The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-20
WASHINGTON. ID. G.
For the National Era.
SLAVERY AND ITS DEFENDERS.
BYA NORTH CARoLINIAN.

with a view of cOunteracting the effect Of
Uncle Toms Cabin" The moderation of It's
tone, and the humane concern which the au-
thor processes 10 feel in the welfare and future
destiny Of the colored race have secured for il
O wide circulation in the free States of this
Union, as we'll as in England, with the favor
able opinion Of a large and intelligent class of
American and English readers As the pro-
ducton Of Southern man of the present day,
upon the subject Of Slavery, il certainly has
strong claims upon the respectful attention Of
the world The author offers only an apology
for Slavery, not a justification, and disavows
the wish 10 perpetuate the system He allows
that Slavery is attended with great abuses and
has certain Odious features which he wishes To
see removed. Among these is the practice of
separating families which results from the alb
sence Of any law recognising the matrimon al
tie among slaves; and the prohibition under
heavy pains and penalties of the extension Of
education to the cOlored race. These liberal
and humane sentiments have secured 10 the
essay Of "A Carolnian degree of attention
and respect which it would not otherwise have
received from Discerning public, and a seem
ing liberation for a system of political philoso-
ply atwar with every principle of civil liberty.
Despot;c and slayish as are the doctrines
enunciated by 81 Carolinan, ~" would he CON
tent to remain silent if be were recognised by
the South ~ it's defender aud champion, and
authorized TO make the liberal concessions to
the humanity OF the age which arc contained
in his pamphlet. So far as | Am concerned |
could waive the assertion of abstract truths on
the subject of Slavery, if the South were ready
70 act upon his suggestions of Reform. But
such is NOT the tone of feeling prevalent in that
pf MI Of ubafa
may be few years hence am very happy
TO see some light indications Of a reformatory
spirit terminating in the Southern mind Mr.
Fisher in one Of the last numbers of the South
ern Press, pointed out the necessity Of modify
ing the institution and it is remarkable that
the reason assigned by him for advising this
important change in the policy Of the South, is
the existence of a strong Ant-Slayery feeling
throughout the civilized world In order 10
sustain herself in the conflict of opinion he
tells the South that it has become necessary for
her to put on a moral panoply" which will
be imporvIous 10 the shafts of ianaticism. II |
is to be lamented that 81 CarOlinian' and
Mr.. Fisher are not true representatives of the
South Oh this question Of reform The feeling
prevalent among the body of shareholders as
regards the moral and intellectual condition of
their slaves is one Of entire Indifference and
any proposition to place legal restraints upon
the power of the master, or to elevate the char
aeter Of the slaves by even permitting their edu
cation, would encounter the sternest opposition.
Still, indulge the hope that at no distant day
the Southern mind will be prepared for these
important changes
The pamphlet Of "A Carolinian" is not
defence of the institution Of Slavery as it exists
in the Southern States, but an apology for it
under supposed condition Of amelioration
What he has to say of preaching distant re-
form that it is cheap philanthropy"
which gives no opportunity of " selfsacrifce
Is very true but it by no means follows that
men should not protest against wrong and
error because they have no opportunity of be-
coming martyrs. The South will not tolerate
discussion on the subject of Slavery--not even
by her own natiVe-born citizens and far less by
strangers. The press of the Southern States is
fettered by despotism az rigid as that which
reigns in Austria, upon all questions in which
the institution Of Slavery is involved No voice
is heard in their Legislative assemblies in favor
of any reform or moderation whatever. Ga the
contrary the ingenuity of modern legislators
has been tortured in efforts to tighten the fet-
ters Of the colored race. Until the leading
minds Of the South enter upon the crusade of
preaching philanthropy" ut home, they have
no right to reproach those who preach it ut a
3 distance
"A am far from justifying Illegal or improper
interference with Slavery, and Am fully aware
that attempts of that kind are attended with
serious injury to the slaves, and greatly ohstruc
the progress Of liberal opinions in the South
But the right Of free discussion, not only of on
own public affairs, but Of those of neighbour,
States and countries is natural and universal
Error and wrong may deprccate it, and despot
ism may forbid it; but truth and right, AM
Freedom, will always welcome the largest lib
erty of thought and expression, There IL n
proposition IN morality, religion, or politics
which may not be freely discussed in New Eng
land, because her institutions are all froe eqni
table and liberal Her people have nothing I
fear from the closest scrutiny into the founda
ton of laws and institutions And this free
dom Of thought and expression exists in nj
countries in exact proportion to the liberalit
and equity of their Institutions In the South
Slavery is the delicate subject which must no
be inquired into in France, Russia, Austria
the ab dilute authority of the monarch il
Rome, the infalihility of the Pope and tn
Church Hostility to freedom of speech an,
the press in any country, may therefore be se
down rs indubitabc evidence that the founda
tons Of society are not laid in reason an
equity
The people of the United States, South a
well as North, assume and exercise the utmos
latitude Of discussion upon the affairs of Europe
Of Mexico st. Domingo, and, in II word, Of tn
world at large. They freely protest against tn
tyranny, temporal md spiritual, which weigh
down the spirits Of the people Of those coun
tries; and even Southern people have contribu
ted their money literally to send ont mission
aries whose sole function it il to underminean
OVerturn the institutions Of Othor lands Hon
prepoSterous for ms to claim exemption, ther
for our institutions They must and will b
discussed and debated, by ourselves and b
foreigners, 81 long as they offend the mora
sense Of mankind by their injustice or folly.
1t isuot simply permissible TO look into tn
affairs Of our elghbOrs 10 see that all is we
ordered and right but il is high duty devol,
ing upon every man NJ a social being. 81 IN
not my brothers keeper was tho language O
the first murderer, and is ~ far removed a
possible from the spirit Of Christianity, whicl
commands us to "do good and communicates
If any man OF nation has knowledge of tn
better way" in anything, it becomes duty +
disseminate it far and near. Their light shoul
not be bid under Il bushel," which il the in
oulcation of the modern school of Southern
politicians To defend the freedom of-the pres
and Of speech, is to defend freedom itself; be
cause they are inseparable We of the Unite
States arc not in tho habit of regarding tn
people Of France or Austria as free, becaus
the press il not free. The inhabitants of thos
countries are subjects, not citizens or freemcr
because they dare not express what they think
And in what particular docs the despotism @
the slavehodng States dller from that of Aus
tria and Francel Simply in this that W
have some three hundred thousand masters
whose sleepess vigilance and stern censorship
leave open no avenue to free thought whi
the dcspotisms of Europe have each only on,
man whose undertaking interest and policy i