The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-13

tended over part, IL not over the whole OF II
| that the area Of this institution would thereby
I be enlarged, and not only a new Geld opened for
k1his species of labor but new market, also, for
4ayes. But California has prohibited slavery
E5n her Constitution, and thus cut Off the hope Of
Fever introducing it into that portion of the coun
7 try Is not this, Mr. Chairman, the reason, this
real reason, and the only substantial one, if this
may be called SOL why this bill is 30 much embar-
raised in this House, And now sir IL have
Judged correctly, desire to examine what there
Is In the institution Of slavery that should make
it so potent to prevent, in this case what be-
leve to be the will Of large majority on this
floor.
Sir, what is slavery7 What are ts character-
,aV'Oo s'"A~V e,IOnI eA,cnslon, ,sI,
of such high and holy origin-so full of mercy
and good fruits? Does il promote the best good
the country and create that state Of society best
calculated to insure its peace and harmony, and
shed honor on the American name and character (?
Will it stand the test Of any of these considera-
tons? Does humanity, does religion, does love
OF man, or love of country, or any wise consider
alton, press us to make efforts TO extend il Or do
not all these considerations combine to make il
our duty to restrict il to the smallest limits in
our power?
But, to proceed, What is slavery ! under.
stand slavery TO be state Of entire subsection Of
one person to the will Of another. One is the
master, owning and controlling the person and
services of the other; and this, not only during
the minority of the slave, but for life The slave
is never TO hope to arrive at freedom. From that
hope he is forever cut off under the system Moth
ing hut exceptions to the general rule ever bring
freedom to the slave; and these are so few as to
shut him up in despair for life. He cannot own
himself-he cannot control the fruits Of his labor
Ii he form the marriage relation, and IT, in that
condition, he he surrounded with children, all
these holy and Heaven-confrmed relations OF life
are liable TO be broken up; the husband and wife
may be separated and sent to different and dis
liant parts of the country their children my hs
sent viii not say, thank God to the four winds
of heaven-but they may be sent to the four winds
ofslavery dominions in this country--and shall we
enlarge these dominions, that they may be scat.
tered more distantly and more hopelessly from
each other?
But, further Is slavery of such high and holy
origin as to justify in extending it in this free
country We read, in the first chapter of Gene
sis. Goth and 27th verses, that God said let u,
make man in our image after our likeness; and LEI
| them have dominion over the fish Of the sea- anC
over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, anC
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth"
$50 God created man in his own image in tn
| image OF STou created ne MN" &C.
Here man was constituted lord of the world h
was to inhsbit, and over the animals made to I'll
it, lie was created Z" in the image Of Godn Doe
this contemplate that tyranny implied in the sys
tenn of slavery Would any man, not accustome'
TO the system from habit, even infer that, as tn
race should increase, one portion of them shoulC
be subjected, like CATTLE to another portion of thu
same family But, il il said, the Bible sanctions
slavery; that Abraham, and other good mel
among the patriarchs had their servants anC
that the writer's of the New Testament did no
condemn the system then existing ia the country
where they labored and wrote hope not to b,
tedious on this point, and would rather leave it tC
those whose profession it is to explain the holy
Book but have my opinion and fear not to ex
press it,
Abraham, and other good men had their ser.
wants granted. This House has its servants but
did it ever occur to us, that those who keep our
records, or stand at doors, take care Of our
documents, our letters and papers, are disgraced
bX such SERVES v DO we see these u v,vat isi
halls and pavements, make our fires, and perform
such other duties as belong to their vocation
consider it a hard bondage7 Such, Mr.. Chairman
were, in my opinion, the general features OF thu
service performed by the servants of Abraham
| and other good men in that period But let vi
look little into the history Of Abraham's servants
In the oath chapter of Genesis, we have an account
of Abraham's sending bis servants from the land
of Canaan, where he dwelt, TO Mesopotamia, the
land of his kindred, to obtain wife for his SOL
| Isaac This was important mission. W.
