The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-08-04
COMMUNICATIONS

LErTEtiy.
Rev. w. c. BUcKs--
| Deer Sir: Near the close of your fourth ar.
ticle on the "Slavery Question" you express
The opinion that there are "many thousands Of
shareholders In the south who hope for the. time
when the slaves in this country shall be so sd.
vanced In the arts, In science and religion, ii
to be perfectly capable Of elf-government-ss-
ssred that slen that 10 tAs case. they SiH Dc rss-
lees ss slapes, tAat their opn1s oil eAeeyfull,
surrtnder ttesato BE- trsnsplsafed by tAe Govern
nent 10 tLsir fatRsrland for msmbersAip ia ii.
African Republic"
II | understand the import Of your language
Il Is conceded that ignorance 10 entail to the
continuance Of slavery. You do not cay 90, in
so many words, but the implication is irresisti-
bic. When slsvss are ESQ advanced in the
arts, in science and religion a. to be perfectly
capable Of self-govsrnment," you believe "they
viii be useless as slaves" How horrible must
the system Of slavery be II its perpsluation de.
Ponds on the ignorance Of the enslavsd. Is the
mantle Of darkness to be thrown areund inn
mortal minds 10 prevent the rays Of knowledge
nom dawning upon thsmf Are mental power,
susceptible Of inds6nits Improvement, to re-
main uncultivatedf Are faculties 10 whose
expansion Il were folly to attempt to set limits,
to be destined TO dwarfsh feeblenessi And IL
II necessary 20 DO this, to sustain and perpetu-
ate the "most atrocious Of all human institu.
tions" IL there were no other argument
against slavery, the ignorance which ID 90 prom
lnent an element Of its existence furnishes one
Of resistless power. The injury which slavery
does the immortal mind is transcendently great.
err than that inflicted on the mortal body. II
involves Iseaiissd effort to close mp the ave-
nues OF knowledge, and Icy an embargo on
mental illumination. This must be 90; for ac-
cording to your own doctrine let slaves be In
structed Gin the arts. In science and religion !"
and they will become "useless as slaves" Here
must inquire how the slaves of Kentucky are
TO make progress in the knowledge requisite TO
"self-govsrnmentr' There is NO provision in
our present Constitution for their instruction n.
and you wish the Constitution 10 remain nm.
changed. Are they iasidsatsily to acouire
knowledge In the absence Of ell Systematic at.
tsmPts to enlightsn themi This would be fat.
tsring, indeed, to the capabilities Of African In
telleet. But you will perhaps say that the pre.
'ent generation Of slaves can never be qualified
for sslf-govsrnmsnt. Suppose this were the
case. Would It follow that nothing shosId be
done for the improvement of the next genera.
toni And nothing VIII BE- done II our stat.
Constitution 10 to undergo no change In refer.
snee to slavery. Why this mysterious pr.iudice
against the colered racs-prejudice directed no,
only against the living. but, In the violence Of
lt' strength. anticipating coming generations,
and wantonly booming them to ignorance and
degradation, ere they emerge from the abys of
nothingness into existencef
But Unjust proceed to your fifth article. IN.
greater portion Of which is devoted to an emo.
snre Of the assumption that the moral law ,a
quires all that the spri, Of the Gospel can oo..
'ibly incite to the performance Of" I do not
perceive that this sentiment, whether tru. ar
false, has any special bearing on the sabjec, Of
slavery. Itis needless, therefore, for me to m
anything in reference to 1t.
You express the opinion again and again that
slavery 10 nota sin per 90, sin in the a6sf,aet
&C." do not know exactly what 10 mean, by
slavery In the abstract" The phrase, I imsg. |
me, 10 susceptible Of different interpretation.
For example, once heard a disiing uished Judge
remark that "slavery In the abstract has no ref.
'rsncs either to master or slave" II thin d. A..
aitien be correct, you are certainly right I'm
aging that slavery 10 not sinfsl In the nh. |
'sraet" But presume when you refer TO
slavery In the abstract" you mean slavery
separated from It, abuses. do not know ,b,,
hp kind Of slavery would be very objsctlona-
bic. Perhaps il would not; but Il would be Of
hort duration. I intimated in former let,sr
hat slavery In Kentucky cannot exist for gen.
ration, II dissociated from its abuses. think
his demonstrable. The abuses Of slavery In.
'iuds the separation Of husbands and wives, us-
ents and children, the ignorance of the sasIa.
3D. &c. Let the separation Of slave families
. made penal offence, and death blow /,
iven to slavery. But few masters wish TO cell
nsrs families Of slaves, and ssil fewer, perhaps,
re willing to parchsss entire families. Even
no men whose infamous designation 10 "pesro
Fadsss'" seldom buy slave family. They
aaks selections Of individuals out Of different
lmiliee, ssgulsting I'll their oper,tious NV AZ.