The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-13
Opinions Of Dtstias a isb nd men.


OPini0ns Of Dtstias uishnd men.
If slavery Is what some of its sdyoca.ss rep
resent 1t to Be, why have not its merits been dis
covered by those men whose opinions We are
accustomed to reverence Why have not the
great poets celebrated its praises? Why has il
never furnished inspiration to the bard FoI
everything that is eEsellent In nature and an
sPoet has been found, but where Is the poet OF
slavery Poets have been inspired by the love
illness of 1.-THE mountain nymPh, sweet Liber.
Ty,' bat who has been enamoured of Slavery,
the ghoul that feeds upon the dead in the dark
Valleys 1t IS true that poets have sung Of
slavery, bat they have sung of IL as they have
done Of war, famine, and pestilence. When
the soul il filled with high and noble feelings,
it looks upon slavery with adherence and dis
gust Songs inspired by freedom have neryed
the arm to deeds of daring. and reused whole
nations 10 enthusiasm: but where Is the TYR
taeus that would attempt 10 rouse a nation by
making slavery his theme
If slavery were so divine an institution-so
fraufht with blessings to mankind as il is rep-
resented by IFS advocates, il would be as well
calculated 10 inspire the poet as is freedom, or
virtue, or peace. The muse might be invoked 10
celebrate the music Of the canking chains, or
the mighty cOnquests of the drivers lash. The
pleasant scenes that occur in the hold of the
slave ship would afford delightful theme for
the comic muse, and the separation of hus-
bands and wives might be sung as glorious ex-
amPles of benevOlence. The humanity Of the
captain of the slave ship, and the disinterested-
ness OF the slave trader, who braves Obloquy and
contempt for the good Of the slave, would be
grand subjects. Some Akenside would present
such men as the grandest examples of the moral
sublime.
II is not only the poets who have spoken
against siayery-the greatest and best men Of
the best lines have always hssn iis enemies
We will present the opinions Of some dislin-
guished Americans who were citizens of slave
States. Some Of our politicians profess rev.
srence for the name of Washington-woud
that they entertained has noble sentiments,-
Hear what this great and good man says:
The beneyolenee Of your heart, nv dear
MaTqafs, 40 80 conspicuous on all occasions that
never wonder at fresh proofs of il; but your
late purchase Of an estate in the colony of
cayenne, with view Of emancipating the |
slaves is generous and noble proof of yOur
Humanity. Would TO God, like spirit might |
ditase itself generally into the minds of Ibe |
people Of this country. But despair of seeing |
a. Some petitions were presented TO the AS /
semby at ats last session, for the abolition of
slavery; but they could scarcely obtain hear
ing.-LetteT 10 Lafayette.
never mean, unless some particular cireum-
stances should compel me TO il, 10 possess anoth-
Or slave by purchase; II being among Hiv 6Ysf
lOisk<s 10 some plan adopted 6y tolicA sIac,yy
IA tbs country mag be abolished By lalo.-Letfer
10 john r. Mercer
We turn TO the language Of another Virginian
on the subject. The original daft of the decla-
ration Of Independence, written by Thomas
jefferson, is a. follows
He has wagsd cruel war against human ma
urs itself, violating its most sacred rights of
lie and liberty, in the persons Of a distant peo-
10 whs never offended him; capturing and car
ying them into slavery in another hemisphere,
" to incur miserable death in their transporta-
ion thither. This pirstical wsrfare-the op-
,robrium Of infdel powers-is the warfare of
hs ChTisfian King Of Great Britain. Deter
mined to keep open market where MEN
hould be bought and sold, he has prostituted his
sGstivs for suPPressiag every Legislative at !
smpt TO prohibit or to restrain this e1ecrsble
ommsrce. And that this assemblage of hor-
on might want no fact Of distinguished dye, he
now exciting those very people to rise in arms =.
mong rs, and to purchase that liberty of =
Ihich he has deprived them; thus paving of :
primer crimes committed against the Liberties of :
ne people, with crimas which he urges them :,
, commit against the Ices of another.
In his letter to Mr.. WarviIle he writes TINS. V
The whole commerce between master and =
ave 10 perpetual exercise of the most bolster 4
M passions; the most unremitting despotism :.
q the one part and degrading submission on =
70 other. Our children see this and learn TO
initiate IL; for man is an initiative animal This
aslity 10 the germ Of all education in him =
rom his cradle TO his grave he is learning TO =,
, what he sees others do. If parent could =
nd no motive either in his philanthropy or hi. :,
lf-love, for restraining the intemperance Of v
lssion towards his slave, il should ALWAYS be a -
Ifiicent one that his child is present. But gen. +
ally it is not sufficient. The parent storms. n
70 child looks on, catches the lineameuts of -
rsth, puts on the same airs in the circle of a,
aaller slaves, gives loose 10 his worst passions "
I'd thus nursed, educated, and daily exercised 6,
tyranny, cannot bu. be stained by il with =,
iious peculiarities. The man must be prod
y who can retain his manners and morals un- m
Prsyed by such circumstance And with =,
hat execraton should the statesman be loaded. g.
no, permitting one half the citizens thus 10 II,
ample on the rights Of the other transforms a.
ose into desPots, and these into enemies, de- -
roys the morals Of the one part, and the amor =,
triR OF the other. For IL the slave can have o.,
country in this world, il must be any other In ~
eference TO that in which he 10 bora 10 live ~
ID labor for another-in which he must loci ="
, the faculties Of his nature, contribute as far
depends on his individual endeayons "a d. en-
snishment Of the human race, or entail ~
Vn miserable condition on the endless genera-
ms proceeding from him. With the morals Of %
G people, their industry is also DESTROYED 70, az
warm climate no man will labor for himseIf ~
ho can make another labor for him. Tbisi .ei l
true, that Of the proprietOrs Of slaves, yerv ~
lali proportion indeed are ever seen 70 labor VI.
nd cen the liberties Of a nation be tbought o'
cure when We have removed their only firm -
sis, conviction In the minds Of the peooIe ~
at these liberties are Of the gift Of Godf- ~
lat they are not 10 be violated but with his ~,
'athi ladeed, tremble for my country when 81
effect that God 10 Just; that his iustice cannot -
ep for ever; that considering numbers, nature -,
natural means only, revolution of the A. !,
'esi OF fortune, an exchange of situation, is mo