The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-29

taken to answer our questions about the mar "
rage of slaves. Ill health prevented US from
making some remarks on the answer last week
A very small portion of the article IL devoted
TO our questions. We repubish the portion
which refers TO our questions. The writer
seems TO have found It much easier to answer
some other questions than those before h'u''
We shall endsavor to "stick to the question.
II will be remembered that the article In the
Journal which induced us to ask these question
assumed lofty tone Of christian morality, and
spoke of the duties which Christianity imposes
upon us with regard TO the slave. II seemed
to us that when one is speaking Of duty to the
slave, some alluson should be made TO the vio-
lation of his dearest rights. We hoped that
the attention Of the Journal would be turned
to this matter and that the editors would sec
what Injustice is authorised and demanded by |
our laws. The Journal admits that the prohi-
bition Of marriages is wrong, but that it Is
essential 10 the system. What the Journal
says about the difficulty Of getting rid of slav-
cry has nothing to do with the right or wrong
Of the matter. Is the thing wrongl The
Journal answers In the affirmative. Now when
thing is wrong, what course does Chrisiiani-
ty demand of the wrong-doeri Does 1t CON-
mand him to sit down and brood over the diff
culties il the way, till he has convinced himself
that nothing can be done' A system may be
productive of great injury; but so long as moth
ing but expedency is concerned, Christianity
allows US to make all we can Of the difiiesltiea.
!, The case, however, is different when there ISL
question Of right and wrong Christianity
, may not command the wrong -doer to run head
long against difficulties; but it certainly COM
mauds him TO do sOmething-to make some
/, effort to throw off his sin. No course OF sin is
deserted without some inconvenience. Two
a persons may have lived together SO long in
j. adultery that there may be very great difficult
!, ties In the way of their separation; but Chris.
!, tianity does not on this account permit the
guilty parties to continue in the commission Of
!. sin. 1t does not tell them that they may con-
:, tinue to commit sin because 1T is very hard to
= do right.
A few years ago, many Of the Barbary States
n carried on systematic piracy. Piracy was au-
. thorized by the governments. great amount
. of capital was invested In this business. There
, were vested rights in abundance. The labor Of
the country was performed by slaves who had
q been captured by pratical vessels. IL the citi-
zens Of the piratical States had begun to talk
about Christianity, acknowledging that theiI
whole course was wrong, but saying that they
did not see any plan for abolshing the evil with
= cut great Inconvenience, we do not believe the
>" editors of the Journal would have been satisfied
Some Of our States which had imprudently
contracted enormous debts determined to avoiC
fulfilling their contracts. They acknowledges
the Obligation to discharge debts. but they ms
- serted that the people would be very seriousl,
-, injured by the attempt TO act honestly. Blu
a. what storm of indignation was raised agains
=, the repsdisting States! The editors Of tn
Journal denounced them with all that energy o
-, language which they so readily command
The difficulties in the way were not considere'
Il, a sufficient excuse for failing to be honest
Now, the creditors would only be deprived Of
little money by the dishonesty Of these States
but the slave is deprived Of right the enjoy
~ ment of which is above all price. He is treated
'' as brat. when the enjoyment Of the right d
withheld from him.
!, The great Founder OF Christianity mean
~ son1ething when he commanded us to do TO 9th
: ers what we would have others do TO us. W.
= believe that he intended something more thai
~ to enunciate pretty phrase. What should e.
;, think IL we were placed under system debar
ring us from the enjoyment Of the dearest right
y Of humanity Should we be satisfied il W,
> were told that there were great difficulties IN
the way of permitting us to enjoy our rights
IL Christianity directs US to fold our hands be-
~ cause there sre difficulties in the way Of doing
right, Christianity is nothing more than sub
lime humbsg. We could have done as much
Of as that withoutit.
y We know that there are great difficulties In
the way of removing this as vel any other
10 evil. We could bring forward many objections
j. to every plan that has been proposed. But we
y know that when men earnestly set about Going
any thing difficulties vanish. Plans change
themselves till they become better than any one
VI expected them to be. Men "build better than
they know" Would the American Revolution
nave Uten dCCOnpusheu u our ioIcldNtTs ndu
n waited for an unobjectiOnable plant Were
q there not men at that period who could demol-
u ish plans easily they could efiace the FROST
9 work on the Window The successful plan
formed itself. Providence. the course of events,
the very elements assist those who 60 earnestly
!. to work, while everything combines against
those who wait for unobjectionable plans.
Weknow that IL the law sho uld ack owledge
the sacredness Of tho marriage tie among slaves,
:. the system OF slavery would be very much af-
+ fected. But the operation would be very grad
: ual.
The slave husband and the slave wife could
labor for their master well If they were
/, treated as brutes. At the death Of the master
: some inconvenience might be felt In disposing
d Of them; but would 1t not be just such incon-
: venience as every conscientious master would
' create II he couldl lady who was opposed
: to the movements in favor Of emancipation
was one day finding fault with US for our efforts.
= We spoke of some of the evils Of slavery, and
1 among other things, Of the prohibition of mar
o rage. She said that her grandfather always
recognised the sacredness Of the marriage tie
among his slaves, and that he would never have
;. thought of separating those who were married
a We asked her what took place at his death
Her eyes filled with tears she told Of the
heart-rending scenes that occurred.