The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-08-14

uftsS p Ioi oPpIeSSioSi UT leach uOClTlueS WHICH
lead only to universal rapine in order to rectity
partial injustice wish from the bottom Of
my heart that every people were fit to enjoy;
and did actually possess, public liberty and free
institutions; but should theref;rre urge an in
discriminate assault upon all nations which de-
sire, but are denied, these inestimabc blessings?
All duty is founded upon truths and laws bnth
Of which are immutable; but every duty is modi-
fed by circumstances which vary ceaselessly; and
it is only as we comprehend both Of these great
principles, that we can ever attain any rational
assurance that We perform single duty Alright
As a member Of the human race, enlightened BY
the Gospel, | may have particular view Of the
general question ofhuman servititude. Consid.
cred rs citizen Of the United States with the
institution Of slavery occupying the precise pos
ture it does in this nation, my view Of my own
duty must necessarily be modified. Considered
as citizen Of Kentucky, where much might be
done towards the amelioration Of slavery, my
duty is modified again. And considered as a
citizen Of South Carolina, where probably it is
hardly possible to conjecture how slavery could
terminate peacefully and safely, my duty neces-
sariy undergoes another and very serious modi-
6cstion. The religion of Jesus Christ IS com.
patible with every condition in which Gods pro-
vidence constrains our fallen race to exist and
it is az absurd in reason, and as unfounded in
fact, to assert that Christ and his Apostles re-
quired the indiscriminate abolition of human
servtitude, as to assert that they required the
iudiscrimisate overthrow Of any other form of
despotc authority amongst men. For myself,
my natural heart would doubtless have loved the
teachings Of the Lord all the more, if he had
preached crusade for liberty instead Of IA sacri.
fee for sin. But with his Gospel in our hand
we can no more keep an honest and enlighten-
ed conscience, and deny that his teachings tole.
rated human servittude as aconditon compatible
with salvation, than we can make ourselves &C
quainted Of human affairs, and deny that his
providence has tolerated human servitude as
condition compatible with the existence of socie-
ty. What are we, that We cannot have little
patience with that, with which God has had pa
tience since sin had entered into the world g.
And how striking is it to behold the certainty
with which men repudate the power of the Cos.
pei as soon as they have fastened on it a power
Of their own; how surely they become hcretics,
apostates or infdels when they begin to teach
Christ instead ofsetting down at bis feet to learn
of him |! What else can we say, but that all
such pretexts, whether for public wrong or for
private iniquity, are neither trne or real
1t was my purpose, sir, to have said something
on the remaining topics of your discourse-thc
practicabty and dignity of the antslavery
enterprise. together with your view Of the special
duty Of the North with regard to it. In your
first topic, however, the necessity Of that enter.
prise the foundation Of all lies; and having dis.
cussed, in some degree, your fundamental prin,
ciplcs pass by what when was younger man
I should have been more prompt to utter, touch.
ing some other portions of Your discourse. For
the rest, will venture to add few words,
which, ifyou cared to do soft would be your
right 10 demand Of me, in explanation Of my
own views, after having spoken so freely Of
yours
Slavery, Mr.. Sumner, is not modern insti.
tuition; it is rs ancient human society. And yet
it is not permanent institution in the sense Of be-
ing perpetuatedin one particular race or country.
We have the sad advantage Of being able TO
contemplate it in every age Of the world, in
every condition Of severity, and in contact with
every form of civilization We ought, BY this
time, to beable to comprehend it. From this
point Of view have two statements to make,
both of which I fear may appear to you mac
curate. The first ia, that nothing concerning
the structure Of human society is lnorc clearly
established by the entire career Of man on this
earth, than that m some form or other the so.
cial subjueation Of one part Of every highly
d.yc nod community ~ opotknr oe
that is, servitude in some form or other-is,
absolutely inevitable; just as much so, as the
existence of crime. or want, or sorrow. Let us
bewail this as badge Of our fallen condition:
let US seek its constant amelioration. as ono of
our clearest duties; but let US respect truth and
Justice, and honor, and good faith in all our at
tempts. The second statement have to make
is, that the general condition Of negro slavery in
America, so far from being particularly direful
and loathsomr, rs you represent it to be, is
really, and indeed Of necessity, in all respects
nitigated and regulated after the pcrvadiur
spirit OF our protestant civilization, and is gradu
oily acquiring more cndurable position, as the
power Of the Gospel gradually extends its in.
fuence, and rs the slave States gradually settle
into the conviction, that their duty obliges them
to accept this institution as n permanent part o:
their social system, | do not myself believe
that sersitude in this particular form, is, as an
original question, either necessary or desirable {;
aid am we'll convinced, that in many Of our
slave States, it might be gradually abolished,
with great advantage; while in all of them it
might bestill further ameliorated without regard
to the question of its ultimate solution. Nor is
it my opinion, that The permanent continuance
Of this servitude, in its present FORM is possible
though its endurance may DO protracted. and
the methods of its termination extremely Giver-
si6cd, over the immense area covered by it.
Your duty and mine, sir, as American philan.