The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-20

eternal slavery.
/ Now, friend Moses What think youl DO
you suppose that If slavery exists among tribes
possessed Of such character, it is Of that terri
Bile nature which you spoke Of as prevailing
throughout Africa, in comparison with which
American slavery frightened into blessing
Perhaps you may conclude with US that your
statements need 10 be somewhat modified.
.. The third point TO be noticed is the slave
trade. We rejoice that our friends seeming
doubts have passed away, and that he joins
with US la denouncing the traffic ms Infamous.
"Moses" certainly is advancing. A little while
since he thought "it hard for him or us TO say
how far God sanctions the slave trade" lie
eau find no difficulty now, for he surely does
not think it possible for the Almighty to sanction
an infamous traffic! Will "Moses' be so kind
as to inform us how 1t happens that an institu-
ton, which he thinks has the blessing Of Hea-
ven resting upon it, has grown out Of a trade
Saviour says a corrupt tree cannot bring forth
good fruit, but, according TO our friends views,
here is very good fruit growing out Of a very
bad tree.
L. The fourth point TO be observed is the
marriage question.
We desired to know how. as a christian.
"Moses' could approve and defend system
which does not even recognise the marriage
relation. And what does he say in replyl-
Why, "that according to the population there
are many chaste aad virtuous female slaves
in the United States as there are married free
women in Europe" We confess that this
opinion strikes US as having the merit Of entire
| originality. In which OF the slave States, we
should like to know, is marriage among the
slaves shielded by the majesty Of law? OF
course humane masters often recognise the
validity Of the marriage relation among the
blacks, but where does the law recognise itl-
In which one Of the fifteen slave States are
masters by law prevented from separating hus-
band from wifel Where are the clerks offices
in which the marriages Of slaves are recorded
The truth is, that whatever individuals may
do, the slave system does not recognise marriage
among the slaves any more than among any
other species Of property. Yet "MOses'' re-
CARDS slavery as a christina institution!
WePass by the astounding assertion Of Moses
in regard 10 Broadway without comment. was
probably the extravsgant production ofa some
what excited imagination. Nor have we COM
msnts to offer in regard to his eulogium upon
the fair wives and mothers Of the South. No
one can surpass US in admiration for them,
though that admiration does not require Of US
to institute invidious comparisons between them
and the wives and mothers Of the North Pure
as crystal is the fame Of the mother of Wash
ingtOni equally pure the fame Of the mother Of
John Quincy Adams. Their names and the
names Of all the glorious sisterhood, America
will always cherish as the brightest gems in her
eoronei. Will "Moses" permit US to remind
him that the hearts Of those noble Southern
women, whose memory he reveres, the mothers
of Washington and his compeers, glowed with
a genuine love Of liberty They kindled the
sacred flame in the bosoms Of their sons, who,
while contending for their own liberty, earnest
ly desired liberty for all. Washington and
Patrick Henry and Jefferson, with all Of their
rue-hearied associates. deplored slavery as an
evil and wrong, and earnestly desired its ex-
tinctiOn.
IL has been reserved for "Moses," and others
who glory in their revolutionary ancestry, to
regard slavery as a divine institution on which
the blessings of christianity rests. Whether
this is to be considered as a sign Of progress or
OF degeneracy, il is not for US to say.
D. One point more remains TO be briefly ex-
amined; the defence Of slavery from scripture.
Moses thinks that ''this Bible fact is a
stumbling block in our wsy-our greatest diff.
Guilty. Whether it be difficulty or not, we
rejoice that "Moses'' has brought it forward
Let us see how much Of a stumbling block il
really proves. The argument is this; that be-
cause Moses permitted the slave institution
among the Jews and made particular laws for
its government, therefore we may believe that
American slavery is approved and sanctioned
by the Almighty. The general principle on
which this argument rests is that whatever
Moses permitted or sanctioned amcng the Jews
is right for US, nay more, is binding upon US
Let us see how far the modern "Moses'' will |
abide by the principle One of the laws ins,i- |
tuted by Moses was that stubborn SON should |
be stoned TO death, DsuL 2l-2l. Should no,
this law be enforced now, as il was among the
Jews Of odl Or let us take an instance bear
ing more directly upon the point before u.s.
One of the particular laws instituted nv
Moses for the regulation of slavery was, that a |
servant should not be delivered M TO
his master, Deut. 23-l6. He shall dwell with
lhee, even among you, in that place which he
'hall choose. in one Of thy gates where IL liketh
him best; thou shalt not Cypress him.
How does our friend like this "partic ular law l'
Are he and his Pro-slavery friends ready for its
application tol American slavery From the
Efforts sometimes made for the recovery of run-
away slaves, efforts not always Of the gentlest
lind, we should imagine that the propriety of
his law in its application to American slavery
$ not universally admitted. Let there be con-
istency. II the authority of Moses is invoked
or the justihcatian Of slavery, let his authority
'e equally regarded In the regulation Of slavery.
But we have not time nor space to dwell upon
etaiis Nor is it necessary, for we assert that
he principle, on which the Justification of
American slavery by slavery among the Jews
ests, is not sound. It is not a fact that because
Noses permitted or commanded thing to the
ews' therefore it is necessarily binding on us.
We are not living under the Mosaic, but the
dispensation. "The law was our
ehooi master, to bring us to Christ" Have