Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-08-03
NEW SERIES, VOL. 10, NO. 5.

| ould the charleston Courier like to direct
the slaughter, in cool blood, of few thou
sand captured Negroes at time, as the only
safe way Of dsposng of them or by way of
terror to others to exhibit a line of gibbets
extending from Charleston to Washington
ornamented with his staple Of Art = To
such limitations, at the South, Of ancient
! necessities, his fine theory is as inevitably
tending as tho rivers towards the Sea In
an economical point Of view, too, AS the
historians 30 often COMPLIMENTARY was
| the ultimate ruin Of the ancient States It's
tendency was, then as now, to divide the soil
| among the fewest landhoders Immense es-
tates constantly growing larger by absorption
ofthe small farms of poor freemen worked by
armies Of slaves in chains, often to the num-
ber Of twenty thousand on single planta-
tion = the cultivation under the direction of
overseers and drivcrs-what could the result
be but that at length the land did not pro-
ducc enough to feed the laborer- mean time
its natural free defenders had disappeared
and it became an easy and Just prey to tho
barharians on it and around it, So perished
ancient Italy, and so will perish the cotton
regions Of the South
In selecting from Christian literature what
will the South find for It's new Libraries,
Some few sorhistical attempts it NAV be, 10
counteract the encroachments of the ever moro
and more pervading sentiment Of Christen-
dom that slavery is inconsistent with tho
principles of christianity. On the contrary
the laws, from the first, acknowledging the
injustice of slavery, and for the most part
tending to limit and discourage it. history
bearing witness against it not only by describ-
ing its Jaqueries, Jack Cade-sms and St. Do
mingo revolutions, but by a sort Of under tone
of Indignation towards it essay, romance,
poetry, and every other form of literature
more and more denouncing it, until the un-
happy South cannot even find uncontaminated
first lessons the South must, indeed, for
the most part, create a literature for itself.
True the South claims religion to be on its
side, and not without reason, for it has
Popish permission to enslave infdels and
heretics for the good of their souls And,
indeed, 1T seems disposed to rely mainly upon
that divine authority for the righteousness
OF slaveholding. The best authorities, how
ever, are divided between that and the curse
of Canaan. They seem to be in doubt whether
they are to execute the anger of the Deity on
the accursed race of Ham ! or to work out
the Divine compassion towards the heathen
through the sure mercies of slavery In
deed, the same authority sometimes cannot
agree with himself, claiming sometimes the
one, and sometimes the other privilege, and
both, though they would seem to
ordinary minds to be Incompatible for
curse cannot well be blessing. However,
even the Pope, take it, has renounced the
devil in regard to that method of treating
hcafhcn souls, if not those of heretics or GER
tainly the greater part of the Catholic world
has done SO.
The South must exclude foreign teachers
also, for the same reasons that she excludes
foreign books. They either cannot work
Iccord'Hg to the Southern idea, are merely
negative in regard to the essential end which
IS to fail Of it or they work contrary to it,
which is to defeat it.
But this exclusyeness will be only tenn
porary necessity, because tho South will
shortly produce a literature and Art out Of
is new staple element important not only
10 the South itself but to the world at
arge, and SO bring back the world into com
nunion with itself for
why should the land of domestic scrvi-
II ba I'm % it,t ba Nf
he mind now than when Homer evoked the
Irts, poetry and eloquence. into existence,
Noses wrote the Genesis Of Creation, tho
Exodus of Israel, and the laws of mankind
md when Cicero, Virgil, Homer, St John
Ind St. Paul became the instructors of the
world =
Because, my Rev, friend, slavery and
laves were not staple elements of ancient
arts, poetry and eloquencc. 1t was no aim
# ancient education to awaken a love of
lavery and to make men rejoice in the insti-
ution. As for ancient literature, Art elo-
uence-think for moment of the ancient
great works of the mind revolving around
lavery as their center, of slavery as their
staple element. Do you not perceive Sir,
hat they are instantly belittled beyond the
,oint Of visibility Think of an old Greek
INVOKING some one or all of the nine muses.
o inspire him with a true enthusiasm for
ivine Donis'a, Slavery and then of his
alling into poetic rage at the contempla-
ion Of her charms. Think of an ancient
roman taking up slavery as fit subject per
{ for eloquence or poetry or any other ofthe
me arts, lie would as soon propose to ele-
ate Cloacina to the place of Jupiter Capt.
olinus, or TO offer libations to the gods from
ne of that Lady's nameless conveniences.
Vas it because the ancient authors of great
7orks resided in the land of domestic ser
itude' that they became instinct with ideas
ubycrsiye of the very foundations of Slave
y ideas and principles which originated in
he inherent contrariety of human nature to
layery, in the innate recognition of the
ssential difference between man and animals
hese principles, it is true, were not strong
nouGh to overcome mans natural Incidence,
cqulsitiyeness and lust of domination, with
ut the superadded power of God in chris
lanity' but they underlie all the ancient
great works of the mind And vet the
nclent view of the common worth and digni-
= of humanity was far below that of the
lew Testament What then are we to think
the proposition of christian literature
nd art which shall afectonately dwell upon
he relations of slarcry as their staple ele-
lent . whose peculiar aim shall be to
waken the admiration, the enthusiasm of
lankind by setting forth the eternal prln-
iples of justice, truth and beauty (the
staple elements of all true literature and
rD as exhibited m making man the property,
he domestic ANIMAL, the implement, the
Ioi the stare of has brother man The
outh proposes to cause such literature,
important to the world at large and to
ruth, to become reality and so to bring