Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-02
FOR the Enquirer.
THE MORAL CHARACTER OF SLAVERY.

and from that Decaluglc which is no, n MDaic Institution
Alone but law or all ages have one observation 10 maze
concerning all these attempted answers winch
consider. Whatever pasbiy they may have with re-
gard Ia argument from institutions strictly jewish
do touch, ut ALL the argument have ,uund. on the len
commandments because these are not Jewish but univer
sal
II is said. domestic slavery, among the Hebrews was
much mder institution than in the Southern Snt,-. ard
therefore have right from one To the oh.
This might prove if true, that do wrong in the
in which we treat slaves but il does not prove
that we do wrong by the very of holding slaves But
you will observe that the peculiar mincss slavery aan
the Hebrews belonged Ia Hebrew slaves and not 1, those
Of Gentle origin Whatever may have been lcniencv n
the Jewish MASTER the state O The latter class of slaves had
the essential features of slavery among the right 10 the
slaves labor for life without his CONSENT property in tina, h.
Dor the right 10 buy SELL and Grgueath 1.-THE right n en-.
il the slave By cororea pguishnents which might
have any degree Of severity short Of death, See Exodus
xxi 20 and 81 We need contend for tricte form OF s!a
very Than this.
Second III is said that the permission buy possess and
bequcath slaves Of heather origin. which have cited,
lated only the condemned nations OF Canaa and
part Of their divinely appointed penalty for their
cdncss. Even distinguished the President OF
Brown University has been betrayed By his slavery
into this shallow preeX The answer is that Just the
is The sraccs expressly tubiden Ia have
any slaves of the condemned nations but told
that they might buy them ri any of the other nations around
them. See Deuteronomy Ky, V. II 10 II.
Third is said Moses himself commanded that runa-
slave should be surrendered 10 his master; thereby
plainly teaching that slaves had right their liberty il
could escape and urged that this law proves there
be mistake in the conclusions have drawn
Oi course this passage Is rumphantv quote! n every rnd
settling the question against the fugitive slave law. II
found in Deuteronomy, XXII, To- To- "Ihon shalt de-
liver un" his master the servant which Is escaped from his
thee lie shall dwell with thee, among
you in that place which he shall choose in of Thy Gates
where II iketn HIM BEST ulou shalt not Cypress him
need no better 10 this citation than given BY
divine already nIncd, ana one vino is Northern man and
friend II slavery, Rev. Hoses Stuart; lie SAYS
"lhc first Inquiry OF cose is, Where does h live!
Among the Hebrews among fureisncrs Tia" language
OF the passage fully deveoes this and answers the question.
He has escaped from his master unto the Hebrews the text
says thee lsraeI he shall dwell with ,!ec anirn.
you in OF thy gates. vi coarse thea. h. is iaai
grant, and did not dwell among them before his flight. II M
had been Hebrew servant belonging 10 Hebrew, lie
whole face Of the thing would be changed Restoration
restitution if may Judge By The Ot other property
laws among the Hebrews would have surely been oncI.
But be that as II may, the language Of the text puts beyond
d)ubt HAT the servant Is f0regHcr and has He'd from
heather master"
Stuart then proceeds assign obvious why for
cign servant escaping from heather lnaser not 70 be
resored that the bondage from which he ind He'd was nor
dinltcy cruel including the power OF numbering IN" slave
for cdrlcc and that 10 restore ham 10 Sc BONDAGE
would DC 10 place him again in the darkness ot heahensn
and exclude him from the g! Of religion which p,c
vailed in the land OF the Hebrews only. He adds:
"But if We put the other case viz: that of escape
from Hebrew master, who claimed and enjoyed Hebrew
rights is not the case greatly changed! Who could take
from him the property which the Mosaic law gave him
right TO hold? Neither the bondnan himself the neigh
Dor Of his master to whom the fugitive might come! Re-
canaon OF him could be lawfully made, and therefore
be enforced"
This explanation forces itself upon common
To suppose that Moses won formally authorize and de-
fine slavery among the Hebrews and then that every
slave might gain his liberty by simply gOn. to the house OF
any OF his masters neghburs and claiming protection by
Just stepping over the brook the rnginary iinc which
separated the little of the Hebrew tribe: from each
other is absurd Such enactment is inconsistent with
the existence OF slavery But slavery expressly author
zed and existed actually, from age Hebrews were
required thing 1 course, tho fugitive slaves
Of their fellow citizens and far this passage bears upon
the fugitive slave law among MS, il Is sufficient remark
tat the relation of orr Sates 10 each other resembles
fI rl,,
The fugitive slave is not 10 the northern foreigner, but
fellow citizen. Tho slave flies from Pagan bondage
bur from christian society," and from scrvliu.c like that
of The Hebrews
Fourrhr ia objected that the example Of tic commands
given the lsrae;cs is rule :Ur u.s. That Cod COMMAND
I'd them 10 ext2rmnac the nations =. Ca an INT il
should therefore proceed attack and destroy ncilh-
boring nation, it woald h. horrible wickrdness We
referred III the ianacl Filth monarchy Of the English
Commonwealth, who made the divinry appointed sG"crcS
Of the Hebrews the Justification Tor their unauthorized viz
cnces and told that Justification domestic slavery
Ivy the sanction given 10 the Hebrews is equally wicked;
less we can show similar commission from God 10 cnsiIyc
hcnhcn nciah3Ors gi"ea directly We arsrr:
absurd To- contOuni trtcutirc comHGH given ir the
one under peculiar circumstances with The sanction at
permanent institution intended descend from generation
generation till the end OF the Mosaic d-yrnsaii"n. The
command To cXermnac the guilty nations is an cE
ample OF The iomcr the authority to own slaves n the lat
ter II is perfectly the example nj the Hebrews
in DISCRIMINATING the nations is authority Tor rs o
do likewise. unless sluw similar direct, divine
commission. Neither il any authority 10 the very next
generation nj Hebrews after the that entered Canaan,
- dn likewise towards other nations Bat viii any "na pre-
tend that the authority given the generation contemporary
with Moses Ia hold slaves also goJd authority t.
