The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-27
Disappearance or slavery In Englana.


Df.nppearance OF Slavery I'm EngIand.
We have been much struck with the account
which Macauley, in his new work, gives of the
abolition of slavery in England.
MEANWHILE" says the historian, ga change
wits proceeding, infinitely more momsntous
than the acquisition or loss Of any province,
than the rise or fall of any dynasty. Slavery,
and the evils by which slavery is every where
accompanied, were fast disappearing.
at is remarkable that the two greatest and
most sslutary social revolutions which have
taken place in England--that revolution which.
in the thirteenth century, put an end to the
tyranny Of nation over nation. and that revo-
lu.ion which, few generations later. put an
end to the property Of man in man-were
silently and imperceptibly effected. They
struck contemporary observers xith no surprise;
and have received from historIansa very seanty
measure Of attention. They were brought
about neither By legislation nor by physical
force. Moral causes noiselsssy effaced, first
the distinction between Norman and Saxon,
and then the distinction between master and
slave. None can venture to fix the precise mo-
ment AZ which either distinction ceased. Some
faint traces Of the old Norman feeling might
perhaps have been found late in the fourteenth
century. Some faint traces of the institution
Of villanage were detected by the curious so late
as the days Of the Stuarts; nor has that lnstitu-
ton ever, to this hour. been abolished by statute
alt would be unjust not to acknowledge that
the chief agent In these two great deliverances
was religion; and it may perhaps be doubted
whether purer religion might not have been
found less efficient agent. The benevolent
spirit of the christian morality is undoubtedly
adverse to distinctions of caste. But to the
Church Ct Rome such distinctions are peculiar
ly odious, for they are Incompatible with other
distinctions which are essential to her system
She ascribes to every priest mysterious entity,
which entities him to the reverence of every
layman; and she does not consider any man
as disqualified, by reason of his nation or of his
family, for the priesthood. Her doctrines re-
specting the Bacerdotal character, however
erroneous they may be. have repeatedly mit-
s1 'e VI N"" "'i'' o'"S which eau aniict
society mat superstition cannot be regarded
as unml1ediy no'i0us which, in regions cursed
by the tyranny Of race over race, creates an
aristocracy altogether Independent of race, in
verts the relation between the oppressor and the
oppressed, and cempeln the hereditary master
TO kneei before the spiritual tribunal Of the
hereditary bondman. To this day, in some
countries where negro slavery exists, popery
appears in advantageous contrast 10 other forms
Of christianity. Ii is notorious that the antipa-
thy between the European and African races is
by no means so strong at Rio Janeiro as at
Washington. In our own country, this pecu-
liarity Of the Roman Catholic system produced,
during the Middle Ages, many salutary effects.
1t Is true that. shortly after the battle Of Hast
ings, Saxon prelates and abbots were violently
dePosed, aad that the ecclesiastical adventures
from the Continent wens intruded by hundreds
into lucrative benefces. Yet even then pious
divines Of Norman blood raised their voices
against such violation Of the constitution of
'ne church, refused 70 sccePt mitres from the
hands OF tle CONQUERED ana charged him, on
the peru Of MS SOUL not to forget that the van
euished islanders were his fellow-ehristians.-
Inc hrst protector whom the English found
among tne dominant caste was Archbishop
Ans'olh' At 'iins when ,ee English name
was 'eProaS", Ana ~heh all me civil and mill
.a,y olgh'',ea Of 'he KIN go0m were supposed to
C C.s .. :, ~, ~ ."o .oanuy men Of the