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

WHO Idst, ifthI Cutiuiioou, Dccu ttdiicu III
the school OF despotism. The hand of on,
Of our greatest statesmen has strikingly por
trayed the demoralising effects of this sys
tenn on the minds and manners Of the rul
ing class. "There must doubtless" says
Mr.. jefferson; abe an unhappy influence
on the manners of our people, produced by
the existence of slavery among us. The
whole commerce between master and slave
is perpetual exercise Of the most bolster
Gus psssions-the most unrelenting despo
tism on the one part, and degrading sub
mission on the other. Our children see this,
and learn to initiate it. for man is ar imi.
lative animal. This quality is the germ Of
all education in him. From his cradle to
his grave, he is learning to do what he sees
others do. If parent could find no mo-
tive either in his philanthropy or his self
love, for restraining the intemperance Of
passion toward his slave, it should always
be sufficient one that his child is present.
But, generally it is not sufficient. The pa
rent storms, the child looks on, catches the
iineaments Of wrath, puts on the same airs,
in the circle Of smaller slaves, gives loose
10 the worst of passions, and, thus nursed,
educated, and daily exercised in tyranny,
cannot but be stamped by it. with odious
peculiaIities. The man must be prodigy
who cen retain his manners and morals I'M
ldepraved by such circumstances. Such,
according to the testimony of one who had
marked its operation with philosopher
eye. is the character which slavery forms
a character perfectly the reverse Of that
which the gospel requires.
We forbeer to picture before you the con.
sequences Of that Incidence and aversion to
all manual occupations, which are necessa-
rily engendered in youth, surrounded by a
seryile class, who are engaged in these pur-
suits. These consequences you have all
seen, and felt, and deplored. Such are the
evil effects to ourselves and our children OF
the system which we support Thus are We
made to eat of the bitter food which we pre-
paEe for others, and dl:nk Of the poisoned
cup which our own hands have mingled
the sword with which we unthinkingy de-
sIoy others, is thus made to drink our own
blood. These evils, if duly estimated, are
alone sufficient to arm us with implacable
hostility toward the system from which they
spring. And in view OF these effects, we
can almost adopt the opinion expressed a
few years since, on the scaffold, by one
who was executed for the murder OF slave:
Slavery is bad system; it is even ,oorse
for the master than it is for the slave" 1t
is system which reminds us Of the dark
magic Of ancient days--an art as fatal to
those who exercised i, as TO those who were
the victims.
Z. This system drascs dozen upon US the
vengeance of Heauen. "God is Just, and
''he will render to every one according to
his works" Oppression can never escape
UNPUBLISHED, while He who hath ernphsii-
cally declared that he is the "Judge Of the
widow" and "the Father Of the fatherless, -
| il on the throne OF the universe. "If thou
forbear to deliver them that are drawn to
death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew i. not;
doth not he that pondereth the heart con-
slider il? and he that keepeth thy soul doth
he not know ii? and shall he not ender
unto every man according to his worhsl"-
Not a sparrow falls to the ground, We are
told, without the notice Of God; how much
more doth he mark the abuse and olpres-
sion of creature who bears his own ,ecu-
liar image! "The very hairs OF our head
are all numbered" much more are the
groanings Of the oppressed and sighirgs Of
the prisoner recorded by Him who say that
his name is "Gracious," and that his Ear is
sever open to the cry Of the poor and
needy" The blood of Abel did not soak
into the ground unheeded-it called down
Judgment upon the guilty man who had
smitten his brother, and it drove him out ,
wanderer from the land of his birth--a flu
gitive from the presence Of The Lord. Blu
the sore cry Of millions Of The down-trod
den has gone up to heaven from the midst o
us; this cry is still swelling upward, and i
there be righteousness on the throne Of tn
universe, il must bring down walls Of wratl
upon the heads of all who are engaged il
this guilty work. And when he cometh b
execute vengeance, "who may abide the da
> | Oi Ills COullHS! w no CdH stoiii OOioi
his Indignation? Who can stand up in tn
ferceness Of his anger? We see the trut
! Of what the prophet declares, that 18th
, Lord is slow to anger" we are assul
ed that it is equally true, that he is "gres
+ in power, and will not acquit the wicked
the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind an
r in the storm, and the clouds are the dust {
his feet"
II Brethren, we profess to be Christians
! we reverence the holy revelation which Go
J, has given--we look to its precepts for guit
/ ance, and to its denunciations for warning
= We know that the principles of the divin
: dealings arc the same in every age, an
that as God said to those OF old, when "
g are In similar circumstances ne salliI uu,
a us. Listen, then, to one oil the many int
9 nations he has given Us ofthe way in whic
II he will punish it. "1he people Of the lar
2 have used oppression, and exercised robber
+ and have vexed the poor and nsedy; ye
: they have oppressed the stranger wrongful
d and ! sought for man among them III
s should stand in the gap before me for 4
,r land, that 1 should not destroy il; but
d found none. Therefore h,ye ! poured 9
Of mine Indignation upon thom; have &C
st sumed them with the fire OF my wrat
: their own way have recompensed up
3. their heads, saith the Loid.Y Can we d
ve pise the instructions OF the Almighty Sha
n A l.