Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-06-13
THE REV. DIR. ROSS AN ABOLITI0NIST

hi bIhNtEy III " VIEW CCuOOl ITtSD1l liu
Church, alludes daintily to the fact that be once
felt called on to emancipate his slaves. This state.
ment does him but partial justice. lie not Only
did this, but he wrote, over twenty-five years ago.
tie following creditable lie ter, which we copy, for
all the world, from the columns of the Neg York
O6serreT of those days. Compare the positions of
this letter with those now held by its author and
the OOseFrer, and judge whether they have pro-
gressed toward or away from the true light since
1t was first published N. J.. Tribune.
KINcsPoRT, Tenn, Feb. 6, 1885.
Rev. AND VERY DEAR BROTHER Your letter to
the Cincinnati Journal brought to determination
my views on Slavery. My mind was just in the
state to conclude. and act, under the power Of con.
genial sentiments. persuasively urged. Your letter
came and ms way was open before me. A yery
intelligent and legal gentleman-a man who has
thought much on the subject of Slavery, said to
me, after reading your communication, an ore than
that, under existing circumstances. | think. is
tanaticlsm Less than that cannot be Christianity"
l telt IN my own case, perfectly satisfied that the
last part of this remark was true. You ought
then to know what l have done and | send you
the measures OF emancipation adopted by me last
month"; IN relation to twenty-one slaves. These
measures have been thrown into the form of a will
to secure their fulflment in the event of my
death.
In the eye Of the law 1 am still the master of
slaves. But in the eye of God l believe / am
not. For / no longer, in conscience, and conduct,
hold human beings as property. And the authority
l may exercise orer them for a limited time, sciU,
l feel assured, be employed supremacy for their
good.
My last Will and Testament, as to these serv-
ants, is to be fulfilled in conformity with-Meas-
ures of Emancipation determined upon, in
reference to my slaves, January, 1885. The State
of TENNESSEE forbs.ds ~anumissio Of slaves with.
in its limits. But | can effect a virtual emancipa.
ton in this State, by adopting the apprentice sys-
tenn. The system Is, in my view, better for the
servant than immediate manumission. Its results
secure, also,as far as may be possible, the interests
of the community into which the liberated slave is
TO enter. For, during this trial of the servant be
has his masters protection from imposition and
injury, to both of which he might be exposed were
he immediately set free. He has the certainty of
employment and support-a most important GER
tainty to the poor laborer, and, more especially. to
the free black laborer. He is gradually qualified
for perfect legal emancipation. He has the wages
OF the Tree man. He may lay up q little capital
with which to begin life, when he must take care
OF himself. And, while he is thus shielded,
secured IN employment, acquiring habits of self
government, and paid for his labor, the community
Is preserved as much as possible from the sudden
introduction of those unprepared for freedom, and
protected from the entrance of the utterly unde-
serving. In accomplishing these ends, | think |
comply with the word OF God, toward tho servant
and to society. With this view Of the subject, /
hare determined on the apprentice ~system,in the
following form
Ihsve twenty-one slaves. Ten Of these slaves
are over and eleven are under twenty-one years Of
age. From this time until the LIST. of January,
1910, which will be FIVE years. / shall place those
over twenty-one on the trial of their freedom in all
respects, except that they will be under my author.
ity. As many as may be employed by me | shall
pay full wages, and treat as free domestic serv
ants. Those not retained in my service will be
ermitted to hire themselves to suitable persons,
who will give them the remuneration and thu
usage due to the free. After the LIST of January
1910, should they be unwilling to remove, and the
laws of the State of Tennessee, or d special act
will suffer it, these servants will be legally man.
united, provided that they, by their upright con-
duct under this trial, shall have shown themselves
qualified for freedom. In the event they should
be willing to make their home in another State
permitting their residence, or in a foreign country
then such steps will be taken by me as may BE-
necessary and proper to help them to e~migrate tc
such State or foreign country, If, on another
supposition, the State of Tennessee will not per
init the emancipation Of these servants, and they
do not wish to go away, in that case they may con
tinue, as before, under the apprentice system, SC
long as may be thought best for them and their
children, unless the circumstances of my family
and estate, or other good causes, should render
that course mex peiient, and impose the necessity
Of their removal. The child rem. those which may
be born during the FIVE years, as well
those which are now mentioned, will be under the
care OF their parents, subject to my authority.
At the termination Of five years, should the parents
remove, their children not of age land none will
arrive of age during that periodl shall 90 with
them, and be embraced in the measures of eman-
cipation taken for the parents, unless the parents,
with my advice, should prefer the children to stay
and enjoy the means of Improvement afforded them
pntil twenty-one years of age.
Should the parents not remove, the children not
OF age will be, as before, subject to the care of
their parents, subordinate to my control. The
children which shall attain the age of 81, under
nv authority. in the avs which have haen man. |
toned, will be emancipated at that age. according
TO the condition above recited in reference to their
parents. Such measures, to qualify them for free
dom, which my circumstances and other duties
and Obligations will allow me to employ, shall be
rsed with the children SO long as they remain
under my authority.
The conduct by which legal freedom will be
forfeited | shall . consider gross and hardened
crime, or hopeless immortality, or worthlessness
ihose who shall exhibit such characters, 10 my
judgement, ought not to be free. But they will
not be debarred of legal freedom for my benefit.
l shall derive nothing but sorrow from their fail
ure to attain perfect liberty. In such a result,
winch | neither look for nor fear, the unworthy
will be cut off from the rest. and that disposition
be made OF tue person, or persons, which Christi
anity will approve.
The security my servants will have that if they
act uprightly during their probation l will give
them legal emancipation, will rest on the same
conscience whose dictates / hope have led me to
enter on these measures for their good. And tina,
conscience will be aided by the expectation / shall
have created in an enlightened and pious commu
nifty everywhere that these measures of emancipa
ton will be faithfully complied with an ex
pectation / trust / shall have no desire K
evade.
So much of these measures in all their parts Al
may be unful6lled, should my death occur during
their progress, | desire may be carried into com
plete effect by my executors. And as they will
be disinterested, a charity at least as full as min,
in reference to the qualifications for legal freedom
will be felt by them when called to decide on thu
duty Of comforting the liberty of the laws on those
practitioners for manumission.
And | hereby appoint--my executors to
fulfill this my last will and testament, in reference
to the servants who may be left under the unac
complished intentions Of these measures of man
c~ipation, &c.
Your PRINCIPLES and my own, are thus in prac-
tice. ] am living under the new order of things.
The servants are delighted-better pleased, they