Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-02
For thc Enquiries,
TIE MORAL CHARACTER OF SLAVERY.

and from that Decalogue which is Mosaic Institution
alone but law for all have observation make
concerning all these attempted which We are about
consider. Whatever pausibily they may have with re.
gard argument from institutions strictly Jewish lav
do t,Ucl at ALL the have founded tn. len
commandments because these Jewish! but univer.
sal.
1t is said, domestic slavery, among the Hebrews was
much milier institution than in the Southern States; and
therefore have right argue 10 the other
This might prove, il it were true that do wrong in the
manner in which slaves but does not prove
that do wrong by the very Of holding slaves But
will observe that the peculiar mi!dncss slavery auar
tho Hebrews belonged Hebrew slaves and not 10 those
Of Gentle origin Whatever have been the cnensy o.!
the Jewish MASTER the state Of the latter class OF slaves had
the essential features Of slavery among the right to tn.
slaves labor for life without his cpESen property in that
bor the right 10 buy, SELL and hcqueth 1.-THE right en-.
force the slave By corporea prnshmens, which nigh,
have any degree of severity, short Of death. Exodus
xxi 20 and 81 We need contend for strcter form oil
very than this
Second said that the permission to buy possess and
bequeath slaves Of heather origin which have cited
lated only 10 the condemned nations OF Canaan and
was part their diyney appointed penalty for their wick
einess Even distinguished the President
Brown University has been betrayed By his antsaycy
this shallow preteXt The is that u. the
trary is The Israeliirs expressly orbcn have
any slaves Of the condemned nations bu, were told
that they might buy Of the other around
them. Sec Deuteronomy Ky V. II 10 II.
Third il is said Moses himself commanded that runa-
way slave should be surrendered his MASTER thereby
plainly teaching that slaves had right their liberty il
they could escape and is urged that this law proves there
must be mistake in the conclusions have drawn
Oh course This passage is triumphantv quoted hand
settling the question against the fugitive slave law. II is
found in Deuteronomy xxlrI, 10, To- Thou shalt de-
liver unto his Muster the servant which is escaped from his
master unto thee lie shall dwell with thee among
you in that place which lie shall choose in o! Thy Gates
where it likcth him best: thou shalt Cypress hinI"
need no better this citation than that given by
divine already nluci, and i Northern man and
no friend 70 slavery Rev loses Stuart. lie says:
the first inquiry OF is, Where does his ye
Among the Hebrews. anon. foreigners The language
- he ion
He has escaped from his master unit" the Hebrews Che
says thee, l. e. sracl he shall dwell with thee, among
you in of thy gates" OF course then he is Laiai
grant, and did not dwell among them before his flight II
had been Hebrew servant, belonging Hebrew, the
whole face OF the thing would be changed Restoration or
restitution II may Judge by the Of other property
laws among the Hebrews would have surely been cnoinc
But be that it may the language Of the puts beyond
doubt that the servant is foreigner and has fled from
heather master"
Stuart then proceeds assign obvious why for
ega servant escaping from heather MASTER not 10 be
rcsored that the bondage from which he had He'd was nor
dinitcy cruel including the power Of numbering the slave
for any cprice and that 10 restore him to such bondage"
would be place him again in the darkness OF hea,henisn
and exclude him from the light OF religion which PFC
vailed in the land of the Hebrews only. lc adds:
"But if we put the other case, viz that Of escape
from Hebrew master, who claimed and enjoyed Hebrew
rights, is not the greatly changed. VINO could take
from him the property which the Mosaic law gave him
right to hold! Neither the bondrnnn himself the neigh
Dor OF his master 10 whom the fugitive might come Re
camlon of him could be lawfully made and therefore must
be enforced"
This explanation forces itself upon common sense
To suppose that Moses would formally authorize and de-
tine slavery the Hebrews and then that every
slave might gain his liberty by simply going the house of
any Of his masters neghbors and claiming protection or by
just stepping the brook the Imaginary line which
separated the little Of the Hebrew rbcs each
other is absurd Such enactment is inconsistent with
the existence Of slavery But slavery expressly author
lied, and existed actually from age Hebrews were
required thing Of course the fugitive slaves
of their fellow citizens and far this passage bears upon
the fugitive slave law us is sufficient 10 remark
nh nn pE o,r
much the relations of tho Hebrew tribes The master o;
the fugitive slave is not to the northern foreigner. but
fellow citizen. The slave lilies from Pagan bondage.
