The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-12-09


We come now 10 the argument derived frosn
the New Testament. Thia matter may be soon |
settled, SO Ear as we are concerned. A particu- |
lar system Of slavery existed in the time Of the
Savior and his Apostles. The slaves among the
Romans were white. They We're condemned to
slavery, not because they were ignorant and
vicious, but because they were not able to resist
the invincibie Roman legions. Many one had
lost his liberty in the effort to save his country,
in the noblest effort that patriot can make
Among them might be seen some Of the noblest
Of the lands that gave them birth. The master
had the power Of inflictng death upon them at
his pleasure. When master had been murder
ed by a single slave, the law demanded that ell
the slaves that had belonged TO the master shouh
be put 10 death. Tacitus gives "a account Of
four hundred being murdered in this way. Tor
the fault of one. When sbe slave became old
and useless, the master might expose him 70
death by starvation. Great numbers persisted
In this way, on the islands Of the 'riser. Now,
if the Savior and his Apostles Justified slavery,
they must have justified either the iyi'tem which
existed at that time, sor'e systera ~ slavery
In the abstract" viii President Shannon con-
tend that the SAVIOR justified the system that
then existed7 1.-The did so. then mas.er among
us ought to have the right of killing their slaves
at pleasure; the law ought to demand the death
of every slave in the family of a murdered mas
ter; old and useless slaves should be suffered to
die from starvation; and we ought to make
slaves of our captive enemies. II the Savior
authorised only some system Of slavery in the
abstract" is our system such one7 This must
be positively proved before we are Justified
Will Mr.. S. undertake this task We think
not. Then what has this argument from the
New Testament to do with us, or we with in
But Paul says something to the slave which
we inclined TO believe is rather adverse to
Mr.. Shannon's doctrines: cart thou called, be-
ing bondmanl" says he, scare not for It, but
if thou mayst be made free, use it rather''-
Now, we must keep in mind that the A postle
was addressing one to whom "boneaQe was
blessing, and freedom an unmitigated calamity"
self of this blessing if he could. lie advises
him TO prefer TO be delivered from chose cir
cumstances and that discipline" which were
"best'' for him, being "best calculated to sub
due self-will, and cultivate a spirit of subordin-
alton to lawful authority" ain tn, name Of
insulted Christianity" we ask, could the Apes
lie Paul be,guil;y of such conduct "Can any
idea be more shocking to the pious and well
balanced mind, than that the gospel" should be
guilty of such inconsistenciesl A human be-
ing is in possession of that which 10 TO him the
greatest Of blessings, and the inspired Apostle
advises him to prefer can anmitigatei calami-
tyr We are told that the Mohan,msdans con-
slider the plague as blessing sent from heaven;
but when it comes, they run away from il, II
they can, saying that they are not worthy Of SO
great blessing. Does Mr.. S. believe that the
Apostle considered slavery too great blessing
for the slave, and that he intended TO cultivate
spirit Of humility in those whom no wss ad-
dressing7
We have a word TO say another point
We take il for granted that the object which the
African slave-trader had in view when he
brought the negroes to this country. was to re-
lease them from the "unmiiigated calamity" of
freedom, and bestow upon them the sbI,ssi ng,' of
bondage. His purpose was TO save them "from
heathenish idolatry and superstition," In "turn
them from darkness to light and to Improve
their temporal condition" How selfish and
cruel men have been in attempting TO nut a stop
to this blessed traffic. wilherforcu ana Clark
son ought 10 have employed themselves In
building slave ships to send TO tie coast of AZ
RIGA. They ought to have aroused thu British
nation TO the roo lH~sL .-eIacied duty Of slave
trading. The Constitutional the United States
ought to be denounced as n .'compaet Of iniqui-
ty," because IT confined this trade to limited
period.
IL lie not necessary for us TO say that we do not
believe Mr.. S. holds such views Of the slave
trade. But how inconsistent men may be. ri
ought to be engaged in the slave trade at this
time. A large number, at least, Of the inhabi- |
tants Of Africa are ignorant and immoral, and |
why has our charity ceased7 Does not Africa |
stretch forth her hands TO earnestly as she |
did in former times? Have not the Africans of
the present day claims upon Christians us strong
As those Of their ancestors7 Has all philan-
Lhropy persisted from the world7
IL the ignorant and degraded ought Is be en- |
shaved, why do we not exert ourselves to make |
'laves of the ignorant and degraded Indians
Why do we not send our blessing -laded slave
ships to countries inhabited by ignorant and de-
graded whites? Why should black color be |
the only passport to our sy mpathiesl
According TO Mr. S. the French are ga licen-
ious and immoral people, tho slaves of mere |
,nimalism and lust," "enslaved to Ignorance, |
10 sensual appetite, and vicious indulgence. -
Are they not in the condition which makes |
bondage blessing, and freedom an unmitiga-.
ed calamity" Have they not claims upon us |
Is great as those of the Africans7
In conclusion we would say that we must be- |
ieve that President S. has changed his views
ince the delivery of this address, four years aro.
We have had in our mind the doctrines, and not |
he man. We hope that he himself does not |
wish to have this address stereOtyped. Men
ometimes pass through strange opinions with
'ut resting in them. The bett of men have
lone 20. We hope that we have not stid any |
hing which may be construed into offensive |
personality.
FrankIin Csnnfg.