The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-07-15
COMMUNICATION,


10 fhe Editors 81 The EEdmaheT'
c,vr,r,rrx-My purpose in the present con,
-.,,,;.,.ion is TO point out the influence sIaSsfl
h. uoau the marriage relation-and may a
Ii affirm now, that marriage is RHknOrI
,..,ge slgres. The law Of the land is silent mp
an IN. subject, and the relation exists only b,
,b.eonssut Of their respective masters or duri ns
,bs pleasure Of the parties. Some masters VII
I've their slaves married by minister Of th'
co.pel. have performed the solemn rite fol
Them. bat when they promised TO live together
4, love tlll death should separate them-and
soismnly pronounced them "husband and wife
Thor. IN the name of the FaiheF and Of the
S5s and Of the Holy Ghost" | felt that they
,rsrem Knocked. The continuance of the relation
.H5 not depend upon themselves-and might be
s.ysrs. in ten minutes after it was createa-snd
they be- thrown so far apart as never more to
meet. / was present some years since at raih-
,rsn iai0rnal trial Of a negro man who was a
l,esl preacher in our Church;-He was charged
tsf,re the Church Irifh haBiEg ttrO tsiues-and
he moot wss clear that such was the fact-bui
alsn the man came to defend himself. he pat a
MAJ, pbsse on the affair, and some very hard
Questions 10 the presiding officer. lie admitted
that probably there were living, then, two wo-
men who had sustained 10 him the relation Of
science for any agency he had had in producing
.urk state Of facts 4, said he, slowed my first
wife isnderly, and we lived together happily for
several wears, when her master sold her and she
was taken down the river--I never expected 10
see her again-considered her as dead TO ne
and after some two years l married the one
now hsye. In all this do not feel that nave
sinus.-I have done nothing which | would
not, under the same circumstances, repeat
There is one law for white men and another for
co.ored men. You say have violated the law
Of God. How l ask did not leave my
Wiie-she did not leave me-but against our
earnest remonstrance We were torn apart by
our masters, and 50 widely separated that we
shall meet no more on earth. Now, If have
violated the law Of God, under these circum-
sisucss, has not some one violated il in throw
~ 4a iato them; !Or is it not written, "TLOse
sriom Gel both Joined fegetheT, let no man pat
qsundsr2" II YOU intend TO hold me TO a
strict construction Of the law, hope you viii
hold others 10 the same law, and protect us in the
enjoyment Of our domestic relations How
many are every year thrown into Just such cir
gums,ances-snd what is the moral effect Of
such abases' Can We expect any other than
practices The most liceniiOus-the moral feelings
become duil and the mind unimproved by ed
sesiioB, incapable Of eommuning with the great
aud good who have lived 10 bless Their race
eoHhaed in its operations TO the narrow circle Of
Is own OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES into low and grow
cling 'sOughts, and Propensities Of the grossesi
kind follow, producing, in practice, degree Of
,amOraity, seldom equalled.
But there IS another view which wish to take
Of this suh Ject-suPposs the relation respected
and even legaiized, under the system of slavery,
Il is impossible for them to discharge the duties
Of The marriage covenant-simply because they
are subjec. 10 the control Of others, and may be
virtually separated BY being placed in different
and distant Misunderstanding il impracticable
for them to associate together, except at distant
intervals. The Injunction, "lrires obey your
hgsbaads,' applies with full force 10 the Stare
rJe-but the command Of the master is in d.
ret conflict with the reasonable Injunction OF
tie stare husband, and he must be 0Beyed. At
tie moment the husband calls, the master calls,
and sac turns away from him whom God made
her head and governor, 10 serve him whose right
"a bounded in pOsifiUe ioIr. SO directly does
aa1erg iHroise the riolGfi0n Of tie plain lap Of
O'd' end introduce into christian families a
o'Ajlssd state q al me domestic relations which
T'H!d Disgrace pggaRism.
90 to the Bible, can you find warrant there
10 Justify this7 You who appeal to il in iusti-
AeAion Of the system Of slavery, and talk Of
your nights point Us TO the passage in all thai
'O0k' that even by Implication can be made to
la'of lais outrage upon the peace Of tanaiIies-I
~'A on ind anything bearing the most remote
resemblance to it in the of quoted authorised SER
'"1ae among the llebrews2 Is there one Law
''' 'ne master and another for the slave in this
''safa' or DO they stand on the same Leuel, with
equal rights and responsibilities The Coringfon
''Seay ought to arouse every christian and eve
y man 10 a Jost sense Of the snormous iniquifv
y 'ne whole system, and cause them TO labor
sH~eaiiaiy for such changes in the organic
ate IL.
"u especially are ministers of the GoepeI
'' professors of religion, called upon 10 wine
'"ay THIS reProach from the Church of Christ.
our common country. Not by noisy dec.
''''1''0n' railing accusations against slayehOld-
-, 'oi 'hey are often generous and humane,
VI kindness, and sffeciionately solicitous
" 'ie happiness Of their slaues. not by MAKING
1"ecuy' the theme Of discussion from the
fu'Ph' but as st. Paul preached the Gospel a,
''''a 'PT'r0tely 10 them uhieh rers Of rem.
~ ''' ey any means should Iun OF had
-" "a 0aia." Private and faithful dealing with
A'oiences--earnest and affectionste an
= '1' whispered with affeclionate concern into
sa' Ia The closet, are much more likely to
-'''Oine PernieiOus prejudices, and lead 70
~! results than any public effort which falls
80 - q an overwhelming demonstration. Let
'"'s's' remember that he is not done
.a,uing when he descends from the pulpit-
H. - message ought always to be upon his
af. mat he ought not only to develope the
s s''a principles of the Gospel, but apply them
iy 20 ms private intercourse with The
., his charge. "7hink on these him,
~ A'r0 gi0e you understanding"
LII CLEEos
'ae' ne Bridge, jay 5th, 1S4s.