but from christian society," and from scrrudc like that
of the Hebrews
Fourht is objected that the example Of tho commands
given sraces no rule for s that God rorlnan-
ed them cxtarmnatc the nations Canaan; but If
should therefore proceed attack and destroy neigh
boring nation, it would be horrible wiccjnsss We are
referred 10 the lanica Fifth monarchy Of the English
Commonwealth who made the dvinclv appointed Seventies
Of the Hebrews the Justification for their unauthorized VIC
cnCcs and told that justification nj domestic slavery
hy the sanction given the Hebrews is equally wicked
less show similar commission from God cnsavc
our heather nciah1ors given directly Ia Wcanswer. II
is absurd 10 conound etcutre commando given for the
one, under peculiar circumstances win the sanction at a
Ptrmanc" institution" intended Ia descend fr"n gcnefa'n
generation till the end Of the Mosaic dspensa"n The
command to eSternna!e the seven guilty nations Is IN e.
ample OF me iornc lie authority to own slaves 81 me "
Ter II is perfectly true that the example OF the Hebrews
in discriminating the nations is authority for rs t"
do likewise, unless show similar, direct divine
generation OF Hebrews after the one tat snrirh Caha
do likewise towards nations. But will any pre-
tend mat the authority given 10 the generation "cForaiy
with Moses 10 hold slavcs, also good authority To
the succeeding generation Ul Hebrews for holding slaves
irow not. Prejudice cannot carry sophtsy thus iaf-
There Is therefore, parallel between The two cases
But there is direct answer The special. momca
tay instance of the command 10 exernnar the seven %ni
" nations docs 1rore that all killing murder II had
bean mHtm per for put his fellow man IL death
when guilty. nf DEATH God wunII not have Given this
\ nd O
nand IS perfectly good argument against those who assert
all killing To be murder; the opppscrs OF capita! pun
ishmens and Of defensive The fact that Cod who -
incapable Of teaching SIM instructed his servants 10 execute
capital sentence against justly guilty Of death proves
that man may be justly condemned deat and that TO
STAY such man Innocent So the fact that God author
lied his people 10 enaye ii had been nsulcd and
momenary authority like the former would be enough 10
prove, against the abotioniss that slavery is not nahum
per We checriuy accept The parallel then and, from
this parallel draw an Illustration OF the sondncss OF our
guincnt.
Fifth, il is urged that Revelation was in its plan, pronrcs
sivc like The morning twilight The Mosaic revelation
the early dawn God, for wise left many paints in
darkness which, since the fall daylight OF revelation has
shown to be sin. And, therefore, many practices which,
taught sinful may been lgnoranily ndnr
ed by good men, Yet possessing fuller revelation,
should indulge those same practccs should prove
selves the enemies oil God
Grant all this; grant hait consistent with the plan
Of GODS revelation to reveal FIRST only partial rule OF
duty leaving sins unmennneI vet surely il il not
conssten, with the truth and holiness OF Cod 10 throw a
fuse light on those parts Of duty which he nGertook TO
veal. So far "a this parlill revelation went, it mus: be n
and righteous revelation. When it any point
OF duty and undertook Tx it, must surely fix il .ghc-
ousy watevcr other points may have passed by Other
wise teach that the holy and benevolent Creator. pro-
Tossing !" give '2a Fesea:,a L" lead him holiness and
bliss !:.s mist! I'm into sin aud guilt; ard ruin Yet il
thu: abolition in lis blind rage stops not at the risqes
OF this blasphemous imputaton Notice now | nrav you,
the of domestic slavery not one o; the points
which this dawnns and partial revelation passed By 81
ence. 1t spoke expressly concerning H. 1t is one OF
points expressly cm5raced and the teaching given the
subject was, TO authorize it.
Bat don admit that the revelation given TO Moses
complete, i'll the Of eabO.ionisrs They are fond oil
presenting the New Testament revelation As amending
recng aud completing the revelation of the Old Testament.
And when We point them 10 that law OF which Saviour
said whosoeyer should keep those commandments should
into eternal le the Decaogue and show them how
has twice recognized the relation OF domestic slavery they
say: 'Oh that the old imperfect revelation Not So,
says the sweet Psanst of Israeli "1hc lc Of The Lord Is
perfect" NIX ~ Whatever aboli,onists may rave
inspiration acknowledges perfect rule morals than
the Ten Commandments, explained by the law OF the
prophets"
The futile objections TO our Old Testament argument
almost the frogs OF Egypt, bred of
the spawn OF prejudice. We have yet done with them
But must reserve the rest for another letter.
Your affeconate BROTHER CHOREPISCOPUS.