Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-12-10

tne lcatureS VI lhelf African DafDdflsms
These objects are generally commendabe, ahd
VIC should like to see them carried into execution
with spirit aud energy but fear that IN some
respects they are Inconsistent and not likely to bc
,oon accomplished. We arc Of opinion, that 1t is
impossible 70 maintain the institution Of slavery as
It exists in the South Mt present and ut the same
time TO introduce to any great extent the mechanic
arts, common schools, aud improved standards Of
education.
Slavery, in any meaning that can lie given to il,
implies u condition Of society wholly Incompatible
with an advanced state Of civilization. Ii is spe-
cies of labor which can only be applied effectively
to agricultural aud mining industry, and which is
never found profitable in the more intricate depart
monts Of mechanical skill. The slave. in order to
remain slave must he kept in degraded and ig-
norant state, for the moment that lac is instructed
into the higher practical arts, the moment lie is
made carpenter, an engineer, or machinist, he
dsccrns the injustice of his bondage, he acquires
notions Of the advantages Of freedom, in which he
can labor for himself and lc grows either 80 dis
satisfied as TO be useless, or runs away More than
two-tlirds Of the fugti,os from the South in Can
ada, we have been told, are of the George Harris
class, men who had been taught some handicruft,
and with it n knowledge Of their rights as men.
The writers Of this southern address arc not en-
tircly ignorant Of this lnct, they show in that
part of it which refers to the gradual cultivation Of
the negro aptitude for civilization" and TO the
time when slavery shall have fulfilled its mission
What they say in this connection is a proof that
they do not regard slavery as n permanent state.
but that they suppose it must gradually rcccdc as
the arts and influences of civilization advance. In
deed, in a passage Of this address, which follows
that we have just quoted, they argue in many
words, that slavery is bound to disappear in the
progress of industry and Christian principles. AZ
the passage is interesting on several accounts We
give it entire:
1t may be safely affirmed, that whenever the
African, in the instructive and wholesome pupare
.,l.f lao - sl. hall t,n
course of many generations, reach point of civil
zation rendering that pulilnge useless to him, he
will cease to be slave Ms naturally aud certainly
the training Of child merges gradually his mi
nority into manhood and for like reason. As all
the fruits do not ripcn the tree at the time,
no more will our negroes become fitted at once for
release. from slavery But as they do become quail
fled they will bo liberated, as many already have
been. In many slayeholding communities we sec
negroes who have become free. because. having ac-
qurcd the essentials Of civilization, by an.rrosist-
ibo law which man cannot. it lac would, defeat,
they are raised from slavery to Freedom without
dctrimcnt to the master or man. Such has been the
operation Of slavery generally, throughout Chris
tcndOm-ior there has been time in which slavery
existed in each European country, and history
scarcely reveals when II terminated in any of them
so natural was its dcath-cNpiring Of old age
dying out by insensiblo degrees Til. is the death
/ tu which slavery is doomed IN tho United States
/ This is the only termination which it can reach,
consistent either with our own rights or with our
duties to the African race nsllanted here, whose
reasonable labor has enriched the land and wiGv--
ulcction will have prepared il for civilization, and
consequently Christianity. In speaking Of the
natural termination of slavery We connect il neces-
sarily with that civilization, tho child and foster
parent Of Christianity, which has superseded the
barlarisms and dOlatres Of paganis n--the ciyili-
zaion Of modern times. Other and inferior ciyili-
cations, which have worn themselves out, did not
aud could not exercise benefcent an influence,
for want Of the elements Of our lasting and progress
] sivc civilization. Inasmuch cur civilization is
founded upon Christianity, its essentials will be
durable that faith, however it may become mod
lied and improved in its progress. Christianity is
the first faith which has nculcatod, first duty,
love 10 our nCgIbOrs, and tho civilization which
has grown up under its Illuminating power is the
only that the world ever knew, which has been
established ON broad humanity. 1t is that hu-
lmanity which gives to it vitality to lift all the
races of men up to a higher and higher condition
and TO prepare them in transition for their new
duties in their recent relations"
More stress is laid here upon the influence OF
Christianity than upon the influence Of industrial
civilization but the fact is still admitted that rs
the mechanic arts, manufactures common school,
and education prevail, slavery is weedcd Of its bar
barous features and the subjects of il converted
into civilized men Our inference is, therefore
that tho social system of the South, to he really
effective, must be accompanied pdri Ydssp, by acts
Ol anu w OtilCT hlllullN IbNiNlNil,
for ameliOrating directly the condition Of tho
/, blacks.
Not TO argue this question at great length Low
= for which we have not space to-day, let us dircc
the attention Of readers to the very marked anc
visible change of tone which appears in the article
we have quoted above, and in the former discus
sions of slavery to which we have been accustOmcl
In the "Pro-Soyery Argument" of Chancello
! Harper, Professor Dew Mr.. Simms, and others
D the ground is distinctly taken that society at th'
South is perfect that il is beneficial both to maste
and slave, and that il is founded true and per
] manent rclatiOns-rclaticns which must ever sub
: sist between two dissimilar races. This was ais
+ the position maintained, with great camestness b.
= Mr.. Calhoun and that exponent Of all sorts o
despotic policy, the North lmericdH Roricr, in th
: last number, is enamored of the system, that
u proposes to extend it TO immigrants and some o
5 the laboring classes at the North.
70 But contrast with these the spirit of this Gcorgi
e address, which says in effect "NO. slavery is es
u sentally barbar0us institution, adapted alone t
y the infantile states of society," which civilization
d and Christianity modiiies until il is finally extn
~ guished, and which we of the South want to &c
&c out of the way can, by the cultivation
Of a better order" 1t is true, that the writers q
IL it recognize that it will take long time to nroduc
rs that higher social condition. but they recognise It
IL prospective existence as a motive 10 excrtlon ana
81 hope for the future. They no longer treat the quo'
. ton sullenly, and with determination to hear n
l adverse opinions, giving in this respect an eNampi
y to moderate men ON both sides of Mason and DIX
VI ons line.
re Mis- Bremen predicts that the movement toward
III emancipation will begin in Georgia where Ill
spirit of enterprise aud industry has been mos
~ actively deyoloped and we think her opinion nc
y without some degree of probability
az Gsy~The ranks of the adherens to Mormanisi
ST are being greatly strengthened in South Wales
persons of high respectabiity and middle class sta