Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-09-08

bic member from the State OF Virginia,
in speech delivered here, some time
ago, in the House of Representatives:
81 believe that the institution of Slave
~ is noble one; that it is necessary for
the good, the well being, of the negro
race. Looking TO history, L go further,
and-I say, nthe presence of this assem-
bly,, and under oil The imposing circum-
stances surrounding me. that believe it
/ is Gods institution. Yes, sir, il there
is anything in the action of the great Au
lhor of us all; if there is anything IN the
conduct of Christ himself, who came up
on this earth, and yielded up His life as
o sacrifice, that all through His death
might live; if there is anything in the
conduit OF His Al ostles, who incu ca
ted obedience on the part of slaves to
wards their masters as Christian duty /.
then we must believe that the institution
is from God. ."-HoR Bm Smith, Of
piyginia, IN a speech IN tie House Of
Representatives.
Again. l quote from the speech of The
honorable gentleman from Georgia. Mr..
GARTEELL, in regard 10 this same SEN
limeut:
Every sentiment expressed in that
eloquent extract meets my hearty ap-
/ PROBATION. As Christian man. believ-
ing ia. the teachings of Holy Writ, am
here to day before Christian nation to
reaifirm aud reannounce the conclusion
to which that distinguished gentleman
came-ihat this Institution, however
much it may have been reviled, is OF
! God"
Mr.. Chairman, these are not the only
authorities on this subject. You and
have heard from the other side, day af-
ter day, quotations from the Bible, in
tending to prove the same thing; and you
and know that there are honest ner
in the slave States who believe that this
is fact. have seen such men myself
and have conversed with them. They
have told me that Slavery was an abso
Lutte curse; and that the only reason why
they held their slaves day was, thai
they owed them certain religious duties
and must keep them to look after then
spiritual welfare. They feared that il
their slaves were cast loose upon The
world, with nobody to look after theil
spiritual interests, they would be spirit
ually lost. | heard this from a gentle
man from Kentucky. and again from {
gentleman from Augusta. Georgia, ant
believe in my heart that both of these
gentlemen were honest in these views
am not here TO impugn any man''
motives. l PIT this upon the ground
that is cl,imed by Southern men; ant
when listened to the gentlemen on the
other side, reading honestly from the sa,
cred volume in defence of this instiIu
ton, rs coming from God, and as a
means for the regeneration of heather
race in our land, L felt impelled to use
the language Of the Apostle to the Gen
tiles, which he employed on Mars Hill;
"Ohl Athenians. L perceive that in all
things ye are exceedingly given TO reli-
gion." Laughter. Now, sir, since thi:
institution has done all it ever can in this
capacity. and since it is pow destroyed
as converting and regenerating power,
stand here TO give it its proper place in
ecclesiastical history, for its right place
ii has never yet had.
In order TO understand what position
il is entitled TO, we must, TO some ex-
tent, speak by comparison, because we
cannot speak absolutely on these mat
ters of religion. The religious journals
ofthe free States have oftentimes mosI
unreasonably exulted over our religious
efforts, when they contrasted them with
the efforts of our Southern brethren.
have seen placed in parallel columns, in
Northern journals, the contributions OF
the free States and the contributions Of
the slave States; and there were mighty
words OF exulialion, unbecoming Chris
tan journal or Christian people at any
time, when it was shown that our con-
tributions for foreign missitns were a
hundred fold more than yours. 1t IS
true We make more contributions. Tie
city of Boston gives, for foreign missions,
perhaps more than all the slave States;
and the city Of New York perhaps more
than Boston. But what OF that? We
give few cents apiece, and only few
cents, for foreign missions each year,
which amounts TO great sum, because
we are a great people. We send men to
heather nations far over the water, to
tell them about their future destiny
We are careful not TO send our best men;
we keep our Motifs and Waylsnds, and
our Beechers and Cheeyers, at home;
but sometimes Judson escapes from us
before we know what he is. This is
about the extent we submit to self sacri-
fee for the sake Of the heaihen.
Is there any cause for exultalion in
this, when we see what our Southern
brethren hsve done and are doing?-
When have we ever taken the heather
to our hearth stones and to our bosoms?
When have we ever admitted the heath
en- TO social communion with ourselves
and our children? When have we ever
taken the heather TO our large cities to
show them the works Of art, or 20 the