The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-04-17

hoAkt lot nrnftI~ncf-Jukt me same
gruund for the errrrise nfearr nddiligenee
Tor oar preservation. as II she danger were
immediate or The cause OF fear great. We
all realize this in the ordinary irsnssr.ions
oi life. liza man has any ressnn 10 sup
pose. however remote The danger, that The
house in whieh he is conresls powder
magazine beneath il. he does not wait 10
have demonstration OF The fact before he
takes measures for his security. ln all
human affairs we are obliged 10 ari upon
probable evidence. and TO provide fsr pro-
bablr contingencies. and 10 respeci esen
The lowest deglee Of probability. IN avoid.
ing danger and securing safety. care
mol whelher there be more or less reason
10 think that convulsion may he pro.
duced among she people Of The different
sections Of the Union By The manner in
winch these questions hall be decided by
Congress: if there be any danger. any
ground Of fear. as men Of sense. as men
Of patriotism, as lovers ofou conuiry. We
are bound 10 The most anxious. earnest,
perserering efforts TO secure The country.
Enlerlaining these views upon The SUBJ
jrci. and having stated what ! believe TO
be The duty Of US all. prnfrss now 10 act.
and 10 be always ready 10 act. upon the
principle which ! have stated as that
which should govern our conduct.
In what. Mr.. President. have those dif-
iculIies their originl They spring from
one single source. They may multiply
themselves; they may assume various d.
reclions: they may govern and direct the
conduct Of individuals in various modes;
but The whole difficulty lies in slavery as
IFS original and sole source. II is the ex.
islcnce Of that institution in ceriain States
Of this Union. and the existence OF that
insliloiion alone, which has brought upon
us the necessity Of considering whether
this Union is safe. Entertaining very
clear and decided views upon the subject
Of that institution, and sentiments having
been expressed with great confidence by
many gentlemen, particularly by the sena.
tor from New York. who sits on this side
of The chamber, Mr.. Seward, as TO III
nature and character. considered in re-
ligious point Of view; il being assumed a,
a matter of course that that institution
itself is utterly opposed TO the spirit ant
law of Christianity, and that il must b,
taken TO be in itself morally evll-evil al
iogeiher-and TO be tolerated only where
we have no power TO put il down, bes
leave, though not exactly germane to th'
political discussion, to submit to the Sc
nate brief inquiry into the correctness
of this view. maintain, and shall en-
deavor 10 establish. that whether the in
siiiuiicn OF slavery be considered as al
evil or not. is mol a sin. Ilis not in itsel
violation of the Divine law. Ii was sait
by the honorable senator from Massacbu
! se,ls. in the noble and able speech which
he delivered the other day, that that insti
tuition had existed from The earliest times
that the first writers Of history found i
existing; that, in the theocralic governor
Of the Jews, no disapprobalion Of it wal
expressed; and that, under that Gospel dis
pensaiion, no injunction against il was tc
be found. That is the truth. sir, hut it i.
not all the truth. Ii is clear that This in
stiialion, which we find existing in The
world before and at the commencement
Of the Jewish lheocracy, not only was no
disapproved Of, but expressly recognised
approved. and its continuance sanctioned
by the Divine I.awgiver Of the Jews.
Why. MIR. President, if we disabust
onrminds Of the influence Of previous opin
ions, and undertake to inquire whether
the Divine law Of charity condemns tht
institution Of slavery--and If IN this in
quiry we subordinate our own judgment.
to the teachings Of the Divine Lawgivel
himself--iherc can be little doubt as Il
the resull'at which we must arrive; and i
will be that which have stated. But WI
may adopt different mode Of conducting
the inquiry-may allow some inward i'm
pulse or feelingtogive Interpretation 10 tht
great law of charity. and set up our owl
specula.ions TO regulate our judgment o
its force aud application. We may
thence be led to conclude that the institu
ton Of slavery is utterly unlawful; but il
so doing we present melancholy in
stance of the human interpreter settin!
himself IN direct opposilon 10 the practi
cal commentary which the Divine Law
maker has given upon his own law.
Now, sir, find in the 25lh chapter o
Leviiicus this passage:
! "And if thy brother that dwelcth by thee b
waxen poor, and he sold unto thee, thou shalt no
compel him 10 serve as bond servant: But a
a hired servant, and as a sojourneI, he shall b
with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year Q
jubilee: And then shall he depart from the, bot
he and his children with him, and shall retun
unto his own family, and unto the possession G
his fathers shall he return. For they are my sci
wants, which brought forth out Of the lam
Of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmcr
Thou shall not rule over him with rigor, bu
shall fear thy God. But thy bondmen and tn
Ibondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be Of III
heather that are round about you; of them sha
We buy bondmen and bondmaids Moreover, q
the children of the strangers that do sojourn Q
mong YOU, of them shall ye buy, and of their e
miles that ara with vou which thew bepat i