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

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But, sir, this is not all the history given Of th
servant Hsgsr In the 2ls chapter Of Genesi
we have further account Of her Time will no
| permit me to state the whole; suffice il to say
that Sarai desired this bondwoman and her sor
cast out, and Abraham fitted her out ,he did not
sell her } he fitted her cut with bread and water
| putting them and her child on her shoulder, and
she departed. And now, again, the angel Of God
called 10 her out of heaven, and bid her fear not
and God opened her eyes, and she saw a well Of
water she was sustained, and there the Lad lsh-
mael grew up. The full history you may find
recorded by Moses.
Now, MIR. Chairman, does this compare, or have
we reasnn to suppose that the service render
! "a s>orauarl anu O,llvy gSSu intn, az that
period, would compare with American slavery,
where droves of slaves are gathered and collected
in pens, as cattle are collected by drover, and
when the purchaser makes up bis number, drives
OF ships them 10 a distant market like the drover
Of cattle? What, think you, would Abraham say
il he could now speak, on being compared with
those who justify slavery in these forms and hold
slaves to the bondage they suffer in this Union :
Would he not say, as in another instance, Son,
remember - but forbear TO put words into
the mouth Of that sainted spirit; let the magma
tion complete the rebuke.
But, it is said that the writers of the New
Testament did not condemn slavery, although it
existed at the time they wrote, in its most horrd
form. True, they did not single out that, as a
crime in particular; the people were degraded
and wicked, and the great effort of these teachers
in those days, was to effect thorough and radi-
cal reform, and they taught those great general
principles, which would, when embraced, uproot
that with the other evil practices Of the country
Their labors, examples, and teachings, were to
go down to all time, to exhibit those holy princi-
Piles which would cure, not only the evil and sin
of slavery, but all those evils, resulting from the
wickedness Of man, which should affict the world
in all future ages. ...,.
IL is SAID t2r.kcreks'xh New Tcete.vert
teaches the submission and obedience Of servants
to their masters. Suppose, sir, that any gentle
man, or all the gentlemen composing this House,
had been captured and put into state Of bondage
hopeless bondage, under severe task-masters, and
that we had long been in that condition that our
oppressors had all civil power over us; and sup
pose teachers Of religion should come to the coun-
try Of our oppression to reform the whole people,
how do you think wise man would address US
under such circumstances flor ministers Of re-
ligion are required to be "wise as serpents and
harmless as dovesn They would advise us, as
Christians, TO he submissive and exhibit Chris
tian character, on the great principle of our Saw
Jour- 10 render good for evil and blessing for ours
ing This is in accordance with Christianity
to overcome evil with good; this is Christian
teaching but no justification of slavery.
Or, suppose a man to be wrongfully condemned
to death he must abide the sentence, there il nc
escape for him what would a Christian teacher
tell him? To curse and condemn the court that
sentenced him? BY no means. He would tell
him to put his trust in God, and submit TO the
doom that awaited him. Christianity teaches
submission TO the civil Government but this is nc
justification for an unjust judge
But it may be and it often is said, why no,
follow the example of the writer's Of the New
Testament, and let slavery alone, and allow it Ia
take its own course, and 90 where nature and in
terest will carry it2 If this objection is lurking
in any mind in this Hall, | need only reply to
such an interrogatory, that the teachers whose
precepts are recorded in the New Testament
were men without civil power; they taught the
precepts of holy religion, using oarnal
weapons. Nay, sir, their boldnsas in rshnkin0
ia The llnck , sns ..sa before the coun-
| try and before the world as Legislators, and as
such, clothed with power, under the Constitution
to frame all such laws as the general good re-
quires. We have a right to receive new States
into the Union; we have the right, and 1t is our
duty, to make Territorial Governments, when
needed, under such forms as shall best promote the
good of the people Our duties are legislative,
and the example of the writer's of the New Tesla
ment to let slavery alone, tif indeed they did 20,
which Is not clear In all cases) is not, in that re-
spect an example for u.s. | hold it most clearly
to be our duty, by legal enactment to prevent the
extension of an evil that casts 30 dirk shade
over our fair Republic, and proves so often u
source of bitter contention between different SEQ
tons of our country.
Sir, does slavery stand justified on the plea of
| humanity and does il work for the good of the
1 A 4 Al - III
country are much improved in civilization and
Christianity by being brought here, and therefore
| the cause of humanity requires or justifes this
| bondage. Let us examine this argument. IL
would be strange II we could not find in dark and
| beniQhted A frica where civilization has been for
ages nearly or quite blotted out worse and more
cruel state Of society than in such land as this.
Did the trainers of the Constitution consider that
q work of humanity which they prohiJRed after
lS0S7 and did the trainers OF our laws, making the
slave trade with Africa piracy consider they
were making war on the principles of humanity 2
Can we Justify ourselves by perpetuating aud ex-
tending human bondage and slavery amid the
monday light that shines around u.s. because there
is worse barbarity In Africa, or in some other
dark SPOT on the face Of the earth Can we con-
sstently unfurl our banner Of freedom, and not
blush TO be told that one.sixth part of the people
of the country in which II waves are not protect
ed by its spreading folds, but are in hopeless bond
age and that their children are to follow after
them, in all generations, Ia the same condition.
Is his the humanity that should characterize such
a nation as this Is his the good weshould leave
for an inheritance to those who to follow after
usl Nay rather let us inscribe on our banner,
| Let freedom reign forever where IL now rogps,
and let those who have control over slavery in the
States where it now exists have all the fruits OF
| the system TO th themselves alone.
| Again. Mr. Chairman: Does slavery promote
| the good Of the country Are those States where
| slavery has existed from the formation OF the
| Cover nment, In better condition than they would
have been without that institution or than those
that set Immediately about the abolition OF or,
those States that have grown up free from slavery
Take Virginia, State that, In our early history,
| stood 10 high among her sisters, whose counsels
| were listened TO with veperation, and that might
be expected from her soil and climate and the high
character Of her citizens to rise In all that makes
great and prosperous people. Had she let 20 hei
slavery like Pennsylvania and New York doubt
not she would have kept pace with any OF her sis
ters, aud perhaps would have outstripped them Nil
| say nothing agains, her now but have her cities
her towns and the face Of her State throughout
kept pace with her free sisters DO her villages
dotting her whole State, spring up like those o
New York, Ohio, or Pennsylvania She has
good climate, she had q good soil, she had an earl,
settlement but sir, has not her system OF slavery
been, to q great extent, the means OF exhsustini
her soil and rctarding her progrcssf Can yo'
assign, sir, any cause more potent In producing
these results than this7 One example Is suflcicn
| for all.
Further, Mr.. Chairman. Does slavery Great
the best state Of society," We are, TO great ex
tent creatures Of habit, and this fact explains d
me the reason why some gentlemen say that th
relation Of master and slave tends TO elevate
people ! suppose the practical operation OF th
matter Is this: The master does very little, !
any, labor and after the general oversight o.
his affairs, having large portion of bis tim
for intellectual improvement, rises 10 the seal
Of intelligence, while the slave, laboring con