Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
For the Enquirer.
TIE MORAL CHARACTER OF SLAVERY.
LETTERS FROM A CLEPG

I For the Enquirer.
: InH MORAL CHARACTER OF SLAVERY.
! LETTERS FROM 4 CLEPG T.H:!H.-NO WI
~, my DEAn BRoriI.n In this letter, will conslde. tn
80 w when on-sayery a:mCt ~ pairy the iUrc
u e New Testament arguments the lawfuness o s!a
onc Of their fvnc p..ex,s is TO sny tha, slavery
orehiaen In the Testament because the pla
~ Inc Iii lie is give rule OF morals not by special
'oF every case bn by general principles ot morals
.i'i'h mas not specifically condemned every possbl
~ "!csi might arise in the boundiess variety OF human
J o' II a-s gwen MS Sci OF moral principles OF eae!
Hhd pain application, which will enabe us to distinguish
my possible sin it may occur Hence il is argued W,
ar" 40" 10 expect that the specific sin of slavery will be sin
.;eh "u hnhsh that God has given US the general prin
:'iss "hci II fary applied, will show its immortality
ana the cllef reason why God has ndopted this mode
;,S morals by general principles instead of specific
, . s mat since the events and that stise in
c sueu course OF ages are infinitely diversified and innu
Doos paItcuarizng each one OF those acts would
oe >" vastly ponnous that the very purpose of code OF
morals would be lost Nobody would have lime 70 read II
a any one read at all 1t would be impossible To re-
member IT, And moreover if any act arose in ih infinite
variety ni possible sins, which omitted in t, code Of
a"s tas multitude must be- unless the code were
'HiteY ia,.e,) lhr ransgrcssor would claim from the
OMISSION iuli privilege TO commit the sin.
mere certain degree Of truth in this statement tha,
uo IN giving code Of morals, necessarily give re-
nefn moral principles and leave il apply hcrn to
the multitude OF transactions; and the right ia
assigned ior THIS statement But is also true that Reve.
10 great extent
sn geat an extent that there is single prevalent
Dial sin of that age which is singled ou, by name and
expressly condemned And that the passing over
tho failure 10 specify thing widespread so OPEN as do
mesc slavery then was, if slavery had been sim would
have been great anomaly we observe how distinctly
all other common and manifest sins singled and
dcnned But why Goes Revelation fail To specify multitude
OF things, and content itself with condemning them by
general principle For the lack Of room. Ii would have
made the Bible too big But, ask would good deal
Of room nave sarcd with regard 10 the subject of sa-
very by Just specifying H. and telling u.s. in word il
was sin I IL Is queer way room take up
specific subject limit il, define it large rerench lis
6uses modify IT, and then provide by general principles
io Its entire prohibitions when three plain words would have
settled the NATTER limitations notifications abuses and ALL
by simply fnrbidding il!
But further; grant the statement that multitude of
new cases arise whose moral nature God requires
tie by The lair application of general principles Of morals
given in the Bible. Now what rules ought TO guide an
upright conscience In the examination of such special cascs1
Would not the humble and honest mind reason that since
there always probability of error in all the operations Of
mans fbie understanding moral Subjects specific in
strucon from inspiration is far preferable n human ap-
pcaton OF general principle possibly misappled? Would
lie not say In every case where have specific nstruc
tun must follow that in preference even in appa-
rent contradiction TO- my bnndering applications of general
principles Well then ii God intended slavery be
emncd by the application of general moral principles it was
most unlucky that he said any thing specific about IT, with
out specifically condennng it, For that specification of
Tue subject must necessarily lead his suppose
t II Is not proper subject for the application Of general
principles God has already given us something Better on
the subject than genera!es, which must apply. And
humility pety reason tell US 10 follow the special nsruc
on and not the supposed teaching general prncpes and
the apparent teachings oil these prncp human be-
ngs apply them, to contradict the special teachings
the su5c we must follow the special instruction;
take Tor granted tat have misunderstood and msap
piled the general principles. In word subject OF slave
Is not proper be decided by general princi-
Ii"s because God has spoken specifically it, II God had
NOT iHied TO II al all hen there would be U.
the plea.
