The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-07
NO. 327.
rup AMERICAN SLAVE CODE.

Dead or alive, will have some"
:, euumerating the evil dOings of Great Brit
sin charges her with libelling our institutions,
and holding us up to the contempt and hatred
If the world, through the medium of Uncle
Tor', Cabin. How Great Britain is respon-
sibc for the "owcr true tale" in question, 1t
might puzzle even the Douglas himself to ex-
pIain. Uncle Tom, as well as its subject, is
entirely American; it has an "odor OF nation
atty" about it, intense enough to satisfy a
Castle Garden patriot. Be this as it may, 1t Is
hopeful sign of tho times when such men as
Senator Douglas are sorely aggrieved by the
exposure in England of q system which they
cherish and strengthen at home, as pecu-
liarly democratic and American institution.
They begin to understand that the spectacle OF
Brother Jonathan out Of breath, and in most
undignificd undress, chasing In runaway ne
croes, however grateful and refreshing to them
sslyes is not very well calculated to impress
changers with a favorable notion Of his good
breeding and general respcctabilty. They
rrofess to like the thing on this side OF the
side calls forth their indignant protest. Great
Rr;toin and the civilized world generally are
e,cected to shut their eyes, and ignore the fact
&C the existence of Slavery in the land of lib
ertv. If an American woman daguerreotypes
some of the striking features of our peculiar
;n.,tutionn it is held to be little short of cause
Of war. for British publishers to copy her pic
fora John Bull is to be stone blind to our
rscro.driyng; or, seeing it, as he values our
e,sndsbip, and breads our displeasure, he mnst
s,,oet it forthwith, nor venture, like Captain
Cattle. to "makc q note of it."
An old and much-neglected book has long
aro told us, that Sin is reppach to any
neone." Of this truth we are now having
nractical illustration. All Christendom, mil
lOn.6ngered, is pointing at us. The secret is
mt The devils mark on the forehead Of
American democracy is manifest. Tho world
sees US as we are, and are beginning to tell US
MAINLY what it thinks Of US Of course, its
language is not fattering to our national van
itv Our sensitiyeness has become morbid.
The slightest allusion to Slavery in foreign
book or newspaper irritates us. Politicians
and ofhce-seekers who maintain that Slavery
is an essential element of democracy, and cler-
gymen who profess to regard it a divine insti-
tution, are horror stricken at the thought that
its true character is understood in Europe.
What does this prove, but that they are ashamed
of ii! 1t is confession on their part that
the thing itself is q reproach and disgrace, in
capable of excuse, defence, or palliation This
Is well. Shame is often the first step towards
repentance
The only answer which our pro-slavery d.
vines and politicians have thus far made to
the worldwide murmurs Of sorrow and indig-
nation awakened by the revelations of Uncle
Toms Cabin, has been, that the book is fic-
ton, libel, an aggeration-" sickly senti-
mentality" says Senator Butler, of South Car
DINA. 1t seems almost pity to deprive
them of this sole plea. But that it cannot be
much longer available is rendered certain by
the timely appearance of the book whose title
is at the head of this article.
@THE AMERICAN SLAVE CODE, in theory
and practice, its distinctive features shown by
its statutes judicial DECISIONS and illustrative
facts by William Goodell," is a clear and Sc
verely simple analysis of the slave laws of the
United States, and of the judicial decisions Of
questions growing out of them. 1t has no ro-
nance about it. Its ugly facts stand out hard
black, and sharply outlined. Whoever reads
it must admit with Judge Jay, that it is as
free from exaggeraton as Euclid's Geometry
not only true, but unqustionably true Here
isa book which no pro slavery divine can cavil
at, as unsound in doctrine and anti-ministerial
in spirit; which no pro-slavery politician can
dismiss with sheer, as sickly sentimentality
1t IS Slavery, as it stands on Southern statute.
books in its naked and hideous reality, just as
1T has been created by professedly Christian
and Democratic lawmakers. Let this book
follow in the wake of Uncle Toms Cabin and
it will be seen that there is not an atrocity or
an agony described in that marvellous fiction,
which has not been authorized and defended
BY positive law recognised as necessary
part of the slave system, without which that
system would lack completeness and vitality.
Fiction Human imagination never yet sound
ed deeper and darker abyss Of crime and
suffering than that which yawns through tho
black portal of the American Slave Code
Never was the sacred name of Law so
abused, as in this code. To q superficial OBJ
server, some of its atrocious provisions seem
gra'u'tOus and unnecessary-works of super.
erogatlon in wickedness This, however, is not
the TACT All are needed there is no part Of
the Internal system which can stand, without
tne support of positive enactments. If it BE-
sa'a mat there is peculiar severity in the
American Slave Code--a relentless rigor IN
Known to that Of Spain or Brazil our solt
companions in infamy-that in all which ia
cllltates the hateful process of converting
man into chattei personal" and in all which
stamps law maker and law-upholdcr with
meanness and hypocrisy it finds no living riva
'oi its bad eminence, and no parallel in tn,
history of worlds despotism-it may safeI,
De urged, in reply, that this ID necessity of tn,
case, the unavoidable condition of maintaining
slavery in Government like our own. The
CIVIL code of Justinian never acknowledged tho
uoc'rlne Of human equality. The Epicurear
pH''''ophy OF Greece and Rome recognised M
rr nature, nor heir Of divine gifts o.
'0 ana freedom in the slave Neither Solor
~ hycargus taught the inherent rights o.
," MANHOOD The barons of the middle ages
"l'ng on the nccks Of their vassals, neve,
ar Yp'aea To God for the sincerity of belle
, .4' al men were created equal.D 1t Ia,
oeen reserved for American Legislators to unite
@m'y best could the extremes of liberty ant
tyranny in the same statute. book to bas,
'ne'r code in the outset upon the equal r;oh,