New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-07-28

Among other documents published by the mana.
gers Of the Amer :au Tract Society, shortly before
its last annual meeting, in vinaicaton of their
dumb dog policy on the subject Of Slavery, was a
letter from Judge Green Of Tennessee, who, it
seems, is . leading professor in law school at
Lebanon in that State.
One object of this letter seemed to be to give
assurance Il at the objections raised by the writer
ard by other Southern Christians to any reference
by the Tract Society to the subject of Slavery, did
not grow out Of any partially for the institution,
but rested exclusively the ground that the South
generally is in too excited state to hear reason on
the subject. Judge Green, in this letter, as if to
clear lis own skirts, expressly declined to defend
the Institution of Slavery. He considered it an
evil, morally, socially and politically greater evil
to the master than to the slave. But in thus
attempting to preserve the respect and confidence
of the religious people of the North, Judge Green
is in danger Of loosDg caste with bis brother slave
holders of the South. This letter has been vehe.
mently attacked BY several Southern papers as no
better than an Abolition, or at least Free Soil
document, and the writer of it as dangerous man
for the South, ard not 6t to instruct Southern
youth in the laws Of their country.
Judge Green, by way Of answer to these attacks,
has written another letter, in which he undertakes
TO show distraction between his views ofthe nature
ofSlayery and those entertained by the AbotOnists.
He instts that in what he wrote be did not cay and
did not imply that there is anything morally
wrong in the relation of master and slave. AL be
ss;d ard oil he implied was that, an inc dent of
Slavery moral evils result to the white racs among
whom the slaves live. But this explanation is far
from Icing satisfactory. Tie Sarannah Ne,os scouts
such fne-spun distinctions. That paper asserts,
and as it seems to US, with reason that an astitu
ton which is an evil morally, socially and political
ly, " deserves to be attacked by religion, to be
"urrooted by every lover of good society, and 10
abe forbidden by constitutional law" As TO
Judge Green's further pleA that he was born in
Virginia Of slsveholdiDg parentage, and is slave
holder himsef that, 50 far from proving that he is
true Southern man, only makes the matter worse.
at will be hard says The Montgomery Adrsr-
ti~r, ito convince the Southern people that any
" man can be a true citizen of the South who pub
60 cly lends the authority Of his name, character
and position, 1T this day, aud circumstauced %
the South is, to the dam~atle sen,ineH, that Sav
"eiy is an evil, nora1y, socially and politically"
Neither is any weight allowed to the plea put in
by Judge Green that, during the early days of the
Republic, such opinions as bis were common in
Virginia, and entertained BY such men as Jefferson
ard Madison. The Sosth," 50 The Savannah
Ne,rs asserts, "n becoming more thoroughly con.
90 WINGED every day that Slavery is not only right
"per Sc but best for the South and best for the
" country; beat for the master and beat for Che
slave" and had jefferson and Madison lived to
this time, they would 80 Tie Nc.os ssserts, have
been brought over to this opinion.
Here is one among numerous other Indications Of
the point to which things are tending, or rather of
the position TO which they have already arrived.
To hold that Slavery is al evil, morally politically
and .ocally is denounced 1t the South no better
than -Soiism. 1t is met longer By any pits
bic attempts at evasion, by pleading that the British
entsied this evil upon US, and BY setting up the
difficulties in Ae way Of getting rid OF it; but By
the plump and positive assertion that Slavery is
right per se beet DC til for the slave and the nastsr
ana not only best for the South, but Sest for the
eogs,rv. The question Of Slavery thus ceases ~ be
local question. It is made na.onal question,
Whether or not j. is best for the cOhstry has nov
become point upon which all nust take one side
or the other. This question Of bee. or not for the
country necessarily involves and opens the ques-
,ous of best for the South, best for both masters
and slaves, good in itsef-because ii 10 upon the
solution Of these preliminary questions tia. the
solution of the final question whether Slavery il
best for the country, must depend