Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-06-10
SLAVERY EXAMINED
BY THE LIGHT OF NATURE.
SERMON PREACHED BY
REV. G.. w. BASSETT
At the Congregational Church. Wash
ington. ID. c. FEB. 2Sth, 1858.


ington. ID. c. FEB. 2Sth, 1858.
ROMANS, 2, Is: Which show the work of the
law written in their hearts.
The real issue in the great contro-
versy which now convulses this nation
is in regard to the moral character Of
negro slavery. 1t is said to have be-
come question Of the Liberties of the
whites. / grant that the liberties of
the whites are involved; but the real
question lies back of this; for it is
serious consideration that you can en-
slave the negro only by restricting the
liberties of the whites. The truth is
written in living facts all over the ma.
tion. The acts of our National Leg
islature for the last quarter of a centu
ry are mortifying demonstration OF
the same truth.
Let me warn my countryEen, also,
that there is Providential view Of
this subject. God Almighty is for the
negro. He is troubling this nation
to-day because of her immeasurable-
J crimes against this class Of her popu-
lation. All others may ignore the
wrongs of this afflicted people. but
there is an ear above ever open to their
ceasless cry 1t is all vain trihing,
therefore to contend against these
natural and retributive effects of slave
ry, while you leave the mighty cause
in full operation. The liberties of the
blacks must be restored, or that of the
whites will be destroyed. Twenty
millions of republicans, who hold four
millions of slaves, are too selfish to
maintain their own liberties! They
deserve to lose the "habeas corpus"
the trial by jury" and legal freedom
to obey God. They deserve ignoble
subsection to one-man-power,l like
r the enthralled millions of France and
Italy. The Fsgitive Slave Law, a
subjected pulpit,a corrupted church and
4 prohigatc and murderous age, are but
the retributive effects of our selfishness
> towards a prosecuted race. The char
lot wheels of our nations prosperity
are coming off; we are deep in the mire
of the Red Sea, while the floods of
national calamity are impending over
l. us.
j., Slaveholding polititions exhibit a
creditable frankness in declaring that
n this question lies at the bottom of our
national difficulties. Nor is the con-
$ trovers limited to this continent. 1t
seems as though the scattered forces Of
e slavery. by fearful concert of action,
suddenly emerging from the converts
to which they had rctreated. were a.
d bout to make u simultaneous and uni
versal effort to recover their lost do
!, minion.
a leading organ of the French Gov.
+ ernmcut boldly defends the policy OF
purchasing negroes on the coast of AZ
c. rica, and carrying them as slaves to
:. the French Antilles. The London
Times, also, has advanced some strange
\, and startling views of similar i'm
Ie port. 1t is well known that the com.
bincd fleet of Christendom does not
succeed in preventing the inhumar
ID traffic in African slaves. The horrors
;. of the middle passage are not the dark
couelties of semi i-barbarous antiquity
r but the hellish Preparations of thi,
generation. Such facts, together with
" the recent action of the highest court
in America, Except the American
ID people, in which is recognized tn,
right of property in man. and in whicl
the political existence of whole rae,
" is annihilated, all unite to press tn,
subject upon our consideration.
\ quarter of a century since, wher
the unsophisticated mind of the natior
was first reused to this subject, tn,
n question of the moral character o
A. slavery was recognized as the essentia
Or point. Few could be found at tha
n time to defend the theory Of slavery
Legislatures and courts protected th'
institution by sort of tolerated in
ID consistency, and on the principles o
rs human expediency. The testimony o
3 the most illustrious fathers of the Re
- - public, North and South, was nearly
" unanimous against the morality o
in this institution. They uniformly de
.precated its existence.
But fearful change has come owe
Is Is the American people. By twenty o
IS thirty years of national toleration o
Ut acknowledged wrong. the moral sens
Of the people has become so blunted
and the heart of the nation so harden
a ed, that this legislative monster o
IL human chattelism is not only defended
!" in senate but justified in churches
The pulpit. the sworn advocate an'
o' guardian of right. has boldly steppe'
! forward, Bible in hand, to defend it