Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-28
For the Enquirer.
TIE SLAVERY PRINCIPLE, OR TRUISMS
AND P~ARADONES.

AMI 1ahADoNE To-
Amere verbal formula frequently distinguishes a
truism from a paradox. That sit is the duty OF so.
ciety to protect and take care of its weaker members,
is a truism that none will dispute. In practise 1t has
been found necessary to control those who are pro
tected. Wives, children, apprentices, wards, iunatles,
and idiots, are protected and taken care OF, ny ,hose
who control and govern them. Their labor belongs
to their superiors, and their liberty OF acton Is ~
trolled by those superiors, whose VIII STAMPS nus interiors
for law. Those superiors "e masters me - nn
slaves, in all, save the name. Inc "oaA =" - .
tural right to this protection, inc s1rens .. ."ha val
natural obligation to render 1t. therefore, AZ !, In
have n natural and inal'enaoie insn, To- act AZ mas.
strong a natural right and obligation " y !: - 90
;els," Both of these proposition are involved IN inc
truism, ait is the duty of society to proteGt ana take
care of its weaker members. Let Tue iauer ID "
tr,,ism. the two former parauOxes.
hgain' at is the duty of society to adapt that
Kind and degree of government that the good of So
riety and of the individuals governed reqaires.'-
Iiencr. some are confined in chains and straight jack
ets. some in prisons and peuitentiaries; hence, too,
soldiers and sailors are, for The time of their service,
snslavedi and hence, too, the more enlightened are
governed only by law. In practice it has been found
necessary, for the good of society and of the indivi-
dual, to enslave nine.tenlhs OF mankind. Where
the attempt has been made, as in Western Europe,
to enslave u lesser number, the mass, who need slave
~, as we'll for support and protection as tor govern
ment, have become demoralized, vicious, ignorant,
anarchcal and pauperised. Capital or property,
owned, by the few, Expresses and exacts from them
more than masters, but does not govern, support aud
protect them as masters. There is an article in the
last North British Review, and also one in the De-
cember number of Blackwood, throwing much light
OIL this subject. Masters are the tything-men of AL
fred, the Lieutenants, Corporals and ~Sergesnts of an
army. Without them society can no more be gov
erned than an army without inferior officers. The
Rev. Nehemiah Adams Of Boston, saw this 10
Charleston, when he asked for the mob, and was told
they were at work. Aristotle, too, saw 1t, when
he commenced his treatise on society with the
family, and treated Of the slaves first as a
component part Of government or society. Ex.
pcrience has demonstrated. beyond a doubt, that
to govern mankind well-to govern them 30 rs best
to advance the good Of the individual and of society
at large-it is necessary to rule nine-tenths of them
to subject them 10 some kind Of control. Hence, 't
is the duty of society to ensiave nine-tenths of its
members" This looks like II paradox, but is involved
in the truism 1T is the duty Of society to adopt that
kind and degree of government that the good of So
ciety and of the individuals governed requires The
slavery principle is adopted in practice in every So
ciety in the world. The Yankees apply it most
vigorously in practice, to white women and children,
to sailors and soldiers, but deny the boon to the ne
groes, who, as well for protection rs government,
need it most. Let them set their wives and children,
their convicts, their sailors and soldiers free and ii
the experiment works well, we may be induced to
follow the example with our negroes. The weak, the
ignorant and vicious whites have as much right to
liberty as the negroes, who are generally nay, al
most always-weak, ignorant, vicious and IMPROVE
dent. h.