Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-03-17
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.

In the New York Observer, religious PAPER.
edited by the Rev. Sidney E. Morse, we find an
editorial article touching the all -importapt ques-
ton of slavery. This article, coming from a nor
thern paper, and more particularly from Minister
of the Gospel 1t seems 10 us, renders it altogether
worthy OF the attention of our Southern readers.
We do not publish the article entire, but what
is left out, is written in the same conciliatorv
tone.
/. Our Southern brethren are not responsible
for the origin Of the erH.
Slavery was forced upon the American people
by Britain. to crafty her vile lust of gold in op.
position to the entreatles and remonsirances of The
wise and good IN every part of the land, and in
every period of its colonial history.
2 II is not easy to get rid of tie ern sud-
denly. ~ l.'.
Slavery is the fundamental law upon which all
the political Institutions of the South have been
based from tho beginning. That law estab-
llshed by Britain at the very commencement of
the political existence of those communities. 1t
gave TO the white man despotic power over the
negro. 1t constituted the whites privileged class
the arstocmcy of the land. The abolition of
slavery IN the South would be, in other words,
voluntary surrender by this aristocracy, of the
power and privileges which they hold under the
ancient law of their country. Ought we 10 be
greatly surprised if this surrender should not be
made suddenly, even though demanded by public
sentiment in the North and in every other c
vilized country on the globe
3. Our Southern brethren hare done more to get
rad OF the euiI than could hare been reasonable anti
cipated. a. ..r.. ... ....,..-... .... , ..-... .
When we reflect upon the demoralzing cha
racter Of slavery, and the distractions il opposes
to all improvement, physical, intellectual and mo.
raj, we are prone to think at the North that there
can be nothing good in community where such
On institution exists. The census of IS4O, how
ever, shows that there are. the results of volun-
tary emancipation, III little Delaware, ID 900 free
blacks, or more than five-sixths of the whole nc.
gro population of that State; in Maryland e., 900
free blacks, or nearly one-half of the negro popu-
atlon of that. State; in Virginia $4,000 free
blacks; In Louisiana 25 900; and in all the slave
holding States, 2l5,O0O free blacks, whose value
as slaves, at the moderate estimate of $500 each,
would be more than $780, 900 900 !-more than
the boasled f2O,0OO,OOO which Britain paid for
the emancipation of her West India negroes -
more than the aggregate Of the State debts of the
whole slaveholdng section of the Union ID am.
4. Christ and has apostles did not denounce or
irritate the stakeholder. 49,, . .. ..... .
They lived and preached in countries where the
law gave man despotic power over his fellows, but
they did not denounce the law or the men who
held power under it. They did not require the
despot to abdicate, or the stakeholder to emanci.
pate his slaves, without regard to consequences.
5, The Bible method of dealing ,cith szavery and
Shareholders is the best method.
The Bible is the source of all the national lber-
ty we enjoy. Wherever its principles are heartily
embraced, slavery, or at least the evil of slavery
is sure to die. But how does it effect this By
denouncing the law. and stigmatizing all who hold
power under it? No. 1t does not seek to change
the law as the first and great thing.
The policy of the North is a. .' mastery mac.
tlvlty,' /" le-aone" " do-nothing' policy. %
The Iaquistire Child and Pasns-takirg Father.
--Boy-Papa, what's an in-ter.r rog -a-to.ry? lr,
Father-My dear, an interrogatory is very
explicit method, used principally chancery pro-
ceedings, for obtaining correct answer to sim
pie written question. Thus Whether John
John Jones, on such day, and at such place,
did. should, could, would, might, or ought; or
whether he didn't, shouldn't, couldn't, mightn't or
oughtn't; or if he didn't, shouldn't, couldn't,
wouldn't, mightn't, or ouphtn't wby didn't he