Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-10-08
From the Free Chtreh PortfolioI
1raY ryNF Tnu CT

Since the revival of the African Slave Trade
has forced upon the public attention the subject Of
American Slavery editors of called religious
newspapers, and Doctors of Slave-holding Divins
ty, with view of shielding the great parent in
iquty which has its stronghold in the Churches,
are bandying about the legal phrase which stands
at the head of this article. Blackstone, in his
Commentaries on the laws of England, defines
n,alum in Sc to be breach Of the Superior Law"
by which he means the Law of God, AID which
he recognizes as paramount in authority. Muir
der is maium in Sc. So are theft and peri ury
The term is distinguished from malum prohiLitum,
which defines an act pronounced to be wrong on
ly because its commission is forbidden by the Su-
preme Legislative power in the State. If man
we're to put into the Croton reservoir fifty barrels
of Prussic acid, With view Of poisoning the in
habitants of New York, the act in its Intention
and consequence, would be malum in Sc, au insrn-
sic, essential sin, nexcusable and unjustifable.
But if citizen of Pennsy ylvania, within the limits
Of the State passes a bank bill of lower denom-
ination than five dJllars-or if he shoot wood-cock
between the first day OF February and the fourth
day of July-that is only malltm prOht6itun. The
sinfulness that attaches to these acts is simply
that of violating a Statute. There is no Inherent
evil in them as there is in murder, theft per-
~. There is another large class of ''sius" tina,
are not stamped with the atrocty of nahum in Sc
such as chewing tobacco, drinking uDduly OF in,
toxicating liquor. taking an apple from neigh
boris orchard, &e., &c. Such acts are sins conSe
ouentialy They work ultimate sin. There can be
no inherent sin in young lady keeping time to
music in parlor dance. But when she goes to
the public and promiscuous ball at unsuitable
hours and under improper circumstances and there
by exposure endangers her health or her virtue.
that approximates the nature of positive down
right sim 1t is hard to define the boundary Of this
class of transgressons, and point out the place
where they get into the category ot."dtum IN Sc
But it is very plain that such boundary exists
Reason and conscience, when eandidly brough. tC
bear on the prohibition and requirements of th'
moral law, will generally avail in solving all ques
tions of duty.
Now, as a Christian, we take the gfodnd tha
Slaveholding is mdlum in SEA sin in itself consd
ered BY a STAKEHOLDER We mean one who avail
ing himself of an iniquitous state OF Society, an
of laws responding thereto, claitts and hold
property in man, as he does in brute or inan
mate thing. The claim aud justification Of thi
right, we deem an infinitely greater sin than tn
mere practice Of slaveholding just as the defende
of horse-stealing on principle is a more dangerOu
criminal than the horse thief himself. One ma
NAV sustain to another The legal relation of slave
holder, while at the same time he is guilty of n
sin ard is no STAKEHOLDER in fact. When Dr. Bris
baue went 90 South Carolina and bought up tn
slaves which he afterwards emancipated in Ohio, h
was for the time bengi in the eye of the law tegd
holder of slaves. Had he died before the act o
emancipation, his slaves would have been counse
with the rest of his property and put up for sal
10 the highest bidder, or divided among his heir
At law. But in the sight of God he was not on
an innocent man, tut doing praiseworthy ac'
when from the purest and most benevoien. motives
he assumed the legal relation Of STAKEHOLDER.
there are no doubt many Southern men who al
complicated and mixed up with Slavery, IN iegt
way, bat who in heart, and as tar their free agel
cy will allow, disavow all claim to their "slaves
and are innocent. IL the reader doubts wheths
slaveholding in the sense We have given OF ii