read. in the I'd verse OF this chapter that "Abra
ham said unto the eldest servant of his house that
ruled over all that he had, Put, pray thee, thy
hand under my thigh, and | will make thee
swearp &c Mark the expression here recorded
of this servant, that ruled over all that he had
He made this servant swear, by the Lord, the God
of Heaven and the God Of the earth, that he would
perform the trust according to the charge he gave
bim-that he would not take a wife for his son
of the Canaantes, among whom he dwelt hut
would go to the land of his kindred for that pur-
pose If | am correctly informed, the oath OF
Southern slaves IL not much regarded at this day
| The oath is administered, the charge given, and
we read in the 10th verse, And the servant took
ten cames of the cames of his master, and de-
parted" Now mark the expression again, {" for
! MI the goods of his master were in his hands y
and he arose and went to Mesopotamia," &c
| And what more was he intrusted with He had
| Jewels of silver and jewels of gold; he had brace
| let's and earrings, and raiment, and precious
thinps-to give 70 the damsel and her friends.
This, sir, is no small outfit mission of no little
| Importance. There were other men with him,
| probably other felIow-servants. ! have some
times thought that some patriotic Americans, even
| those of real Anglo-Saxon lineage, who come up
here for Office, would he tempted to take such a
| mission as this
Sir. il | mistake not, reference has more than
| once been made in this House TO the fact, that
the angel of the Lord finding IIagar Sarai's maid
after she had fed from her mistress, directed her
TO return to her mistress and submit herself under
| her hand. This Is all true, and recorded Ia Holy
Writ-Genesis, 10th chapter bat, IL this all the
history of this servant Hagar This Is stated in
support of slavery. But, sir, we ought TO tell the
whole truth, and state all the facts and then see
how the case appears and pass our judgment &C.
cordingly. Lest should state incorrectly, ] will
read the record itself
Here the Clerk, at the request Of Mr.. BooTH
read the 18th chapter Of Genesis, as follows:
CHAP XVI
l. Now Sarai Abrams wife, bare him no children and
And ssrai said unto Abrsm Behold now the Lord hath
restrained me from bearing pray thee go In INTO ny
maid 1t may be that may obtain children by her Ane
| Abram hearkened 10 the voice Of Ssrsi
a And Ssrai Abrams wife, took liagsr her maid tn
Egyptian after Abram had dwelt ten yesSs In the land
and gave - her husband Abram 10 be his wife
And he vent in unto Hssar, and she conceived and
when she that she had conceived her mistress wa
| despised ~ her eyes.
have given my maid into thy bosom end when she
that she had conceived, despsed In her eyes; tn
| Lord Judge between we And thes
g. But Abram said unto Ssrsi Behold. thy maid Ia In tn
hand to her plsaseh thee And when Sarai deal
| hardly with her, she ned from her face
T. And the angel Of the ord found her by fountain
water the Wilderness the fountain In the way shur
g. And he sad Hagar Sarais maid, whence esmest thon
whittier wilt thou got And She said, fee from tb
/ fa-e Of my mistress Ssra
o. And the ANGEL Of the Lord said unto her. Return 10 IN
| mistress and submit thysslf under her hands.
10 And the angel Of the Lord said unto her, will multi
ply thy seed exceedingly that shall not be numbered 70
| multitude
H. And the angel Of the Lord said unto her Behold tho
art with child and shalt bear SON. and shalt call his
Ishmaei; because the Lord hath card thy aicfioD.
II. And he will be Wild his hand will be agalns
every man. every mans hand against him and he shs
dwell 10 the pressnes u ell his brethren.
10 And she called the Of the Lord that spske Unit
her Thou God sesst for she said, Have ALSO her
| looked after him that seetb mel
a. Wherefore the we'll called Beer Ia hairo behold
| Il Is between kadesh and Berei.