The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-11-25


lifted with ointmant-they may be bidder
from the sight; but they cannot be entirel!
removed until there is thorough renovation
within. Our churches cannot be entirel.
pure even from the grossest pollutions o
slavery, until we are willing to pledge our
selves to the destruction Of the whole sys
tenn.
The voice Of the civilised world has beer
lifted up in execration of the despot who
recently dragged numbers Of the unhappy
Poles from their country, separating hus
bands and wives, parents and children
But they are his property, by the same ten
ure by which we hold our slaves, and ha.
he not right, he may exclaim, to do as b
pleases with his own? Nay, the security
and peace Of his dominions require this cru
city. lie is not willing to relinquish ths
property chich he inherited; and he may
tell Us, and tell us truly, that it cannot *
retained in safety without the adoption d
these horrid measures. Can we condemn
his conduct, and yet Justify our system o.
slavery? Or can we condemn both, aod
yet be guiltless. if We use no efficient exer.
ton TO terminate these cruelties among u.s.
). IL produces general licentiousnss,
among the slapes. Marriage, as a civil
ordinance, they cannot enjoy. Our laws
do not recognise this relation as existing
among them; and Of course. do not enforce
by any sanction the observance OF its do
ties. Indeed, until slavery "waxeth old
and tendeth to decay" there cannot be any
legal recognition Of the marriage rite, 81
the enforcement of the consequent duties.--
For all regulations on this subject would
limit the masters absolute right of property
in his slaves. In his disposal Of them, he
could no longer separate the wife and hVs-
band to suit the convenience or interest Of
the purchaser, no matter how advantageous
might be the terms offered. And as the
wife and husband do not always belong to
the same owner, and are not often wanted
by the same purchaser, their duties to each
other would thus if enforced by law, fire.
quently conflict with the interests OF the
master. Hence, all the marriage that could
ever be allowed TO them would be g mere
contract, voidable at the masters pleasure.
Their present quasi marriages are Just such
contracts, and are continually thus voided
They are, in this way, brough. to consider
the matrimonial engagement as a thing moi
binding and they act accordingly. Many
/. Of them are united without even the sham
and forceless ceremony which is sometimes
used. They, to use their own phraseology,
stake up" with each other, and live together
as long es it suits their mutual convenience
or inclination. This wretched system oil
concubinage inevitably produces revolving
licentiousness. This feature in the slave
character is so striking, as to induce il
many minds the idea that the negro Is nat
urally repugnant to the restraints Of matri
uiUuy. F.s-a tho ample aud repeated ties
timonies, however, oil such travellers al
Park and Lander, who have visited this race
in their native land, we learn. that thei
character is, in this respect, in Africa, tht
reverse Of what it is here-that they regaIt
the marriage rite with remarkable sacred
ness, and scrupulously fulfil its duties. w,
are, then, assured by the most unquest!ona
BILE testimony, that their RIGHTEOUSNESS il
the necessary result OF our system, which
destroying the force Of the marriage rite
and thus, in a measure, degrading all tn,
lconnexion between the sexes into mere con
cubinage, soliciis wandering desire, ant
leads to extensive profigacy. Our famili
arity with this consequence Of slavery pre-
vents us from regarding it with that horo
which it would, under other circumstances
inspire. The sacredness Of the marriag
rite is the bulwark Of morality--the corne
stone Of domestic happiness. 1t is tn
foundation, on which alone, the whole IA
brio OF an organised and virtuous communi
ty can be built. On it must rest all thos
family relations which bind together an
cement society. Without il, we might her
together like brutes, but we could no long
er live together as human beings. Their
would be no families, no strong ties OF kir
dred, no domestic endearments softenin
the manners, and curbing the passions
Selfish, sensual and unrestrained, ma
r would exercise his reason only to ministe
to the more grovelling propensties Of h
. nature. Any set Of men will approximat
! to this condition, Just in proportion TO the
approximation to the practical abolition
matrimonial restraints. And certainly, me-
) er, in any civilised country, has respect f
,, these restraints been more nearly obliter'
! ted than it has among our blacks. Thu
the working Of our system Of slavery diff
ses a moral pestilence among its subject
= tending to wither and blight everything tn
: is naturally beautiful and good in the cha
: acter of man. Can this system be toler
ted without sin?
e 6. This system demor0lises The scha
e as aceK as he blacks. Masters are, in
III great degree, irresponsible for the exerci
!. OF their power; and they generally feel th
q their object in possessing and exercisil
= their dominion is their own utility, and n
d the good of those over whom they rule
= Now, power can never be held or exercis
al without moral injury to its possessor, unlt
ir its exercise be subject to responsibility,
o unless it be held mainly for the good Of
81 subjects, not of its possessor The lives
ofI absolute monarchs furnish us with our M
We disgusting pictures Of human dePravity.
4 Few. even Of those who had been previo'
I'd ly trained to self-control and virtue, ha
n been able to Withstand the corrlpting inf
a. ence OF unrestrained power. And the Ell
cv is, in some measure, the same, where q
n. potc authority is possessed, and exerci'
n