1t argued again. by a5oonsts, that although Christ
and his apostles thought slavcrya sin they rcrained from
sc"eA merely with laying down moral rules which would in
lime work lis extinction They that II was entwined
"ith the whole frame Of Roman society, and, with the
prcudlces OF all people, they feared that open attack
it would the rejection Of their whole gospel and
prudent men, they merely epresssd such abuses OF il they
could and snd nothing OF the sin OF the thing ITSELF leaving
to the law OF love they taught it in time! Such
the J,usm which anslavcry prejudice dares charge
pon our Divine Saviour and his holy apostles Such the
cocdTdy prudence charged upon wo every one died
martyrs 10 their herosm in the Of truth They
out into degraded and sinful world protesting teach men
the Of savaton and they totally silent
universal sin, knowing that any sin is damning: they
preaching Tie gospel OF repentance from all the sole
condition o eternal life and yet told their hearers Of
lha sin Of general practices lest fOsooth they should
'ase storm OF prejudice against their sys,em And this
- ..ruunis, lIial ":o!d in full Nc" OF the
aio them tie co,sclof God" Acts Xxx I'D Ihis OF
whu every where assaied, and utterly condemned the
d,atry Of Greece and Rome established by law, entwlneo
with every feeling, and defended 81 the might 1 Imperial
Rpmel This who sternly repobated the universal
lbctnisu of the Healhen world pracsed by sages and
statesmen every held be lawful indnlsence1
hs OF Saviour who boldly exposed all the hypocFscs OF
he Jewish Rulers when he knew that The price OF his trnh
fucc.s would be his bood7 The foul plea refutes ITSELF
rnc favoe instance cited to illustrate this supposed e3pe-
ncy is lha. OF the unjust and tytnnica Roman govern
They argue that Christ and his apostles say nohlnE
OF the expressions and monstrous crueltes o this WICKED
power aud command aI christians obey cnntenting tnem
selves with teaching those abstract truths the SIN OF lnus
ard cruelty which would ultimately correct oppressive
Government. affirm otherwise. The apostles plainly iII-
y tha, an absolute government is rtdlu per II its
movers be not abused; and far from being silent concern
Ing the of the Roman domination, they expressly
teach the duties OF Rulers and put into the hands OF men,
rs an inspired rule of lc tho Old Testament, which teens
with enunciaons against oppression There none OF the
pretended expediency here ,
There many rational antl-sarery men, ol "loh
may cite the Rev Moses Stuart example, who nave
tao much for the Scriptures TO assert mat hey
c sch sI.9chodng 10 90 nal4 per ST. ana yi 0ut , ~ IL S
lGiugci prejudice agai inst IT, they persist IN saying a -
somehow still moral evil lrt the bloie does lo coh'
nn il rs sin but yet tho principles OF gospel ana love are
,jrr Ia aboIis! it, day. must confess that cannon
:, the minute line which these fence-men stand IL
,,yehoding is mol maiun per Sc as are thin. proved
r,n, the Scriptures and if il nahum prohbitn,
,l iudisonnbe absence of all preceps against it shows
what imaginable shade OF moral evil has it, Why cannot
lies. genlemen up to the simple the only consistent
slnJ that is right, just plainly simply, literally rtgat
Bn, they ask Must the spread of the pure and lovely
principles of the gospel ultimately cxngulsh slavery
nope will not by making masters too good DC Sny
up sares but by correcting the ignorance Incidence
nd of aborng people, that the institution OF
slavery will be no longer needed And So nope the spread
,, the gospel will abolish penitentarcs; but this does not
rrh as the puest angel in heaven might PERFORM without
!yng his holiness This moderate class Of anti-savcry
men while they fully conccdc 10 us that immediate eancl-
zion is Duty and savehodng is not 'aalum per
are vet very fond quoting such pass ges these DO
ntJ others as We would others should do you Love
ny neghbor thy self" being Incompatible with the u'
ate existence of slavery As these lovely principles pre-
% they say, slavery will vanish" have only TO remark
ha ere any antagonsm ntatetcr bstfe:n these 0engn
lars and saretCding then slarshoidng vs. w any, nlaIuos
per ss For these rules law which hereafter to DC
mosed On men, when they shall have become better; they
axe binding on US noc Any thing less than they dc.
Is sin sin for God does not require ot US any
thing except that which If lett undone, wond imply actuai
sin And if slavelodng is essentially mclun per Sc then
God authorised his chosen people, the Jews TO commit s'
md commanded share in the wages Of lnquy 10 oc con-
.e,ated to his holy service Then the pure ana ho
GOSPEL admitted unrcorned sinners to its communion anu
degraded itself regulate the modes for maintaining "icheu
''''"'"s'"p' ''0' a'''''a'' CHoREplsCopUs
In Baltimore recently, the Rev. John ~ Duncan' Oh tue
PRESBYTERIAN Church. died Washington correspondent o
the Baltimore Sun curious incident as s!oo"S
The recent decease Of the Rev. John NJ Duncan IN your
cv revivcs he relation OF an interesting incident IN MS eur