The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-31
NATURAL HISTORY OF sLAvERY.-NO l.

Slavery-the exercise of ownership by one
man over another-is q many-sided subject
AS question Of natural right the logic of both
natural and civil law agree that it can begin
only in wrong the moral law settles it by the
principle, whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them; )" and
religion requires every man to love his neigh
Dor as himself
Abstractly, there il no doubt or difference of
judgment about it. But the thing exists, and
requires to be considered and treated not as
principle only, but as a fact The conclusions
of right reason, the requirements of absolute
justice, and the obligations Of religion, are not
sufficient of themselves to close the controversy
because they have not yet been actually inau-
gurated in the government of human societies.
and do not receive the efficient application to
OUffuucs .....e WcfInnu-
ed for them in this. in reason, justice, and re-
ligion, Slavery has no place in human expert
ence, it has existed all over the world and in
every age. The Higher Law is not abrogated,
neither is it suspended, by any accidental i'm
practicability. 1t rules of right, as God governs
the world but it is restrained of its proper
force, as He is Of his authority, by the cond-
! tons of human societies
A fact universal as Slavery is in human his
tory is the effect of causes, operating through
a law or laws of the subject, which men must
understand and adjust themselves to, if they
would successfully interfere in order to amelio-
rate or abolish the system IL is a fact that
men may know and venerate the absolute
right, without being able thereby to legislate it
into force in the conduct of their affairs. To
love my neighbor as myself is 30 conformable
to all that is best and brayest in me, that can
neither secure my own respect nor the worlds
without compliance. All that heroism which
men everywhere worship is but its practical
illustration. No human soul accepts anything
less in its ideal of excellence. But how diff
cult it is in all things to impart equally to all,
the good which enjoy! Many occasions are
offered to every one for perfect obedience to
the precept but circumstances make every man
an offender against it in many things. Even in
the life of an individual, question of duty is
not always settled for immediate and uncondi-
tional practice by ascertaining the eternal
right Of it and in that great compromise of
social agency which every man makes by join
ing with every other man in the community, in
order to do the best they can for the common
veal, there is large space left as there is posi-
tive necessity tor the accommodations of wise
and honest expediency
The Abolltionist is constantly met with the
alleged impractcohleness of his policy and he
must meet the argument, for it is legitimate
one. Those who are in resistance, it may be,
are moro stubborn than reasonable OF Just in
retorting the mote in the reformer's eye as an
Offset TO the beam in their own but all such
recriminst.on, iDwsver mach it may be IN eva
sion of the perfect sandard is yet at bottom a
plea OF inability, certifying itself by the general
delinquency which it alleges. 1t says in effect
"fou ask Of me perfect obedience to laws
and principles which in different application
you yourself violate, because neither you nor
, can fully obey them in our respective condi
tiona." When the English phanthropst asks
the Southern STAKEHOLDER to free his bondmen
he answers, You have not yet cmancipated
yours you have transformed the ancient serf
DOM of Jour laborers into u wages-slayery
Which yog s9ll freedom, but it starves and bru
ta6ses ga pic;lms none the less for its fairel
aanio Th.ss 10 not true, either in statement
~ IN sfsscs, Dr the point and purpose it il
ma.is "a Essst bat it is nevertheless based
shough rs4ely and badly, upon truth which
{ deserves con.ideration. That truth is the diff
entity Of complying with the requirements O
highest principles in the actual circumstance
Of hnnaAn societies II amounts to genera
E affirmation that labor is everywhere oppressed
= and it assumes nceessity and implies an ex
: case Cor the wrong The demand for the slave
e legal emancipation ID met by denial that tn
, measure is an adequate remedy for the evil
Q which it proposes to remove The defence
, not complete, for the thing is not in itself dc
y fensible the reply snot true in facts and state
= ment for the purpose is not candid and tn
a argument is unsound because it does not full
= intend to display the absolute truth and estat
i lish the right.
o propose to make tho confession and III
= complaint Of both sidSs, kindly and genorousl