Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-05-02
SLAVERY AND THE MARRIAGE RELA
TON,

Many PERSONS in the country are in no incon
siderable state of excitement Of late about free
love" "Mormonism," the law Of divorce and 9th.
or topics connected with the marriage relation
But there is one phase of the subject which or
cites no special attention. 1t is we'll nigh forgot
ten that among the four millions Of slaves who in
haiti this country there is no such thing as mar
riaye either legally or morally recognized 10y
either church or state. The relation exists only
by the arbitrary will or caprice Of the masters
who claim husbands, wives and children as chat.
tells. and who treat hem as So much live stock
the increase of which will minister to their proft
M the increase If lErir iurtes cattle or swine
Oar church members who would e~xcommunicatc Il
mormon Or Join To mob Il free lover, " rejoice to
welcome in Christian fellowship the supporters
defenders and participates in this system Of cen
culinapo, worse than lle ~rulignmy Of Utah. Il
seems this sul jcct has heen before n a.suciaiior
of Baptists ia Alabama. These D;yines have IA,
hesitancy in stating the true relation which exists
on their plantations on this %suhject al the follow,
lowing extract will show. They say:
Marriage among slaves has certain limitations,
and may be the subject Of special rules. Their
condition is peculiar their union requires for il,
leyilimatiuu the consent of Il superior authority
hs husband and wife they assume no new relation
10 the law. aud acquire for themselves. and can
convey I" their p"sterliy no new civil rights and
finally, as l%ei'rglrg IL many, il not post ins'an
ces.to different masters, their union is lialie TO sep
.%aration. Ilen"e, ms in the confHbcrHiam Of the r.
man rlavc. the Law, on account vt the remotenesS
and complications Of the subject. has almost tnti"t
ly ienored this matter. In heather lands, there
is among slaves n ca PRECIOUS, casual and temporary
connection, but no tue marriage In ClristinT
lnnIa" - No ,nn a, Yno nHa ,p,n.t -, H.
gence of evil Legislation To the churches. Ar
able committee. appointed some five years ago by
the Missouri Bnntist General Association, and
consisting of j. NJ. Peck, Adiel S~herwook, Hon
Judge Sale, and DIR. A. j. Co0ns, stared in theil
report, that there is no statnte law, whether man
datory or pr0hihitory in Missouri or the Other
states, touching the marriage of slaves"
The Free Presbyterian commenting upon thi,
paragraph says:
Now let it be remembered that this is the DELHI
crate and mature decision of an orthodox ecclesi
astical boey Of diviues. They declare that Tho
marriage 0f slaves is subject to restrictions. tt
special rules. that their condition is peculiar, thai
their union cannot he legitimate without the con
sent Of their master, that AZ husband and wife they
assume no new relations to the law. aud their uK
ion ia continually liable to separation. Not one
word in rebuke of The d~iahulism that has created
this peculiarly in the condition of the slave AL
this IL treated as legitimate and right! In Chris
tian lands, 10y the negligence (?) of legislators
.he subject Of slave marriages is left to to the leg
%islation OF the churches. How much the slave il
likely TO gain by this arrangement, perhaps tht
report before us will serve to show.
Here is an extract in relation to the Regulation
of marriage" After specifying that the mntua
consent of the slaves should he insisted on, they
cay;
Yet the consent Of the master should alway'
be insisted upon, as necessary 10 the validity o
marriage. This was required under the Roman
law. 1t is due to the Ielal ion which the maste
s~ustains, to the influence which his future move
ments may have upon the connection then to b'
formed, and to q proper sense of seriousness anC
responsibility On the part Of those who ente
1t. So Important do we regard this anteceden
10 be, that we advise that a marriage contract
cd against the will of superiors should be held q
null"
Comment upon the above paragraph would b
derogatory to the intelligence Of opr readers "
forbear.