
10 usl The criminality of this conduct rises 10
its highest pitch, in those cases in which domes-
tic ties are rent asunder by the ruthless hand Of
the master bent upon gain. A man may stop
bis ears 10 the agonizing cry Of the wife rudely
forever; he may refuse TO hear the waiting of
the mother for her children torn from her-but
there is d voice to which he must one day lis
ten, the voice Of the Eternal pronouncing judg
ment upon him, for trampling upon the rights
OF humanity and treating his fellow men as II
they were beasts of the field.
Instead of Inconvenience, the master, as we
have shown, would be benefited. and vet more
would he establish character alike honorable
and enviable
Slaveholding, in the best estate, is no desirable
thing. The great world without,-;he silent,
but 'teLf' conscience within-hates or breads il. |
All Of US, if il were a Rep question, would |
shrink from it as the heaviest calamity. What, |
in this state of things, should Shareholders DOT
II they are indiferent-if they say, "these color
ID people are our slaves, We will use them, and
We will not make them any better than they are,
ior give them chance TO improve their loi,"
hey must concentrate upon their heads the
eePest obloquy. IL, on the other hand, (as we
re sure is the case with a large majority Of
kentucky Planters) they are alive to the true
Welfare Of theirsbond, and, by acts, declare "we
vail DO all in our power to help them along, to
make them virtuous and intelligent, to let them
now and enjoy life in the right way" the
Eorid without will sympa,hize with, and the
est men at home honor and cherish them.
AXE what view We may of this subject-the
over or loftier-that which interest presents or
hristianity demands-and shareholders would
ain greatly-gain gloriously--by pursuing the
igher course. Christian. does not your con-
cience affirm this to be right7 Generous slave
older. is not your MODEST Impulse in unison
nth itl Patriot! can your better nature refuse
sseut7 Then ACT