The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-06-28
p0LITICAL.
From the Columbus Times 3ist ult
Abstract Of DR.. w A. Smiths Lecture
on Slavery.

1ihcallOh ~ entering upon the discussion 0f
this question. If slavery is urung, thousands
Of pious persons in the South who hold slaves 5
are sinners IN the sight Of God II slavery
IS wrong. they know It, and It is no apology
'esay they cant help themselves If slave
y s>srong, 1t must either be wrong in the
aostract, or firv~4~is something wrong in the
nractlcaL workings OF IN i--sitution as estab.
lished amongl,u. ',- - -
A great many persons, who Justify slavery,
admit that l. is wrong in thu abstract. The
prevelance of this fatal admission is atiribu-
table to the teachings Of Thomas JefFersOn,
who, thougha wise statesman, was reither a
moral philosopher nor a metaphysieiauf.to
the use of Northern books in all our schools
and colleges and to the concessions Of such
men as Clay, Webster. Rivcs aud ohers. If
slavery is wrong in the abstract, it is wrong
in the concrete for nothing can he right
which proceeds from wrong principle. This
position the lecturer illustrated fully. Il is.
therefore. a matter Of the last importance that
we should ascertain whether the great princi-
pie upon which slavery rests is right or wrong.
What. then, is slavery in the abstract p
Men frequently denounce the principle OF
slavery as wrong. who do not stop TO inquire
what that principle is.
The institution Of slavery implies the rela-
tion Of master and slave The term nlaSte,
imFlie one who controls another by his own
will. The term Stare. one who is subject to
be controlled By the will Of another. The abb
stract Of slavery. then, is the subjugation Of a
human being to. be controlled by the will Of
anoiher-nothing more nothing less. This.
then, is the principle Of slavery. Is it right
or is il wrongl
The principle Of liberty isShe co-relative Of
the principle Of slavery. It Implies the right
Of an individual toscantrol himself Perfect
freedom is the rigl*sof an individual. at all
times. and in all places, and in al things, to
do as he pleases.
These two antagonistic principles enter as
necessary elements into all forms Of govern
ment. flhe principle Of slavery alone i adj
mitted the government is pure despotism.
II the principle Of liberty alone is admitted.
the government degenerates into an anarchy.
But in most forms Of government both prin-
ciples are admitted. When the principles of
slavery largely predominates the government
is monarchy and when the right TO
govern is distributed among the heads Of fam
lies, it assumes the patriarchal form. In
Democratic Republic. however, the two an
tagonistic principles of liberty and slavery
are combined in equal proportions and pro-
duces well regulated government. We are
not disposed. as a people. he said, to admit
that the principle Of slavery enters into our
government but such. nevertheless, is the
fact. If an individual refuses to be subjuga-
ted to the control Of the minority. and assumes
to assert his perfect freedom. he will soon find
himself curtailed Of the limited freedom secur-
ed to him by the laws. and reduced to the
most absolute and degrading slavery within tie
walls Of the penitentiary.
Indeed, we can conceive Of no government
in which the principle Of slavery does not
largely enter. The English language con-
tains no term to designate such government.
Control and subjection arc imrliedin the very
term government. If every individual we're
to do right by the impulse Of his own will,
there would be no need Of government, in the
sense 10 which we undei stand it. But as
long as man is under the influence Of his cor
rupt nature, government which allows every
individual to do As he peases, will necessa-
rly drg.ncrlte into an anarchy.
Even in the moral government Of God. the
principle Of slavery enters as controlling ell
ement, as Is demonstrated by the punlshmcnts
threatened to the ungodly in the world to
come.
To assert, therefore. that slavery is wrong
in the abstract, is not only to deny the author
ity of all human government bat TO impeach
the Justice Of the moral government Of God,
into which the principle Of slavery enters
largely as controlling cement.
DR.. Smith next exposed the fallacy Of the
common expression" all men are born free
and equal' Men. he said, are not born,
boys are born. They are not born free, but
ns children, are subjected to the absolute con-
troll or their parents That they are not born
equal, any man may prove to bis
satisfaction by trial Of strength with his fell
ows. And that inequality exists equally in
he moral and intellectual organizations Of
men. is daily experienced. Neither are men
created equal There were but two be-
nps created. and one Of these was made en-
irely subject TO the control Of tho other
Since the fall, he said playfully. this relation
las been entirely reversed, and the woman
las become the master and man the slave.
1t is further argued in condemnation o.
lavery, that all men have equal rights. -
What do we mean by rights p This also
: term often used, and but little understood.
3y rights" be said. he meant the privile-
es and benefits which. by the order Of Provi
ence, bad been conferred on man for the
romotion Of his own happiness. This, how
ver may be affirmed Of he brute n well as
t men. The brute has the right to Use the
and benefits which have ben con-
erred upon it by the order Of Providence for
ao promotion Of its own happiness. Bnt
III any man, therefore, aifirm that the brute
entitled to political equality with men p
therefore irresistibly follows that men have
le right to the free use Of those privileges
nd benefits only which tncy are capable Of
xercising to the advantage Of ofthemselves and
thers. And. therefore. idiots. lunafcs and
arbarians have everywhere been deprived OF
oliticai equality in civilized society
Dr. Wayland. though he prono1ncos Save
, an odious institution, admits that mi !: !
ors are an exception to the dogma that al