The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-04-09
From, the Charleston MerturH
ABUSE OF THE TERMS FREEDOM AND
SLAVERY.


and the questions with which it has been SO
perversely mixed up, by the demagogue
philanthropists of the day-(a new species
of public agitators) we have sufficient evil
dence in the circumstance, that it has al
ways equally existed under free and despot-
ic governuents-being no more inconsis-
tent with principles of either than is the in
stitution of the family, Of which it is, in
fact, only modification, or enlargement, as
Is seen In the history of the ancient Patri-
archs, who sometimes married their hand
maids, and whose slaves were often nearly
'as numerous as their focks. A son by
slave was often equally honored with one
legitimately born, and was not unfrequently
;'adopted and treated by the lawful wife as
her own offspring. hus it is related in
Genesis, chapter xxx, that when Rachel
found that she was barren or not likely to
have children, she gave Jacob, Bilhah,
lier handmaid, to wife. And Bilhah con-
ceived. and brac Jacob son. And Rachel
said: God has judged me-" (that is, IA
vored me,) "and hath heard my voice, and
hath given me SON." So, as it is stated
in the same chapter:' When Leah saw
that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah,
her handmade, and gave her to Jacob to
wife. And Zilpah, Leals maid, bare Jacob
son. And zilpah bare Jacob a second
son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the
daughters shall call me blessed; and she
called his name Asher" We have made
these quotations to show that domestic
Bondage was not only usual appcndagc,
but benefcent feature Of the ancient pat
siarchal system, having been impressed still
more strongly with family character by
the practice of adoption above described,
which drew still closer the ties that existed
between the master and lis Slaves. This
mild and strictly domestic character it still
bears at the present day, and equally under
free and despotic governments: alike i'll Tur-
kew and the United States-the so.called
slave forming part, and often faithful,
attached and cherished member OF the
household of his owner, both in Mahome-
tan countries and in the families of the
planters of the South. 1t is, in this con-
nection, worthy Of especial remark, that
though under the New Dispensation, a
stricter character was given to the marriage
tie and the practice Of poiygamy was dis
countenanced and finally done away with.
the practice Of domestic slavery, with which
it was so closely connected, was not only
not abolished, but expressly sanctioned and
continued, as we need not make any cita-
tions here to prove. Those who denounced
and succeeded in eradicating SO rooted a
custom, and replacing it by more restrlc-
tive and moral institution, which has pro-
duced SO extensive and radical revolution
in society, would not have failed to pro-
scribe, and have laid under the ban of their
censure and interdiction, the system Of do
,nestic.b bondage, had they deemed it crimi-
nal, or had they not regarded it rs an es.
tablished social ,elation which they had no
authority to meddle with. They could not,
also, but have perceived that it tended to
mitigate the horrors and evils of war, by
converting the prisoner, who might other
wise have been regarded rs a subject for
vengeance and retaliatory cruelty, into an
object of value, and thus securing him the
protection and kind treatment of the con,
qseror, and often rendering him, in turn,
thsfsitbfal and attached friend of the latter
ero his FORMER hated and, perhaps hcred-
itsry enemy. 1t likewise formed then, as
It does wherever it exists, preventive of
that Otherwise incurable evil or ulcer of the
body polite (pauperisns) and better check
upon crime than any SYSTEM Of penal laws
evsr yet devised while it establishes in the
communities in which it prevails, the order
and suBordination 81 armies, without the
1;;gerand harshuess. Of military discipline.
sTBus, while slavery, in the proper sense
of the.term, consists in the subsection of a
whole people or nation to. the power Of a
single despot, or, ]: may be, of al obligar.
ohy, domestic bondage consists in the sub.
jection 81 individuals, either siagly or-in
detached bodies (having no national rela.
tionship, to the power Of different masters
;Os owners-towards whom, as is shown, by
the account given in Scripture 1ftheir con.
dition Under the patriarehal system, and by
the trsatmsntwbichr they receive in South
erh. families aetHe present. day, they stand
ssa,er relation. IS human beings than
as property. For their being as such has
; uo,o.6er effect than. 70 make them objects
Of additional attention, aprreciation and
seassfSbd fornve aresready 10 agree with
Shoe bolia aAaist "a secendsry, .seIation or
.subos sdinsfe pes;tion to that in which they
ass, placed btaRatsre sala and nature's God, as