The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-23

THE 'ouTH CAROLINA EPISCOPAL CHURCH on
THE MARRIAGE QUESTION AMONG SLAyEs.-We
refer the reader to the resolutions n another part
of his paper which were appended to the late
Report of the Special Committee appointed by
the Protestant Episcopal Convention Charles
ton S. c., at its session in ls5S,to report on
the duty of clergymen in relation to the mar
riage Of slaves"
From these resolutions it will be ,een that the
committee recommended: first, thst the sacred
relation of husband and wife binds with the same
force the master and the slave; second, that the
Injunction Of our Saviour forbiddng man to
separate those whom God has Joined together, is
obligatory upon the conscience of every Chris
tan master; third that in the sale OF disposal of
married slave the master should lie governed
by this Injunction; and fourth, fifth, sixth and
seventh, relate to cases of voluntary abandon
ment among married slaves, and to separations
from circumstances beyond their control; and
theEeighth resolution declares that in such cases
ofseparation, where neither party lie in fault and
where separation appears to be permanent and
'AAA~At VAN ASAuc@A w u1lOW u oCCOuu HlolAloSC
would often produce much evil and hardship
and therefore the Convention decides in favor
Of such marriages.
In the beginning of their report the committee
say that Gin the diocess Of South Carolioa the
relation of husband and wife has always been re-
garded with the highest favor. The municipal
law has added its sanction to the precepts of the
divine law, and has steadfastly refused to set
aside the marriage contract for any cause what
ever. A marriage solemnized in South Carolina
protects the wife from all possible contingencies,
and there is no instance on record in this State
of legal divorce" This is very curious and
interesting fact, and is doubtless without
parallel in any other State of the Union The
committee, in applying this general rule, say
that ''the marriage relation between slaves has
the same divine obligation as that between mas.
tiers and mistresses;" but, from the peculiar cir.
cumstances referred to-, the committee are IN
duced to make the exceptions indicated in favor
of new marriages among slaves.
We presume that this report vas adopted, in
Guiding the resolutions, although the Charleston
Mercury, in which we find it, says nothing upon
the subject. In any event, the Christianity and
the humanity embodied in these views of the
committee in question do most frcibly viudi-
cate the church and the people Of South Caro-
lima in reference to the treatment q slaves 1t
is thus manifest that in that State, ktween mas
ter and slave the relations of protection and de-
pendence are harmoniously combined with those
of authority and obedience, and that there is
general recognition among masters Of heir duties
thus enjoined. We say this is NANTES, because
the Episcopal church of South Carolinaembraces
among its members very large proportion
of the largest and most influential stockholders
of the commonwealth How widely different
the views and recommendations of this Aforesaid
committee of South Carolina Shareholders from
the Jeremiads of Garrison, Parker, Cheever,
Beecher, and the New York Tr5une,touching
the treatment of the poor slaves by th{r South
ern religious masters. What say our free CO.
lored people Of New York?