The succeeding generation o tcbGws Tor holding slaves
Irow not Prejudice carry snphiSiry thus inr--
There Is, 'hercorr n" parallel between the Two
But there is more direct answer. The special momcn-
tary instance OF the command nxtrrminatc the gull
~ nations docs rore that all killing not murder II II ad
been 1aat'R per for pal his fellow II death
when guilty :" DEATH God would M" have given this cont
mand to his chosen people And the giving oil this
mnnd, IS perfectly good argument against chose who
al hIn4 - DC nuFder the oppOscrs OF cnpila pun
ishments and OF defensive war The fact that Cod who
Incapable oi teaching instructed his
capital sentence against men justly guilty death prove.
lat man may be Justly condemned 10 eath and that to
STAY such man Is innocent So the fact that God author
lied his people 10 cnsavc had been insuIied and
momentary authority like the f0mler would enough
prove against the ahol!ri"nists thar sycry is nahum
per We chccriuIy accept the parallel ten and from
THIS parallel draw" an illustration OF the sorndncss OF
guIncnt.
Fifth il urged that Revelation was its p!an progress
sirc like the morning twilight The Mosaic revelation was
the early dawn; Cod for wise left many paints in
darkness which, since, the full daylight of revelation has
SHOWN 10 nc SIN And therefore, many practices which,
are now taught sinful may have been gnorany irtnl
ed oy good men, ct II Nc. possessing fuller reveal pn
should indulge those practices we should prove our.
selves the enemies vi God.
Grant AL this; grant tha;ii consistent with the plan
OF Coo Ieve!aon 10 reveal first only 0Gri2! rule OF
duty leaving some sins Gnncn,ioic.; vol surely i not
consistent with the truth and holiness OF Cod to throw
Ja' gh on those parts Of duty which he undertook 10 re-
i
true and righteous revelation When il TOOK w anv oo;nt
OF duty and undertook 10 fix it, must; surely nix il nhtc
ousy wltercr other points have passed hv O,har
wise wc teach TIA; the h0ls an: benevolent reto il mo.
hssin. I" etsc a1 'erl, lead hin. 70 helm - aud
bliss, i::s mist .i lao >n aud guilt: and ruin, YET i
seems that abolition in lis b rage stops moi az the rsauss
OF this basphemous impuat;on. Notice now prav You
that the matter Of domestic slavery lras not one OF the points
whch s ca"hns ana partial revelation passed By in 81
ence IT spoke expressly concerning IT, il one
points expressly embraced; and the teaching given the
subject was, 10 authorize it,
Bal donot admit that the revelation given 10 Moses
complete, III the sense al the aGOonsts Taay are on! uf
presenting The Ne" Testament revelation rs amending
ccing aud completing the revelation of the ! Testament
Ana when We point Them 10 that law OF which Saviour
said whatsoever should Keep those commandments should
enter into eternal life the Decaiogue; and show them how
II has twice recognized the relation Of do,estc slavery they
say Oh, that was the old imperfect revelation Not
says the sweet Psamst OF Israeli Ihc lar Of The LorG
Pe5tct XIX - Whatever abnitioniss may rave,
acknowledges perfect rule morals shan
the len commandments, as explained by 'he law Of The
prophets.''
The futile objections 10 Old Tss,smen, argument
swarm almost AS numerous the frogs OF Egypt bred of
the spawn o! prejudice We have yet done with them
But must reserve the rest for another letter.
Your afecsionate BROTHER, CHoREPISCOPUS.