The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-05
SLAVERY IN MA,IsACHUsFTrs
OUR bosT' y CORRESPONDENCE.

w. ~ CORRESPONDENTS.
BosroN, Oct. 20, 1854.
s'ar1y D'' ..sions- Vssses Of the Settlers # Mas
saehr -,stts on Saarery-Slavery Here Recognized /
Lsw-La1 AGAINST Ridnappsng-7as Afri. !
can Slavs Trads-O Opinion Of Christendom There
en--Pwitans Share that Opixio,s- Englasd's
Part in that Trade-Ensl Of Isdians By
sAs People Of Masseehusetfs, md Their Sale m
rhs Wet T~dies-inersase Of Slavery as P,u-i
fanism GraU Strong Scotch aud Irish !" Ser
pGals,n &c.
The discussions that have been had on the subec.
Of slavery, particularly since the Nebraska bill was
brought into Congress, have been characterized by
considerable acrimony. Against some of the States
most vehement in opposing tina. BILL on the grouni
shat its passage would lead to the extension of sla
very over territory now free, it has been charged
Dat they were once in favor Of the institution, and
Save il up only on economical grounds. As Massar
pAusets is the most anti slavery in it's character Of
nh the States, 80 against her have charges Of this
hind been preferred with good deal Of warmth.
She has been accused Of Hypocrisy, and with having
maintained slavery In her midst just long it
paid abolishing it only when she found that it was
. losing mode Of labor, and without any refe encs
whatever to moral considerations How far these
allegations are sustained by facts win appear from
~ brief an account Of the course Of this State
The subject Of slavery the importance thereof will
admit Of being made. That Massachusetts, is not
Euitlt 30 altogether, of what her public opinion nor
yronounces TO be an error, as well from moral as
economical views, is what few intelligent men
would care to deny. That she has ever been dis
tpguished for the support Of slavery Is what no
Intelligent man would care to affirm. What might
have been her conduct had her climate been
diffsnns is quite beside the question. 1t is,
] am ready to admit, very posi- DE that
slavery would have been established here had
Providence given us the Italian skies Of Virgi.
MIA. But as we have climate that is not favor.
able 10 che cultivation Of particular articles and as
slavery is nos in existence here now, must allow
Mis- particular branch Of the subject to go with tina.
hist0. ical col eetion Of wha. has been called the
most interesting Of events--events that never hap
pened, but which might have happened.
The settlers of Massachusetts, shared to some
tsnt, We may suppose, in the general sentiment of
Uhris,endom, which held it lawful and proper to
make slaves Of persons who were not. Christians.
The right to hold Christians in bondage had long
been denied and was on all sides regarded a sin.
Negroes and Indians not being Christians, we're
lawful prey, and it was on this view Of the matter
that slavsry-frst of Indians, and then of " bla *
nankind"--was established 10 the Spanish Ameri-
Cau CulOu6b sluc iuunucft Vi tub SgsJS were mol
much different from their contemporaries in any
respect The common idea that they came to Anne.
RIGA to establish free communities is at war with
common sense and the facts Of history. So are the
statements that often made OF their abstract
adherence to slavery and the slave trade. Slavery
existed in tie territory of Massachusetts, previous
10 the settlement of Boston, and, according to one
authority, there slave breeding as well as slave
holding here. TIE opinion is exoressed that slaves
were carly introduced into New Eogland fro a Bar
BADGES. The famous Body OF Liberties" was
adopted in Massachusetts, at the close of l64l and
by of its articles 1t is provided that there sha
never be any bond slavery, vleinage nor captivity
among us, unless it be lawful csptives taken
In just wars and such strangers as willingly
EEL themselves are sold unto us, and thess
shall have all the liberties aud Christian usages
which the law Of God, established in Israel,
ycquirss. This exempts none from servitnde VII,
shall be judged thereto by authority Mr.. WIFI :.
hsr, q clever man and an abos0nis., appears to
look with complacency upon THE articles but Nc.
HildIeth, also clever man, and free sliler, say,
That 1t gave express sanction to the slave trade,
and the practice of holding negroes and Indians in
per- etual boDdage anticipating by many years any
tbDg OF the sort to be found in the statutes of V,r
Einia or Mary aDd." Mr.. Hildreth is equally plain
spoken and caustic on another poiut, Governing
which there has been grea. deal OF lbilan GA
tory exTtnced. A transaction III which (l,i b.
Gd) Ssitorsall was concerned he says, " has
been msgnified BY to1 p'eciptate an admiration
into protest Oh the part OF Massachusetts, ag AIMS.
The African s)avs trade. So far however, from any
suct Irot, st beirg made, at the very brt, OF g
foreign commerce of Nes Eos land the African slave
tra5e became regular busltess. Tee ships which |
took the cargoes Of slaves and fish TO MiisiTa and
Che Car sTies accustomed - tonch the coast
Of Guioea tn trade for neg oes, sno we're carried
eeneIay 70 Barbadtes CT toe or ~ .E'g'ish saaas
in the West ladies', tie demsri tor he ~ home
being hut rual. In the case alb We refst.ed a. "
s. ad OF huJirg pegros in the ragu;ar GORE %
,sffic, wScs, W der funta .nstl lsw of ti-a
ehusests already quoted, would have been psgteois
legal, tfe crew Of Boston ship joued with s,ns
London vessels on the coast, an1, on prstence OF
quar- ell with the natives landed 'nnrdsrer,'-
the expressive name OF small pisce OF cannon,
attacked egro village on Sunday killed many OF
The Inhabitants, aud made few prisoners, 20 Of
whom fell to the share Of the B3ssOa ship. Ia tie
course Of law suit between tae master, nate, and
owners all this story came out, aud Sioasall, who
sat as one of the magistrates. thereupon presented
petition the court in which he irged the asser
and mate with threefold offence murder, 70 Va
stealing, and Sabbath breaking; the st two CAPT
col by the fundamental laws Of Massachusetts,, and
MI Of them capital by the law of God" lne ma.
gistrstes doubled their suthority t, punish crimes
committed on the coast Of Africa; bnt they ordered
The negroes TO be sent back having been procured
not honestly by purchase but uula sfuly by kidaap
Ping" II js not in proof tina. tie NO negroes
were sent back. The sober account given by NJ.
Hld.eth is very different ON those which are to be
found in writers Of less kno Wedge aud reflection.
Mr. Whttier's talk about the early attempts to ia
troauce slavery into New England being "oppossd
~ severe hWr, Gnu ~ thas ssIong popuhI euliusuI
IN favor of uman hber y woch caa -ac,erzsd the
Christian radicals who laid the foundations Of the
colonies, Is all moonshine The fiir occurred la
l646; and three years later la was passed here
Furnishing man-stealiag 9Th death; bat how absurd
70 infer from the passage of su "a law, that IL was
brou sbt for ward consequence of tie a1tslavery
sentiment Of the colony. whea we know tlat in the
s'B0dy Of Liberties" or con titu'ion may cal,
1t, of Massachusetts,, the mol ling Of slaves was
cogDzed, AMI t1e rights OF siaveholdsrs gusraatied
Thee is Deitt honesty in striving tofli
historical facts TO the support Of uofsunded theo
ny. The men OF Massachusetts, we may s,po )se,
without doing them any injustice, agreed with the
rest OF Uhcs.er dom in the view that was held
OF be right OF Clrstips to ensisye Ptglas.
AS the HtDenes considered that they hal
right, from their Inherent superiority, to