The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-04

I possessed OF all property and capacity O
acquiring any. They have furnished stri
king instance of people carrying on wal
in the defence of principles, which they are
actually and avowedly destroying by legal
force; using one measure for themselves
and another for their neighbors.''
Every State, in order to gain credit
abroad, and confidence at home, and to give
proper energy to government, should study
TO be consistent; their conduct should not
disagree with their avowed principles, MOI
be inconsistent in its several parts. Consis
tent Justice is the solid basis on which the
fabric of government will rest securely
take this away, and the building totters, and
IS liable TO fall before every blast {; is,
presume, the avowed principle of each Of
us, that all men are by nature free, and are
still entitled to freedom, unless they have
forfeited it. Now after this is seen and &C
knowledged, to enact that men should be
slaves, against whom we have no evidence
that they have forfeited their right; wha,
would it be, but evidently to fly in our own
face; 10 contradict ourselves to proclaim
before the world our own inconsistency
and to warn all men to repose no confidence
in us After this, what credit can We ex-
peel What confidence can we repose in
each other? If We generally concur in
this neiarious deed, we destroy mutual con-
fidence, and break every link of the chain
that should bind us together
Are We rulers How can the people
confde in us, after We have openly declared
that We are void of truth and sincerity and
that we are capable Of enslaving mankind
in direct contradiction to our own avowed
principles! What confidence in lesisla-
tors, who are capable OF declaring their
constituents all free men in one breath and,
in the next, enacting them all slaves In
one breath, declaring that they have right
TO acquire and possess property and, in the
next, that they shall neither acquire nor pos,
sess it, during their existence here! Can
trust my life, my liberty, my property in
such hands as these Will the color Of
my skin prove a sufficient defence against
their injustice and cruelty Will the par.
ticular circumstance Of my ancestors being
born in Europe, and not in Africa. defend
me Will straight hair defend me against
the blow that falls so heavy on the woolly
| head
If am dishonest man. if gain is nv
god, and this may he acquired by such an
unrl ghteous law, | may rejoice TO find it en-
acted; but never can believe that the leg
islatoIs were honest men; or repose the
least confidence in them, when their own
interest would lead them to betray il.
never can trust to the integrity Of that Judge,
who can sit upon the seat Of Justice, and
pas an unri ghte ous Judgment, because il is
agreeable to law: when that law itself is
contrary to the light and law of nature.
Where no confidence can be put in men
of public trust, the exercise of government
must be very uneasy, and the condition OF
the public extremely wretched. We may
conclude, with the utmost certainty, tina, it
would be bad policy to reduce matters to
this unhappy situation.
Slavery naturally tends to sap the iounda
ton Of moral and consequently of political
virtue: and virtue is absolutely necessary
to the happiness and prosperity of free
people. Slavery produces idleness: and
idleness is the nurse of vice. A vicious
commonwealth is a building erected upon
quick-sand, the inhabitants of which can
never abide in safety.
Young gentlemen, who ought to be the
honor and support Of the State, when they
have in prospect an independent fortune
consisting in lano and slaves, which they
can easily devolve on faithful overseer OF
steward, become the most useless and insig.
nifcant members Of society. There is no
combining them to Useful studies, or any bu
siness that will fit them for serving the pub
lie. They are employed in scenes of plea
sure and dissipation. They corrupt each
other; they corrupt the morals of all around
them: while then slaves, even in time d
peace, are far from being equally useful lo
society with the same nussAser of free men
and, in time OF war, are to be co Edered a,
an enemy lodged within our walls. | sait
they were useless, Insignificant members @
society. should have said more; shoule
have said, they are intolerable nusances
pernicious pests of society. mean not t
reproach men of fortune mean only Il
point out the natural tendency Of slavery
in order to shew how inconsistent it is witt
good policy.
The prosperity Of country depends upoI
the industry OF its inhabitants. ldlenes
will produce poverty and when SLAYER
becomes common, industry sinks into dis
grace. To labor, is 10 slape to work, i
10 ,cork like negro, and this is disgrace
ful; it levels us with the meanest Of tn
species; it fits hard upon the mind; it car
not be patiently borne. Youth are heTeb
tempted to idleness, and drawn into othe
vices: they see no other way to keep thel
credit, and acquire some little importance
This renders them, like those they ape, nu
sances of society. Il frequently Temps ther
to gaming, theft, robbery, or forgery; fc
r which they often enc their days in disgrac
on the gallows. Since every State must b
supported by industry, it is exceedingly III
wise to admit what will inevitably sink
into disgrace: and that this is the tender
= cy Of slavery is known from matter of fac
r Slavery naturally tends to destroy a
:, sense of justice and equity. 1t puffs up Il
r mind with pride; teaches youth habit
! looking down upon their fellow creatur
!. with contempt, esteeming them as dogs
|; devils, and imagining themselves beings
, superior dignity and importance, to who
all are indebted. This banishes the ide