The southern press., 1851-05-14

Constitution, the spirit Of our history; against
the breath of religion and the providence OF God.
How could such an evil h we advanced upon US,
like the sea advancing upon the shore, over
whtlmng everything in its destructive course
The Rev. speaker observed that slavery owed
ifs origin to the love Of irresponsible power
that is latent in the human heart. Slavery, in
our land, he said, was not of native growth il
was forced upon us, and the love OF power las
tened IL upon u.s.
But there were other causes than,this at work,
for such was the strife between religion and
slavery, that slavery began to relax its hold, and
the prospect was, at the tine OF the adoption OF
our Constitution, that it would be abolished, like
late SHOWS, melting under the heat OF an April
sun. In the North it soon went, and in the South
it was expected that it would also go, after q
brief space.
But there came change in the affiirs of that
part of the country, when con mercial profits be-
came closely connected with slavery. The cul-
tivation Of rice, cotton, and sugar, increased in
Importance; the value OF slaves accordingly
rose in the market Then il was that slavery,
which had begun to disappear, was rejuvenated,
because it became profitable to strengthen it,,
and although Christianity is governing com
merce, il is feared that where there is prospect
of large gains, nothing can restrain IL. IL is
feared that the love of money, not for the pur-
pose of using it as a lever. but 10 worship it as
II god, will so corrupt the mind that the alice
tons for family and friends, NE love OF country
and God, will become absorbed in the one ruling
passion of gain. Such is its power, that al
though Christianity fights against it, it has not
yet succeeded in putting it down completely.
After warm eulogium on the Christian min
listers of the United States, whom he loved and
honored he spoke of their apathy on this mo-
mentous question, their not having borne tes-
timony against it, and not having arrayed the
spirit of the Gospel against this evil for the pur
pose of abolishing il, and then continued:
What is the duty IF Christianity towards the
slaves of this country! We perfectly agree,
that if there is anything characteristic of the
gospel of Christ, it is that it did not regard
ranks and degrees, and--a paradox that it did.
will explain. IT was nothing TO Christ that
one man stood higher than another in position,
in rank or riches, and yet there was one respect
in which he did regard the gradations Of society
he began with rulers who were at the bottom
Of the SCALE
He came TO seek ard save the lost-those
that were bewildered and confused in the world.
This is the spirit of Christianity, and it is the
duty of the ministry, in accordance with it, to
regard those that are ignorlnt-those that are
lpw, and poor and weak. The spirit Of Christi
anity teaches us to 90 down to those that are
oppressed, and | hope there is no man on this
broad continent, who is not glad that this il
Christianity. Now, / ask, has this Christianity
been exercised for the good of the African race
ket us look at the South and see. In the
South, we find that the rights OF three millions
of men are abs ,lutely taken cwry from them.
A system there preva Is in the midst of Christian
chu.ches-a system which, destroys the man.
hood of three millions of men. wish il to be
understood that the slave is regarded by the law
as chate; it leaves the mind, therefore, a
blank; it leaves the religious education Of the
slave to mere chance; it is a system which rem
ders chastity in either sex almost an IMPOSSIBLE
ty; it brings families TO the block, where they
are sold and scattered like chattels. This is the
system
About four thousand years ago, there was
another system of slavery, familiar kind of
slavery. and have so ofsn heard of it as justi-
fled by the Bible, that wish to call YOUR atten-
lion TO this particular subject wish 10. make !
a fair challenge TO any brother from the South II
would say, if you will agree to put American
slavery on the ground upon which the Bible puts |
it, will give up the agitation; will say that
the Bible did make slavery, and will mako
fair promise TO give up the argument in favor !
of its abolition.
But it is well to say here, that there were
three kinds OF slavery acknowledged among the |
Hebrews. First, the Jews themselves were |
solo into servitude for the payment of debt for
a term Of seven years. This was, properly |
speaking, nothing more than term Of appren-
ticeshp. Then there was public slavery, by |
which nations that were conquered in war were
kept as the hewers of wood and drawers Of wa
ter. Besides these, there was tine Hebrew bond |
slaves. This was slavery, and admit that Mo-
SEES found it; he regulated it, he forbid any He |
brew to buy slave from any but heathens, and |
even then, not until he vas crcumcsed. Next, |
II was made obligatory upon every Hebrew that /
owned slave, to see that he was reigiousy |
e6urated
Now we have got the family government
the child goes 10 the common school, from that |
to the college, and so on un.il he comes into the
community, where he has many advantages |
opened TO him. But there was time when the |
knowledge OF the world was so small that il |
was comprised in the Pentateuch, which was all |
the learning the Jew had and when he was
educate in this, he had obtained the sum of hu.
man knowledge in that day. When, therefore.
a man was made a slave among the Jews, that
man stood in the same position rs one Of our
slaves who should be educated in a college be-
fore being sui jected TO slavery.
Under certain circumstances, slaves among .
The Hebrews, cou d rise to honorable stations.
This was the Jewish system. IL was based on
the ground that man was responsible being.
and all the laws Of Moses were in favor Of the .
slave, and not the master II the slave was
wrongcd, he could appeal TO the courts, ard il
he should be abused and should run away, there
was n standing canon that no man should return
the slave 20 his master, This was particularly
in respect to the bond slaves of the Hebrews.
(Appause)
7, Now four thousand years have passed, and
BEHOLD the contrast presented. Here was rude |
ration, just freed from bondage, and which had !
shaken the sands Of the desert from
their feet-here were men who became masters
in their turn, and this is the system which they |
We have since that day had the |
canon completed. the laws Of Jesus Christ re
vea.ed, and the ideas ofcivil liberty brought TO
light Since the days Of Christ, we have had |
battles freedom and revolutions, in which |
civil liberty has hpeu hpwn ont of Tho rock va