The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-24

Qualihed. Ana while the power 10 enact laws
for local purposes is given TO civil bodies, Chris
tians are exempted from any obedience to any
civil enactment which is contrary to any OF the
foregoing laws. They are to obey God rather
than man,
Again Both Testaments view man as possess
ing an intelligent nature, and not only direct
him to cultivate it, but hold him accountable
for the right cultivation and exercise Of this de-
partment Of his nature The heavens above him
in all their variety and order, and the earth be-
meath him, invite him to contemplation of their
lovelness and Divine architecture, and they
proclaim the eternal power and deity of their
Maker.
Again: Both Testaments recognise man as q
moral and accountable being. That distinction
between right and wrong is impressed upon this
department of his nature. And God has given
him this general law for the g neral regulation OF
his conduct-"All things whatsoever ye would
that men should do unto you, do even so to them,
for this is the law and the prophets" And that
he is not to fear them which kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soulD And, in short, to
have respect unto the recompense Of his eternal
reward in all that he does
Still farther: Both Testaments enjoin the faith
fu and constant exercise Of every power of his
nature whether 1t be the bodily, social intellect
ual, moral, or immortal. To give a power to act
is certainly the strongest evidence that 1t was
the design Of God that those powers should be
employed; but, in addition, he has commanded
that they should be employed, and how they
should be employed.
Still farther: Both Testaments enjoin that all
power bestowed should be exercised according to
their respective value. The bodily powers are
least the social higher, the intellectual higher,
the moral higher still and the immortal the high
est of all II is little higher than the beast OF
=. lal,t ,vx and Ia
lower who uses the higher powers in subordina-
ton to the lower powers of his nature. 1t is the
design of God, and his command that the intel
ectual department should govern the social, the
social the bodily, and the moral should regulate
all the rest
And lastly: Both Testaments enjoin that vio-
lence be done to none Of the active powers OF
man Violence is done to bodily power by over
working it; and to o mental, in not exercising it
and by habitual indulgence in vice, the moral
power is outraged, and becomes scared as with
hot from These are the elementary principles
Of the religion Of the "Supreme Lawgiver," as
taught in both Testaments. These are the ele
mentary principles of Religion per Sc, as taught
in both Testaments.
But what are the elementary principles of Sla-
very per Sc which exists in the slaveholding States
of these United States, and which, per Sc, recog-
nises man as a chattel2 Does it call into exer
else every department of mans nature? Does II
exercise them in subordination to the higher
powers of his nstpre7 Does it regard man as a
social being making him the head Of his own
family7 Does it enjoin obedience to parents in
the Lord on the part of children Does it pro-
vide for the proper cultivation Of mans intellect,
and does it guard the moral principle from outrage
and wrong? So far from this, it provides no slim
illus for man in his daily toll, but that which is
applied to the beast which perisheth-brutal in
suit personal indgnities are the stimuli pro-
vided in the elementary system Of Slavery per Sc
We are not saying that the STAKEHOLDER is the
worst man in the world. So far from it, when
we consider the absolute power with which he is
clothed we are astonished at the mildness with
which he sometimes uses that power but gene
rosity and benevolence are poor guarantees in the
hands of men clothed with absolute power, for
the protection of those over whom the law ex-
tends no protection The slave is left liable to
every spleen of rage which grasping avarice Or
insane anger may devise
But the social laws given by both Testaments
are not only liable to be violated but the element
airy laws of Slavery per provide for their VIOLA
tion by leaving all marriages either null or void
able at the masters pleasure-by depriving man
of the right Of property in his wife, his children,
or even in himself or any possession in anything
whatever. 10 takes children from under the care
Of their parents, and separates families at the
pleasure or convenience of the owner. There is
not town on the general route to the save-mar-
ket, but you may read in the countenances of
these manaced outcasts, that they are separated
from all that they hold dear in life. And this
shows but some of the corruption Of the blood
and the rottenness of tina. system per Sc which
DR.. Lord tells us has the sanction of the "Su-
preme Lawgiver in both Testaments"
But onother elementary principle Of Slavery |
per Sc is to consigu its victim to hopeless igno
rance, and therefore to egislate against that ele
mentary system Of Christianity per So which en-
joins the cultivation Of the mental powers. 1t is
penal offence in most If not all the slave States,
to teach the slave to read or become acquainted
with the contents of both Testaments, which con.
tain Gods best message to man, and which both
Testaments command US to search" Its firm
est advocates tell US that ignorance and weakness
are the only pillars upon which the system can
rest secure and what else, even were it not so,
could be expected In the nature Of the case
Nothing can be sufficient inducement for the
student to pass through days Of toll and nights
of WEAKNESS, but participation in the fruits of
his own labors. OF this Slavery strips him. But
does not the student require the facility of books
Of time, and teachers2 Who will provide the
slave with them Will his master do it Are
we to expect this from man who views him as his
chattel and who considers every cent laid out upon
him as lost, unless it brings him in return proper
tionate amount of gain-a valuable service2 Are
not the stage Of things as might be well expect
ed 2 Little difference in that respect exists be-
tween the slave and the beast which perishes
and DR.. Lord minister Of the Gospel, delights
to have it so-and calls upon his congregation to
load with reproaches the man who refuses his aid
in the recapture of the victim Of oppression. All
shame, where is thy blush 81 tremble when
reflect that God is justw
But Slavery is at war with the moral powers of
mans nature. The master usurps the place of
the Most High over his conscience, person, and
conduct. This is too horrid and too evident to
need demonstration. Nor need we refer to the
injury inflicted upon man as an immortal being
The elementary principles Of Slavery per Sc are
not antagonstic to one Of the elementary princi-
pies of both Testsments, but to every principle
of both Testaments And the man who dares
give God as the author of such q system, outrages
the common sense of mankind, and blasphemes
the justice and mercy as we'll as the truth Of the
Supreme Lawgiver, and does more TO harden men
in sin and spread infdelity than all the Jacobin
clubs ever did in France, or the rawlings and con-
Trajectory reasonings Of Jean Jacques Rous-
seau.
And, finally, upon this head, let it not be I'M
derstood that | have quoted or referred to the
abuses Of Slavery. Indeed, such system Of ele-
mentary principles are incapable of abuse that
is there can no law be enacted which can be
shown to be contrary to the elementary princi-
Piles Of a system as far from the laws of the Su-
preme Lawgiver, and both Testaments, as the
laws of Holy God and pure religion are from
the laws of religion "whose baptism is blood,
and whose sacrament is crimeo
In my next, purpose to prove that in no age
of the world did the Supreme Lawgver sanction
Slavery per Sc In the mean time, remain your
obedient and respectful friend
ROBERT w. OLIVER,
ass Ref Presbyterian Minister, West Middle
ser p. o, Mercer Co., Pa