The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-03-31
OLD SERIES. VOL. II, NO. q
TERMS, e1.SO in Advance.

or belief that it would take effect, and ope-
rate four thousand years? Guess not Ard
why? He says that which was no sin then,
is no sin now. Then, why notg The
truth may as well be told at once; we GER
tainly can have no right to appropriate to
ourselves the real or supposed advantages
which flow from a system, or action, which
is wholly inapplicable in our Gay.
The theory that the Canaanites were ne
groes, may very easily be beset with many
difficulties; but Mr. Taunton waived them
ALL and for the sake of the argument tacitly
admitted them to be so. He then said at
the time of the Babylonish captivity, ait
servtude of course ceased in Judea; they
the negroes-would of course be free during
the period of that captivity, and on the re-
turn of the Jews, God, by the mouth of
Esskiet proclaimed a new law, to the effect
that, the son shall no longer bear the iniqui-
ty of the father; but every mans sin shall
be upon his own head. Eek, chapter 1S.
If Noah's curse was ever valid and took
effect,-of which We Rave no procf-this
new law proclaimed by the Prophet effectu-
ally suspended its operation. 1t was then
shown that from the Babylonish captivity
up to the opening of the African slave trade,
about two hundred years ago, there was no
historical proof that the African race had
been enslaved at all; and hence it follows
that from the time of Noah until tha present
day, they have been exempt from slavery
for a greater period of time, than that fos
which they were enslaved. And here came
the whitening, unanswered, and perhaps un-
answerable question-at least, pro-slavery
made no answer "By what authority has
this supposed curse of Noah's been revived
after its abrogation by Ezekiel, and after it
had remained dead letter among the ma,
tons of the earth for two thousand years?'
The speaker added: 81 will tell you sir, by
what authority: it has been revived by the
authority of dollars and cents" To this
Mr.. Fowler made no reply.
As the gentleman has set me seriously to
thinking on this matter, trust he will excuse
me if offer result of that thought, and
ask his aid and light He stated that the .
Canaanites were Negroes, the defendants of
Canaan, a son of Ham; and although he did
not distinctly state it, yet he left the i'm
preston that the nations around the promis-
ed land We're not negroes Now it is a fact
that the Jews were ordered utterly to exter-
animate the Canaanites. in which case, Of
course, they could not be enslaved. On the
other hand the Jews, in Leviticus 18th chap
ter-44-45, have. permission to buy of the ma.
tons round about, which Of course were not
Canaanites and, consequently, not Negroes,
according to his own theory. They are also
permitted to buy Of the strange who sojourns
among them; these strangers surely could
not be Canaanites. for if they did not utterly
destroy them, still why buy them, when they
might be had under the head of Captive?
The more | reflect on this painful subject
and especially on the claim put forth of Di-
vine authority for Slavery, the more get
enveloped in difficulties. Like Banquo's
Ghost, the bleeding, lacerated slaves will rise
to view-shake their CORY heads, and ask
"Is this great cruelty done to us, done by
the sanction and authority of that God whom
YOU teach us to adore?-you teach us that
the mission of Christ was one Of Love to all
mrnkind-that he came to "lead captivity
captive" to 'break the yoke of the oppressor
and let the oppressed go free;" if so. why do
YOU stand in the way of its accomplishment?
You teach us to look to him for eternal sal
walton; but how can you inspire us with con-,
fidence in his power to work our ete' nal good
when thus far his mission for our TEMPORAL
good is unfulfilled? You teach us that Christ
says those amongst us poor slaves who be-
lieve on. him, are temples Of the Holy
Ghost;'-that we are ''members of his body,
his flesh and his bones" that he said we
who ''do the will Of his Father which is in
Heaven, the same is his Mother. his Sister,
and his brother" And, after thus teaching
us that we are by faith and holiness of life.
Incorporated into bis body, and unitv and
oneness is wrought between him and us, YOU
still 60 on crucifying him anew in the Afri-
can race-in us you have been mailing him
to the cross anew for these hundreds of wears,
and you propose still to nail him through all
time. Whilst processing to teach us the
"wiSdom of God" you have proclaimed in
vour halls of legislation that, ''as far as nos
sible YOU have closed every avenue by which
light may enter our minds; and were it pos
sible to extinguiSh our capacity to see light.
you would do it." You thus exhibit your
selves to us as generation of hvpocrites:
whitened sepulchreS; fair without, but full Of
rottenness and 6ead mems bones. The Jew
who spat upon. Christ was holy. compared
to you: he did not believe on Christ, and
hence he acted but in accordance with his
convictions; whilst you profess your TSavinr's !,
name. but bear the "Devils mark" Well
may these reflections cause the heart of the
Christian to bleed. To these burning, but
Just reproaches freely confess myself to he
wholly unable to reply: but thinking that
Mr.. Fowler may, I shall remain
On rHH FENCE YET.
Blakesburg, Mar. 2lst, 1859.
Indeed, the'more-I study the world the
more | acquire a respect for these kinss of