The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-08-17
For the MississiPpian.
The Morality of Slavery.
NUMBER l.

u sion, to enter upon the discussion OF the mol
e atty of slavery, in series of numbers, sut
IS cessively to appear in the Mississippian-
: Before doing so, permit me to make fey
a preliminary observations.
: l. No man can discuss the moral status {
g slavery unless he enter, more or less, upo
e the domain of theology. This is unavoidable
As Sir William Hamilton says mo difficult
emerges in theology that has not previousl
: emerged in philosophy. There are two differ
ent methods of considering the institution Q
slavery, the one upon the basis of the trutl
of revelation and the other upon natural prin
5 ciples Both are philosophical. Now, m!
3 object is not to discuss theology but to discus
the morality of slavery, and as it is impossible
to discuss this subject without careful an'
very elaborate examination Of the origin am
} character of neral evil, pray that my argu
ments may be weighed in the scales of truth
; and not considered in the light of dogmatica
theology.
e. | wish the reader to understand that
am not only a STAKEHOLDER of many years
standing, but am the son and grandson O.
Shareholders | make this observation for the
purpose of showing that would not be likely
to make unnecessary or unreasonable conces-
sions to the opposers of the institution of do
mestic slavery, while those, demanded by
legitimate reasoning, | shall not hesitate to
concede in all their depth and to their whole
extent
There is nothing paradoxical in saying that
man may be an humble and at the same
time be an intrepid and fearless reasoner. In
my judgment, man may think fearlessly and
yet not dogmatize. Although am slave
holder, profess to be amenable to moral gov
ernment, plant to the just claims Of logic,
and hence, occupy my position as STAKEHOLDER,
in obedience of moral truth, yielding in all re-
CARDS, whatever may be the consequences to
my temporal interest to its authority.
Now, Sir, If any man can out reason me-
if any man shall be able in fair debate to show
my positions to be unsound-if any man can,
in the field Of logic, or in the face of the prin-
ciples of the Christian scriptures, show slavery
to be sinful or repugnant to the government
Of God, promise to travel on my knees to
the remotest corner of the country to pledge
to him my eternal remuneration of IT. | am
sincere in what say, because ] am unwill-
ing to forfeit the rewards that come from the
obedience of the truth in thought and deed,
for mere earthly advantages however condu-
Give to my temporal enjoyments however
sanctioned by time and usage, however neces-
sary to inveterate habits, howeverin their sur
render, my very heart strings may be torn
asunder.
As this number of the series is designed to
be rather preliminary than argumentatlye, let
me point the classical reader to a sentence in
Horace, with which he is doubtless familiar
and that discloses what in my judgment
would be golden rule in this discussion if
carefully practiced.
The substance of this extract (to be inme-
diately giyen) is also embodied in the Scrip
lures when it teaches us to not be wise above
teachings is founded on the proposition that
God does not desire human progress to ad-
vance too rapidly-that is to say-deserves
it only to advance by wise or regulated pro-
gression. Hence, good men are exhorted to
possess their souls in patience and not to over
step the lines of prudence and wise dscre-
ton.
| But to the extract from Horace
'Gaudeat doleat cura metua;ve quid ad
|
| 81 quidquid vidt meius peiusVe spe
| Defxis ucnis nomen ferat aquus rniqul;
Ultra guam salts est, virtutem petat Ipsam."
This extract occurs in his Epistle VI, to
Sumicus, and may be thus rendered LET
man rejoice or grieve desire or fear, to what
does it pertain if with coward mind he is stu
pefied in soul and body at whatever he per-
cieves better or worse than his wishes, let the
wise man be accounted as fool, the just as
unjust If he pursues paTtne eneo heyond just
| bounds
! As there may be such thing as intemper
ance in being temperate-rash and sinful over
zeal in religion, so there may be much bad or
vicious philanthropy in the love of man.
For that principle of humanity that prompts
men to disregard the slow progress of the
truth working upon the volition as free agency
of men, and to rely rather upon passion and
disorder, new word or term of designation
has recently been evinced by that fine scholar
! Mr.. Winthrop of Massachusetts,
| The word used by Mr.. Winthrop is "aTite-
nian." 1t is taken from the Greek adjective
arite 1t is designed to betoken that class of
restless reformers, who, wise above what is
written, seek to reform our race, by other
agencies than the simple truth, the truths
that quietly and theoretically regulate the
social state, as well as the social progress IN
that state.
What can be finer or IN truer spirit of
philosophy than the following, taken from an
address of this distinguished gentleman de-
livered in the city of Boston? +? "But if pass
ing from the religious we glance for an instant
at the moral movements of the age, think
we may perceive a still more imperative de-
mand for something more of christian spirit
and motive, and principle on the part if not
few of those by whom they are Conducted
Indeed, know of few things more deplorable
in our day and generation, than the tone and
temper. / should rather say, the want OF
, temper which characterize so much OF our
moral controversy 1t would seem to be
thought, in some quarters that any degree OF
violence and vituperation viii be justified and
sanctioned, if they are only employed in
good cause. Intemperate declaimers in favor
of temperance, gracious advocates for peace,
and pleaders for human liberty whose great
art and part would seem to be to take liber-
| ties of the most unwarrantable kind with the
characters and motives of all who dare to diff
fer from them, have been found at every cor
ner of our streets Mere waredly instrument
talities too are relied upon almost exclusively
for advancing the great reforms of society
Associations and agitations, political combina-
tons, and human legislations-to say nothing
even of the bludgeon or the bowie knife, the
revolver or the rife, are invoked and appealed
to, as the all sufficient agencies for remedying
the evils or redressing the wrongs of our So
| cial condition.
Impatient of the slow processes by which
the greatest designs of Providence are often
unfolded, matured and accomplished
ing that old expectant system, which Daniel
illustrated SO exquisitely in one of his most
familiar psalms, I waited patiently for the
Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my
calling they are ever adopting sort Of heroic
practice for bringing theirprojects to an issue.
They would almost seem to be jealous lest
the Almighty himself should get the start Of
them in effeeting his purposes'of mercy, JUS
tice and love among the children of men,"
| Mr.. Webster, in his speech on the Greek
Revolution, makes the remark that '4he time