Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-05-08

judgments" Malachi, Nv chap. 4th verse.
On opening the New Testament we soon
hear "Jesus the mediator of the new cove-
nant" declare, s'Thnk not that am come
to destroy the law, or the prophets: am
not come to destroy, but to fulfil" Mat
thew, chap. l7sh verse.
Immediately he again declares, "There-
fore all things whatsoever ye would thai,
men should do to you, do ye even so TO
them: for this Is the law and the prophets"
Matthew, VII chapter, 12sh verse.
This last passage, or some one Of its G.
quivalents in the New Testament, is quoted
to show that the above law from Leviic,s,
is abrogated, or what amounts to the same
thing, to show that we have no right to holG
slaves. That this passage should be cited
for such purpose, excites "our special
wonder" Yet amid the overwhelming mist
! Of vague talk, which is raised abou, the CON-
demning influence of the New Testament on
slaveholdng, this passage Of Scripture al
ways appears, if any appears. This is the
bow of hope which appears in the cloud
Mr.. Badger refers to this subjec. in these
words, "Gen,lemen may say: 'We do moi,
agree; we have the idea that that great law
of charity which says, 'do unto others as
you would that others should 90 unlo' YOU,
fosbids you to hold a slave.' He who gave
that law Of charity under the Old Tesla
ment, and who explained and enforced i,
undertake New, did not declare such iudg-
ment; and, therefore what wantto deduce
and enforce from it is, lha, the utmost that
can be said by our Northern friends is, that
this is a case Hot free of difficulty. in which
difference of opinion may, without Just off
ence, be entertained; and hence that no un-
kind feeling, n4prejudice, should result, be-
cause we take view of this subject which
does not meet their appreciation" ! appre-
hend that there is no difficulty whatever be-
fore the country but What is involved in what
Mr.. Badger has here noticed. The springs
Of N Northern action take their rise exactly
here. in the expression which he has quoted
as flowing from Northern lips. ''Ne have
the idea that lha, great law of charity which
says, do unto others as you would that 9TH
ers should do unto YOU orbids you to hold
a slave" |. is this idea of theirs, which is
at the bottom of all the difficulties which
a1llicl the State. "'rhe utmost that can be
said by our n orhern friends,'' reasonably
] grant, is as Mr.. Badger states it. The
virulance Of the disease however lies in this.
that the n orlh have settled with themselves
the fact, that sIaveholcing is sinful, and
therefore 'lhat this is case free Of difficulty,
in which no difference of opinion may,
without just offence, be enterained' Mr.
Badger has nobIy done his duty under the
law Of charity-has done to Others as he
would that others should do unto him.
The great law of charity imposes different
duties on different individuals. 1t imposes,
on me. a patriot, a christian, clergyman,
puritan, duty i'll the premises, which u
mean TO discharge, though it imposes on me
the necessity of proving a negative. shall
engage in the examination of this great law
Of charity, with devotedness of purpose,
somewhat commensurate with the import
ance OF the consequences which ! believe
to be involved. For labor under despo-
tic conviction, that if the North and South
do not come TO mutual conclusion as to-
what this law teaches, the difference of re-
ligion between them, must be atoned for in
blood. The great Southern statesman, whose
light has just disappeared from our midst,
and my humble sell, perfectly agreed that a
mortal disease was upon the country. We
agreed in nothing else, but tha, there was a
mortal disease upon US, which if not arrest
ed, must end in death. We differed as to
what the specific disease was. believed as
have explained, he believed otherwise.
"AIl things whatsoever ye would that men
should do TO you, do ye even SO to them i
for this is the law and the prophets" Does
this forbid us TO hold slave? II so, it
must do il either by repeating previous en-
actments, or by virtue of the new enactment
which 1t contains. Let us examine it with