The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-05-29

the assertion of social truth in every step
towards democracy, and reason, therefore,
in the shouts OF triumph which encourage mas.
ses in their march to power. But this cXhi-
bits only that these distinctions were unatur-
al, not that they were unnecessary that
inequality is wrong, but only that political IN
equality can not endure without the natural
fitness TO sustain it; and if society, by its
own spasmodc workings through human his
tory, has exhibited the great truths that to So
cial order and social progress there is the ne.
ceSSily for social articulation and rued and
ruling class, and that without unequal races
these distinctions are not to be perpetuatcd, il
has demonstrated that not only is this form Of
social constitution adopted by these southern
states not wrong, but that in onr possession
Of races so unequal they can never merge, we
hold the promise of brighter future than has
ever opened to the hopes Of man.
Nor are the analogics Of this great Universe
against it. We have no means Of knowing
what is to be the final constitution Of society
but, We have no reason for assuming that il is
not to have some other form than i. has ever
yet achieved. As the unarganic world has
been brought to the point ut which it is fit for
animal life, and, as animal life has been raised
through successive steps up TO the point at
which it is fitted for society, SO also is their
reason for believing that society itself may be
intended to progress TO other ycrres Of cren.
ton The physical world would seem to be
complete. Starting ut the poypy--an unartie.
.ulated thing with its foot-Stalk on II rock, anil
capable only Of growth and reproduction and
following the chain Of animated nature up to
mnn--wc see grand panorama Of creations,
each order more complicated and more perfect
than the one before it, OF this great array OF
physical nature, the forms are all determined
and the acquisitions known. But starting at
society as yet an unarticulated thing, withit,
foot,staIk on man and pointing ont to u range
OF social relations unaccomplshed, the forms
are not determined and the acquisitions arC
not known. 1t may be that this democracy
this thing OF equal elements -unartieulutcd
and unbelicyed, is all that is intcndcd-that
this order of social relations is to stop at its
first achievement, and that man is TO endure
and nations rise and fall, with the ability to at
tain TO nothing more formed and more cndur-
ing than this elementary condition hnt it
may be that it is not ali that is intended It
may be that society also is to 30 by REGULAR
@radationS upwards, and that it is to have
form and organism, and capacities and powers,
as much above the democratic ideal of the
present age as is the vertebrate above the ra-
diate in animated nature.
Such are some Of the grounds upon which
slavery stands TO yiHdicatc itself II may be
that it is right. There is no umpire between
Us, at least, upon this earth, and whcthcrright
or not can only be determined in the great
result And it is only for Us, in humble rcl.
ancc on an overriding Providence to do our
part by slavery and trust 10 Him the layora
bic issue. II we affirm this union of UNEQUAL
races, We must affirm the means to lis forma-
ton 1t were else as logical in those who "a
7or matrlmony to object 10 marriage and an
allllmance OF slavery therefore, Is in principle
and effect an aiiirmancc Of the foreign slave
trade.
That this is 50 there is little room for qucs.
ton. 1t has been attempted to distinguish
between the foreign and domestic slave trade,
but there IS no ground for snch distinction
There are many tender 10 the touch Of foreign
structure. who are content TO say we hold the
negro by prescription but there is 10 such
refuge lff shall have held negro and that
We're possible, until his right to liberty, rs
against me, mas been barred by him, 50 has
not, also, the man to whom shall sell him
and he who buys Il slave he never owned ut
home has nothing to say to me for buying II
slave negcr owned abroad.
But we go further If there be the RIGHT
TO liberty in the negro, il can never be eXtn-
gnished BY prescription. That may give pro-
pcrty as between owners, but u can give 10,
sanction to wrong. 1t may give me the title
to property, as against another, aid to a slave.
therefore, as against his master, but no RIGHT
10 slave as against himself. And il were ns
ust to hold, that the Imprisonment Of man
or one year will warrant his imprisonment for
mother, Or that we may beat neighbor until
t shall be no battery TO beat him. or general
y, that the repetition of any other wrong will
make il rght--os, thai BY holding negro in
'iolaton of his natural rights for so long, wei
AYE acquired the right to hold linn longer.
Considering, then, that slavery is itsclf an
liirmaacc Of all the proper means to its ex-t
cnson--tlat if the trade be wrong, so is the t
ondtion which results from it--and that in
70 way can we defend the union of unequal
aces without defending also the means to its
we next come to the two GREAT
"actical questions that have been submitted
0 our consideration, which are whether this