The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-07-31
surpr,sins Chsuge Of sentiment.

surpSising Chsnge Of Sentiment.
The most surprising fact in the political
discussions Of the present season. is the re-
markable changes that are exhibited in the
tone and sentiments of the ultra Republican
papers. They are becoming remarkably
philosophic and rational in their speculations
upon the subject Of slavery. The Cincinnati
Commercial. whose ultra Republicanism and
auti-Slavcry prejudiccs did not allow it, .,
few months ago. to look upon slavery with
any tolerance, nor permit it to state fact in
regard to the South without the perversions
of its antipathies to Shareholders being man
ifest to every reader, has received new light
and grown very philosophic and tolerant.
The following is the last expression of its
views upon slavery. No old line, pro-sla
very, Democratic print could exhibit more
forbearance and charity toward the great ard
irremediable national evil:
Slavery is the result of an abnormal social
condition, The normal condition OF man
kind is that Of social and political equality;
and where this exists, slavery is impossible.
No man can reduce one who is actually his
equal TO permanently inferior state. In
such case, there is no slavery to begin, or
room to lay the basis of n doctrine by which
it can be sustained. To an isolated People
OF the same blood, possessed Of equal polit-
zeal rights and means of intelligence. the idea
of slavery would DO impossible. They could
not gain a conception OF its relati ons except
| as they received them from abroad; and then
but imperfectly. Even the people of the
Northern STATES Of this Union, where slavery
has long ceased to exist. have no accurate
conception Of the real character Of the rela-
ton between master and slave; and hence
the dogmatic ignorance with which the sub
ject is treated by many Northern writers
| in books and periodicals.
| Society is undoubtedly the most peaceful,
| and its members the most happy, when il is
| in normal condition-when it is made up
of people OF the same race. living under the
same general principles of equality But
| without any fault 81 its own, this normal
condition, from accidental causes, may be
impossible. In such case, what remains for
society to do, hat TO adapt its institutions 10
| its actual condition. Suppose there is thrown
! upon community advanced in Christian CT
vilization and industrial pursuits, and exer-
cising the, rights of self government, q body
| OF pc0ple, rude, ignorant, barbarous, indolent.
4 improvident. and aitliout conceptions, or
even the. ability 10 conceive, OF the ordinary
obligations Of men to each other in a state OF
civilization.
What is to be donel Receive them to a
condition of social and political equalityi--
let them alone to prey upon the community
lake them up to pet, educate and christian
| ize according to the notions Of funcy phi
lanthropyl-or hold them in such a state OF
subsection as that they shall be compelled to
keep the peace, and contribute to their. own
| support IL is not enough to say that the
| latter is the true course. 1t IS the only prae-
| teal one-the only one consistent with the
| peace, indeed, with the existence Of society.
1t is the true one for tho best good of the in
ferior party. II is beginning his education
at the right place-industrialiy. 1t is idle,
stupid to talk about educstirg the negro in
teliectually and morally, until he has been
taught the first great rule imposed upon man
the obligation to labor. His education
| must commence with material things, lcav-
ing others to come in their order; and in the
absence of SENSE OF moral obligation, cocr-
cion is necessary as the cement o. society.
Therefore, whether 1.-THE relation of master
and slave was Instituted by an original law
OF God or otherwise" one thing is certain
that il is the necessary effect Of certain pos
sibe c. nditions in society. Place the African
and Anglo Saxon in JrXtaposition, and il the
process of adaptation is unvbstrueted. slavery
Is the result; and this because, under tho
operations OF its own natural laws, society j:
unvoluntarily, but none the less certainly
! perpetually laborng to adjust itself in thai
state which is best TOR all it's com ponents. ~
The character Of slavery is determined
by the condition and character OF tho parties
and several other elements, as the soil. eli
mate and nature OF the economical pursui :.
of the people. IL varies in different coun-
tries and with different people. No two sla-
j veries were ever alike, and beside this fact
which appears to have produced no fruit in
the mind of the author Of the work beior,
4 us-we do not know of q single benefit thai
can arise from the sitting of history, either
J sacred or profane, TO learn what slavery wa,
among the Jews OF among the Gentilcs
Every slavery is ssi lgensvis--has its owl
features, and must be judged by its own
J, rules. The author OF that interesting work
it varies remarkably in different States of th,
+ Union. Jewish and Roman and Grecian anC
Egyptian and eAsiatic slavery, all have thei
peculiarities, not made b. law, cut the nat
ural aud necessary result of difference il
the character of the parties master auc
slave; and to attempt to deduce from the ops
rules to govern the other,is the work of
pedant or pet:iiogger, not of a man and I
Il phi losopher. 1t Is upon this fact that j.
based the hope of the rational emancipation
list. W hen the negro is fitted to be a FIRE,
man, he can no. help but be free. In tn,
meantime, while it would be wrong to clos,
our eyes to the innumerable cases of individ.
ual crime. wrong and hardship that occu
wherever there is slavery, we cannot but fee
that, in general, the condition OF the Amer
lean slave i as compatible with his improve
ment US any that could be devised ~
African slavery in the United States il
. doubtless the most unexceptionables slavery
all things considered--the world ever saw
the master class being the most humane ant
civilized, and the subject class the most help
less and least capable of self-protection ant
elevation. The Jew, although not great,
industrial was cruel-his slave was captiv'
from a neighboring tribe; and the result
was, that while there was much facility {,
emancipate, there was great barbarity Will,
the relation continued. The world shudder
at the horrors of Roman slavery as they ap
pear on the pages Of history. Nor was tina
OF cultivated Greece much better; and, in.
deed, not even the refined cruelty of the Ro
mar,could be worse than. the stoiid brutalit,
OF the Spartan master. .rfrW -...al :
. The Bible is neither pro-slavery nor anti
slavery, and they do but torture its relation
D and orecepts who attempt to deduce from i
anything.like scommand upon either side
.B Tie Louisville Courier of tho estl