Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-05-22
The American Citizen.

The American Citizen.
By John Henry Hopkins. D. D., Bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese Of
Vermont. New York Pudney & Russell. 1857
This Book is little remarkable as an exhibit
ton of the otherwise we'll known versatility and
condesccnsion of the learned author, trcatng of all
possible human relations as authoritatively and
at the same time as Familiarity as if each were the
speciality of the writer. The rface, consequent
y, over which the reader is bound to travel, is of
very great extent and variety, but. as was no more
than fair, the grades are made extremely easy,
and there are no heights which the feeblest" Cit
izen " can find any difficulty in ascending. The
Book contains a vast number Of most undoubtcd
truths and Of course cannot fail to impart instruc-
ton wherever it finds Gt audience. But as moth
ing of human origin is perfect, this work is as
serted by to contain errors of fact and opin-
ion, and nconclusve reasoning, which ought to
be pointed odt for the protection Of so1,c Of its
readers and,-if HAPPY the author should be
made to perceive them-in order to the modiica-
ton and amendment of its future editions.
The present notice, which shall be as brief as
possible, will be Of one only (and of that one
with deep feeling of regret at such an occasion
to notice iDot the mutifarious subjects which the
Book discusses, viz Slavery. The Bishop at
tcmpts to defend the rightfune,s Of CHRISTIAN
sliyeholiing by the authority Of the
Law Of Moses. The Bishop is LAWYER
and knows very we'll that an argument
which proves too much is vicious and inconclu-
siyc But if the Law of Moses siiered by
itself-is an authoritative rule Of conduct for
Christians in particular it is equally SO in all
particulars where it gives command or permission.
Now the Law Of Moses, according to the Bishops
own method Of reasoning, sanctions polygamy, as
well as slavery, by laying dora ruis, fur II. Yet
the Defender Of Slavery by this authority cxspucs
polygamy with great Indignation and di! gust, and
excludes the Mormons from the pale, not only Of
the Church but Of the State The self-stylcd Me-
tropoltan Of Salt Lake appeals to the Old Testa.
neut, as well as to "another Bible, both to the
Law Of Moses, and to the example Of the Patri-
arrh. in defense Of the Divine right of polygamy,
precisely as the Bishop in the Diocese Of Vermont
and other apologsts for the other " debasng and
monstrous y enormity do in defense Of slavery,
and with much the better argument Of the two, be-
cause he takes them both together. Some of the
ablest defenders at the South Of one Of these So
called Divine Institutions, are apparently better
iosicians than even the Bishop, and perceive that
by Their line Of argument they are bound to take
the other also, and so begin to speak apologetcal-
ly Of polygamy as well as slavery. The Bishop
may as well repress his horror Of Mormonism,
and prepare himself for co-partnership with po-
lygamy States along with slave.;tates for the
Shareholders are plainly making up their minds to
that unlucky conclusion of their own argument
and the Northern apologsts of tho Nebraska Bill
and Of the unspeaksble infamies in Kansas, IN,
n"nbsr Of Dhon the Bishop is usins his mhoi, infu.
snef to increase, altho with faces dreadfully awry
will gulp and swallow Utah, poygamy and all,
by the same reptilian power OF distension which
has enabled them to swallow slavery. According
to the Bishop, moreover, the Hebrews were com
planded to buy and own the posterity of the hea.
then is he as quick to perceive, and willing to
admit, the logical consequence, as.the Southern
politicians, and to proclaim the duty Of reopen
ing the slave trade Again, n Hebrew might
take a captive female, that is slave and try her
for wife, but If she did not suit him on trial he
IN ght not sell her, he commanded to set her
free viii the Bishop still farther defuo the du
ties of citizens by reminding his Southern breth.
rem that this law is obligatory upon them by the
same authority under which they claim the right
to hold slaves If he shall succeed in enghten-
ing their consciences and in bringing them to obe
dlence on this point so that often as the afore
said trial is made and fails, tho slave who has
been " BUNDLED" with the result Of the cxperi
ments shall be set at liberty, the number Of free
persons " not c'Hsens) would pretty rapidly in
crease, and the Christian practice, which, when we
read of it in oldest British barbarian ancestors
has an extremely forbldding and ugly look-viz,
that o! selling ones children and brothers and
sisters to slave dealers-woud he considerably
diminished.
The number Of commands and permissions to
the Hebrews by the Law Of Moses might be in
creased indefinitely, none Of which the defenders
Of slavery from the same authority would admit
TO be obligatory upon, allowable to, Christians
One knows not which most to admire, tho ridden.
lous inconsequence of their reasoning or the pre-.
tentious rogance Of their assumptions, az if they
alone OF all men were diyinely authorized to say
what parts Of the Law of Moses shall govern the
relations Of Christians and what parts are obs,-
slavery as they have to condemn polygalny, or TO
justify polygamy, or anything else permitted ar
required by that Law, as they have to defend
slavery by denying the correctness of tho
conclusions Of Others, they Of neeessnv-tboucb
most OF them are too blind to see it-conJa,rn
the rightfulness of their own. Their metbod %
reasoning compels them to take the whole Law oc
Moses, while they resolved to have onIv az
much of it as they like, (denying to the Prophet
OF Salt Lake, however. and to other people. the
same priVilegc) In short, until they become
Jews TO all intents and purposes, their argument
from the Law of Moses in Justification of SLAVERY
Is good for nothing, and then it will be good opy
Tor themselves, but none the more for Christians
Hence it is plain by their own showing
hat Christian defenders of slavery are inevitably
md forever cut off from the authority of the Obi
Testament in that behalf, unless they are willing
o take polygamy and the law of temporary con.
ubinage, the law against usury. the command to
estroy idolators, the Sabbatcal year, the Jubilee.
C., &c, along with it,
SO much for the Old Testament, considered by
self, IN justification of Christian slaveholdipr.
he Bishop is welcome to make the most of it.
But the New Testament is also the higher and
lshe'' iawa all timeso be appealed to on the side
slavery and Its pious spolo giss tho an appeal to
in favor Of freedom is both fanatical and mora.
FH' treason against the State. The pro-,larsr '