Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-10-06
Whist most suStainS Slavery
Hear what the editor Of the Louisville
Examiner says;

I" A few DAYS ago we held a converse ton
with two of our fellow-tltiSens who think
slavery a great evil, and are anxious that it
shall be removed from our Commonwealth.
Both Of them are members OF churches, in
good standing, and they both asserted that,
notwithstanding slavery is a great and over
shadowing evil, yet there was a warrant for
il in the Bible. One Of them told us that if
he believed slavery inconsistent with the
Divine law, he wonld not retain his slaves in
bondage a day, aud both admitted that the
only defence that can be made for the insti-
tntion is that which is derived from the au.
thority of the Bible. We confess it always
shocks us to hear good men talk in this strain.
We greatly fear that Christianity has sus-
tanned much injury from such illogical friends.
% We have always said that Christianity is ar
rayed against sins, iniquities, and evils Of all
kinds, and 10 represent it as lending S holy
sanctions to any system, the evils Of which
are olear to the mind Of all persons conversant
with il, is the sure way TO bring %reproach
upon il. 1t is obvious that African slavery
is to be regarded as a system, and is not to
be Judged of by any exceptions as 10 its gem
eral character. 1t has never existed unasso-
ciated with a vast number of crimes, atroci-
ties, and inhumanities and to have a just
conception Of the system, it is necessary 10
look at its darkest as well as its fairest traits.
As a system, there are but few who will say
it is not accompanied with a host of iniqui-
ties which are utterly condemned by Chris
tianity. There are many slaves whose ex-
perience has not been darkened by those e.
wills that are incident TO every slaveholding
community. Their lot may be very grie-
vous; but there are thousands of others on
whom the sunshine Of human kindness does
not fall, whose cups have been filled to over
-: - l.,,,.-., fIha mo - ,Hhn f,,-
oy they find in the Bible a warrant for slave
~, denounce those who treat their slaves in
humanity as deeply sinful. And yet if the
Divine law does not forbid slavery, it cannot
be assumed to be hostile to those evils which
have always been associated with it, because
they are the necessary constituents of the
system, and will be connected with it as long
as it is suffered to infest society.
The fippancy with which the advocates
of slavery talk of its consonance with the
Divine law, and of a warrant for it in the
Bible, is in a great measure attributable to
those preachers who, with a sanity express
sion of face, announce the remarkable con-
gruity Of christianity with African Slavery.
These sleek, round, oily, astute biblical cri-
tics, who, with painful and prayerful efforts
have labored to prove that certain radiant
texts of Scripture illumine and make fair and
p6duNllul, LHb SfSNtlll mtlCu ROOu ultus uu-
versed in scriptural lore, instinctively con-
denim and abhor, are responsible for the main
argument which is used TO sustain slavery as
it exists in the United States. These cleri-
Gal defenders of negro slavery have the proud
consolation of knowing that, but for their pro-
found labors, the ungodly members of the
community would. repudiate the institution
with scorn and intolerable l~oathing. Men
who look only at the system, and learn from
its barbarities its incalculable evils and its
manifold poisonous influences on society, to
hate it and to wish for it's eXtirpation, are sur
prised to learn from reverend commentators
on the Bible, that they are loathing an insti-
tuition ordained by a Just and merciful Crea-
tor, who, to bless both white and black, put
it into the hearts of the lowest and most des-
pissed of his children to visit the coast Of Az
RIGA, and to steal from thence families, and
fragments Of families, for purposes of gain as
they thought, but as it has turned out for the
execution of the righteous purposes of an all.
wise Being. These men who lively
hate oppression, when a%pprised of the sub
lime truth that they are hating a Divine In.
stitution, express rather coarse but extremely
significant contempt for the pious labor Of
the strengthening clergy"
If then it be true, as we believe it is, that
in American religion is to be found the strong
hold of American slavery, should abolition
lists devote their main strength to tinkering
the politics of the land, or bend their efforts
to the regeneration of the moral and religious
sentiments of community
The political bearings of slavery have been
SO much dwelt upon, its dollar and cent char
acter held up to view. and its merits %investi'
gated in the spirit of profit and loss, thai
many conscientious persons who labor for its
gradual removal as a political and a sociaI
evil, think-as the two persons referred to by
the " Examiner"-there is a warrant for the
system in the Bible, and they know that the
religion of the country sanctions it. Let an
ti-slavery in its moral purity, undiluted with
political expediency be preached to all such;
let the command Thou shalt not steal" BIZ
urged as the condemnation of every slave
holder; let them be made to feel that it is q
question of principle, not policy merely; tina
opposition to slaveholding should be baseC
upon the sinfulness of the act, and the per
petrator of the deed regarded as a crimina
OF no ordinary character, then the doctrin,
and the practice of Immediate Emancipation
would spread, for hundreds, like the two
are doubtless ready to say /" If slavery is in
consistent with the Divine law, we will no
retain our slaves in bondage a day."
But the inherent sinfulness of slaveholding
and The duty of the opPressor to immediate
ly free his bondmen, is not urged by the op
ponents of slavery with the zeal and faith
fulness it should be. Is the doctrine of i'm
mediate repentance too ultra for community
or is it not deemed the highest wisdom tt
nrnclaim the command 10 cease now 10 dl