New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-16
BRITISH LADIES ON SLAVERY.


Tie new movement in England in opposition
to American Slavery differs from any prede-
cessOr in the social position of its authors.
Hitherto, Anti Slavery sentiment, or at least
any decided manifestation of it, has been con-
fined to the middle and lower classes. 1t has
been more popular among Dissentsrs than
Churchmen-among those who lived by Trade
or Industry than those who were hereditary
Tax or Rent-C Consumers. But Mrs. Stoves
book has touched chord in all human hearts
from the hovel to the palace and one Of its
effects is this movement, headed by the Queens
late Mistress Of the Robes, seconded by some
of the flower of the female Aristocracy Of the
Realm which must command attention even
where it fails to secure assent. Say what we
may of the absolute equality in worth or wit Of
many a cheese-mOnger's wife to any Duchess
or Warehouses, it is nevertheless true that
the nosiest male or female Democrat will be
more certain to read and more likely to heed
an Address on Slavery headed by Peeresses
than one set on foot by washerwOmen. This
may be very wrong, but it is human nature.
The moderate, sensible consderate spirit of
these Ladies is worthy of special observation.
They deal in no denunciation they fully and
humbly confess the criminal agency of their
own ancestors in fastening the curse on our
country; they cOncede that there are proba-
bly, great practical difficulties in the way Of
Immediate Abolition but they insist with
manifest force, that there can be no insupera.
bic obstacle TO such ameliorations Of the sys.
TEN of Slavery as will affirm and protect the
sanctity of Marriage, and secure parents
against the ever-impendng danger Of having
their children torn from their arms and sold in
to still bitterer bondage-they know not where
or to whom. For this they are sure no neces-
sity can be pleaded, for Slavery already exists
without it in many parts Of the world-nay,
even in one of our own Slave States (Dela-
ware.)
With regard to another point, it will be con-
tended by apOlogists for Slavery that the Brit
ish Ladies are mistaken--that American
Slaves are not interdicted the knowledge of
the Gospel. But this is an evasion of the point.
True, many slaves have some knowledge of
religious truth but the Slave Laws almost or
quite universally forbid the teaching them to
read, so that they can only profit by oral teach
ing, mainly by their own race and what sort
OF teaching that is, the negro sermons so
widely disseminated will serve to show. But
the vital point is here-the master has,
BY Slave law, absolute power over the mind as
well as the body Of his slave be can forbid
and punish his ever attending Divine worship:
ne may interdict any communication with
him on religious topics. The system, there
FORE deprves the enslaved of all right to moral
and religious culture whatever they receive |
comes through the favor and grace of their
masters
Now it will be easy to turn around unon
these Ladies and say" You cherish Social
wrongs and abuses as well as We; witness Ire.
iand witness the gaunt peasantry who till
your fields and I'll your Poor.Houses. x;,.
mess your prisoners for nom payment of Titbes.
witness the Chartist or Irish convicts in e,;ls
fordenanding with energy the rights of free.
men" Physician, heal thyselfr is shsrp
retort; but how does it help the case of those
who use it Suppose the Social wrongs upheld
in Great Britain were as fragrant as American
Slavery, would they afford any valid reason, or
even excuse, for the perpetuation of the lat.
teri Nay, ought they to shut the mouths of
every Briton with respect to oar shogt-cou-