, 1859-01-18
The Natural and Fictitious Conditions
which Tolerate Human Slavery.

HAVING ul1ue an Introductory examination Of
some OF the elements and conditions Of property
in the broad and true Specification Of the tern let
US trace the element Of slavery or the trausfurma
ton Of persons into property.
F1st-Let Us zee the condition Of The SLAVE in
the "mlddle passage" handcufed on tue SLAVE
ship. Here is the African, forcibly deprived Of
his natural right to himself, and held in subjection
to the power and will Of his fellow man. And
here lie may be said to bc ''recogniz ID" as rcla-
lively the property Of his master, as the horse is
recognized" Us the property OF his owner-that
Is, he Is subject to the arbitrary will Of his master,
who may DO with him, by force, as be may see fit,
without responsibility to human governments or
laws, il he be lucky enough to dodge the African
squadron but with this radical difference, that it
is in violation Of Natures great fundamental law
Of human rights, and not in Harmony with her
laws, ns In the case Of the horse. No human law
protects even the life Of the slarc {f he be dis
cased and worthless-an incumhrance) aga1n>t
the remorseleas nhumanity aud avarcc of the
master, who may abate the nuisance by simply
thrussing the slave into the ocean depths, where 10
tales are told. Such is his condition on saipboard,
and be is called a "s1aye.''
Steond-Let US see his condition when first sold
into the Colonies" His new master clothes him
And feeds him; his personal safety aud ply sica!
wants cared for he Il, in one sense, comlort-
ablc, and he il perhaps contcnted TO serve, for the
dormant ycatnugs Of the spirit Of Freedom in bis
untutorcd anu undeyeloped mind have not get
becn warmed into life and motion by the example
and teachings Of the surroundings Of his new DO
stioa In life. But his humanity is acknowledged,
and his life Is cared for aud is protected hy tie
laws Of the land. He is not wholly the thin: at
the arbitrary control and disposal Of his master,
Us in the first phase. Il is obvious that bis COZ.
intellectually valuable points from what i. way in
the first, and these points OF difference must be
kept in view in all logical argument. Yet he, too,
Is called "slaye.''
1hird-A new era has dawned upon the world.
The Rebels Of the American Colonies have erected
q standard Of Human Rights. The rights Of
"Li[e, liberty. aud the pursuit Of happiness" are
proclaimed to the world as tue inahenable gift Of
God 10 all the human race with the coE1olla1y
attached. that al .1ightful government must de-
pend upon the consent Of the governed. Tho
1VNAA~
were established and acknowledged, erected upon
this declaration Of Human Rights is the corner
Stone Of the superstructune. But persons were
held Us Slaves In must Of those new governments.
The rights OF masters had been recognized and
defined by law and the customs Of the country,
and means provided to enforce submission and
obedience on the part Of the slayes by sustaining
aud upholding the authority Of masters with the
power OF Law. Here We fnd new condition OF
things existing. The holding Of slaves under law
was in practical antagonism with their political
creed bnt it was an existing fact ian acknowl-
edged wrong and eviO entailtd on them, and they
had TO deal with it and treat 1t as they best could
under the circumstances. BY adopting the lesser
in choice Of evils. Here the condition ct the
African again has undergone material. radical
changes, and he Is Jet called q slave" But
provision In the Ordinance OF 1767 for the return
ofpersons held toservice or labor under the laws
OF State = made Jet another change in the con-
dition Of the saye under the Confederacy.
Fourkh-The National Constitution il the su.
preme Law Q! the land. The several States are
''Sovere1gn" in the right to make their respect
provisions OF the National Constitution, and
laws Of Congress in conformity with the const-
tuition. Hern the condition of the slave in each
alAve State is determined By tho respective l.ws
Of each varying somewhat in different States;
and tbs jurisdiction Of each State Is confined
State annulliug or oveEruling permanently Or
temporarily Tho Laws Of such other sovereign
State. But the National Constitution provides
that parso1s held TO service or labor under the
laws Of State. escaping therefrom, and seek
ing retu8e in another, sha2l not, BY reason Of
such obligation, service or lsbor, but shall b
given up on demand Of tho party TO whom such
serTice or labor may be due. In examining the
laws Of the States xe find that undor them tho
elaTes arc treated in sone reapects ~ ''persona"
They Aro indicated for certain crimes. They
ara held ~ Legally and morally responsible per-
sons in Soma respects. They may be Witnesses
in the courts in certain cAsas. Tho power Of
law suasains the authority and power Of the
mater o7er his s1avs 10 snforcs submission and
secure order aud public safety against in1urrsc-
ton In sons respects tho lAw treats him ~ it
does property: henos In the language Of the
coars aud laws Of the slave States the slave IL
called "psppsrty." Hs may b srapstsrred BY