Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-02
For the NdshuiHe Patriot.
For the NdshriHe Patriot.
Hametfc Slavery NOrmal-God the
Author of the chronological Differ
ences-Justice of Divine DEGREES.

One great argument of the English and
yankee" anti-slaveryists is the proposition,
fallacious in truth, though somewhat plausible
in statement, and too readily admitted by
those few thinking and unprecedented men in
the North who are disposed to do us justice,
that slavery is local and freedom is national"
that is that freedom is the universal condition
of mankind, and the enslavement of any por
ton of it, can only exist as the creature of
local municipal law. As a mere matter of
history, this is untrue. The human race have
inhabited the earth about six thousand years,
and yet in the duration of not one hour, not
one moment of that whole period of time has
the race been free and equai-especially not
during one hour of the four thousand years
that have elapsed since the food. 1t is, to
say the least, very strange, and analogically
very absurd, to suppose that law of nature
so universal and normal as this equality of the
race is said to be, should never once, not even
for a single instant have had an application in
whole the history of nature. But this so much
waited, argument is really but begging OF
the question. Reduced to syllogism, the
| proposition will read somewhat thus
All men are by nature free and equal-Ne-
groes are men.
Therefore negroes are by nature free and
equal.
Here the "major premise" that all
| men are by nature free and equal, which is as
sumed, aud thereby the question begged, is
the very point in controversy. In or
der to establish that negroes are by ma
ture free, aud equal with other men. it is ne
cessary first to establish that all men are by
nature free and equal which is simply assum-
ed. Convince us that all men, are naturally
free and equal, and as a consequence we must
admit that negroes, being men, are by nature
free aad equal with us, and that only local
| law can enslave them. The most casual in
vestigation of history and of the world around
us, is sufficient to convince any candid mind
that there is no actual or necessary natural
equality, either physical, moral, or mental in
man. Even in the Japhetic race. the highest
| development of human nature, no two men
are entirely equal TO each other, though we
admit that this portion Of mankind are by ma
permanent when the Asiatic descendant Of
Shem is compared to the European son OF
| Japhet-and the inieriority, moral mental and
| physical. becomes absolutely insuperable when
the accursed seed of Hum is brought into
view-so absolutely insuperable, indeed, as to
have furnished infdelity one of the most Sc
| rious arguments with which it has attacked
| the truth of Christianity. 1t is true that En-
| glishmen, even Lord Mansfield wholly un-
acquainted with the African race have argued
and decided that negroes are naturally the
| equals of white men--and Yankee" imita-
tors, equally ignorant, have only followed in
their footsteps; but we, from practical and
long experience Of the negro race, as well a.
because our Bible has declared that II sh ould
be so, know that negroes are IN no way the
| equals Of white men, butar in every way. in
tellectusiiy, morally, and even physically. in
| ferior TO them, and by nature exactly fitted
10 he their slaves. This, as Christian men, ",
have proved to our own entire satisfaction;
and have often proved. and can easily prove
again TO the satisfaction ofany rational mind.
| The proposition that negro slavery is the crea-
| ture of local law and freedom Is natural and
universal has within, and only within. the last
century, been gravely INSERTED by high British
authority, but asserted reluctantly, aud in the
teeth of the decisions, and the common law OF
ten centuries (For a full discussion Of this
| question, whether slavery is local or general
See speech OF Mr.. Begjamin-del. U. S. Sc
nate, March IL, 1881 Before this isolated,
Lord Mansfield Is used TO us as an argument
against slavery, we demand thai the major
term Of the proposition, upon which the whole
decision is based. that all men are by nature
free and equal. be proved, without which proof