The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-07-04

preston from the fiery soul OF Jefferson. Here
ire some Of bis words:
There mus, be unhappy influence on the man
.ers Of people produced by the existence OF slavery
among IA. The whole commerce between master anu
lave perpetual exercise OF the most oostefou' pa.
lions HE USREnrTiSG PEsPJTlSN On the one part,
.nd degrading submission the other oar children sec
his and learn IN initiate it. The NAN mnS
= prodigy seao can rssaa has and morals IN
ieprac>d By such circmStsGces And with What exeers
ton should the statesman be loaded, who permitting
me half the citizens thus - trample on the rights OF
the other, .rrnrns haase into dos, and these mo
enemies destroys the morals Il the part and the
amor fsIrr Of the other WITH the mofAis Oh |
the people, their Industry also is destroyed
Next comes the Ptilosophic authority; and
here the language which quote may be less IA
miliar, but it is hardly less commanding. Among
names of such weight, shall not discriminate,
but shall simply follow the order of time in which
thew appeared First is John Locke, the great
author of the English System of Intellectual Phi
losophy, who, though once unhappily conceding
indulgence TO American slavery, in another place
describes it, in words which every slaye-master
should know, as
The state of war continue; betseen lawful con
queror and his captive. 10 opposite TO the gen
.tous temper and Of nation, that tbs hardly 10
D. cOactir,d that Ea9iishaiIa, ACCi LIS GENTLEMAN
sholsli plead for IT,
Then comes Adam Smith, the founder OF the
science Of Political Economy. who, in his work
on Morals, thus utters himself
There is no; gro the of Africa who does
not possess degree Of mtgnanimty which the soul OF
his il too often scarce capable OF conceiv
dy Fortnte exered cruelty her empire over
ma nkint when she subjected the e nations Of he
roes 10 the refuse Of gaois Europe TO wIeches who
the virtues neither Of the countries which they
from, of those which they go TO- ana nhose te
to- brutality, and bdseness justly expose then, 10 the con
tempt of the uun9lShet Theory Of Moral Sentiments,
Part T., chapter 2.
This judgment, pronounced just century ago,
was repealed by the save-masters OF Virginia, in
a feeble publication which attests at least their
own consciousness that they were the criminals
arraigned by the distinguished philosopher.
This was soon followed by the testimony of the
great English moralist, DR.. johnson, who, in a
letter to friend, thus shows his opinion of slave.
masters.
"To onni, for year. or for day. the most eficacious
method Of advancing Christianity compliance with any
purposes terminate this side of the grave,
crime Of which know not that the world has had an ex
ample except the practice OF the planters q ADisrcd
IF mortrls com, IsuTpOe, oher wan ,cises TO
resenyI ''-L.uer to William Drsamond, August, 1915.
i:osso.iis LIFE Of johnson, by CroterI
With such authorities, American and Philo.
sophie, l need not hesitate in this ungracious
task but Truth, which is mightier than Mason
and jefferson, than John Locke, Adam Smith,
and Samuel johnson, marshals the evidence in
unbrOken succession.
Proceeding with this argument, which broad.
ems as we advance, we shall see slave.masters
Cd in the Law of Slavery, (2) in their relations
with Slaves (3) in their relations with each other
and with Society, and al in that Inconsistencies
which renders them insensible to their true char
acter.
I. As in considering the Character of Slavery,
50 in considering the Character of Slave masters,
we must begin with the Lar of 'Slarery, which,
as their work. testifies against them. In the face
of such an unutterable abOmination, where i'm
piety, cruelty, brutality, and robbery, all strive
for mastery, it is in vain to assert the humanity
or refinement Of its authors. Full we'll know
that the conscience which speaks so powerfully
to the solitary soul, is often silent in the cOrpO-
rate body, and that, in all ages and countries,
numbers when gathered in communities and
States, have sanctioned acts from which the indi-
| vidual revOlts And yet know no surer way of
Judging a people than by its laws, especially
| where those laws have been long continued and
openly maintained.
Whatever may be the emnence of individual
| virtue-and would not SO far disparage human
| ity as to suppose that the offences which may be
general where slavery exists are universal-it is
not reasonable or logical to infer that the masses
of slave-masters are better than the law of sla.
very. And since the law itself degrades the
slave to be ehattel, and submits him to their
irresponsible control, with power to bind and to
scOurge; to usurp the fruits of another's labor !;
to pollute the body; and to outrage all ties of
family, making marriage impOesible-we must
conclude that such enOrmties are sanctioned by
| slave.masters, while the exclusion Of testimony,
and prohibition of instruction-by supplementary
law-compete the evidence of their completely.
And this conclusion must stand unquestioned
Just 30 long as the law of slavery exists unrepeal
ed Cease, then, to blazon the humanity of
slave-masters. Tell me not of the lenity with
which this cruel Code is tempered to its unhappy
subjects. Tell me not of the sympathy which
OverflOws from the mansion of the master to the
cabin of the slave. In vain you assert such
happy accidents" In vain you show that there
are individuals who do not exert the wickedness
of the law. The Barbarism still endures, sol.
EMMY, legisatvely, judcially attesed in the very
SLAVE CODE, and procaims constantly the char
acter of its authors. And this is the first article
in the evidence against save-masters.
(2.) / am next brought to Slaye-masters in
their relation to SHARES; and here the argument
is founded upon facts, and upon prescriptions ir-
resistable as facts Only lately has inquiry burst
into the gloomy world of bondage, and disclosed
its secrets But enough is already known to
arouse the indignant condemnation of mankind.
For instance, here is a simple advertisement
one of thousands-from the Georgia Messenger:
.RuS Away-My mau Fountain has holes in his ears,
the right side of his forehead has been shot
the hind parts OF his legs is marked his back with
| the whip. Apply TO Robert Beasiey, Macon, Ga"
Holes in the ears scar on the forehead; shot
in the legs, and marks of the lash on the back !!
Such are the tokens by which slave-master pro-
poses to identify his slave.
And here is another advertisement, revealing
slaye.masters in different Light. II is from the
National Mteiligencer, published at the capital /;
and confess the pain with which cite such an
indecency from journal of such .respectability.
Of course, it appeared without the knowledge OF
the editors but it is rome the less an illustrative
example:
"FoR SAIE-Au accomplished and handsome lady's
maid She is just sixteen years of age raised in
genteel family in Maryland and is proposed to be
sold, not for any fault, but simply because the has
further for her. note directed to Gadsbys
Hotel, will receive prompt attention
stated Gbertine, in land where vice is lie.
galized, could not expose his victim with apter
words.
These two instances will illustrate class.
| In the recent work of Mr.. Omstead, q close
observer and traveller in the Slave States which
abounds in pictures of slavery, expressed with
caution and evident regard to truth, will be
found still another, where slave-master thus
| frankly confesses his experience:
81 can tell you how you break niger of running
away, certain" said the Slave MASTER There an
so If niger ran away when he caught him, he would
bind his knee over leg. and fAsten him ne ceudn
stir then ne take pair of pincers and pull of his
toe nails oct BY the roots and tell him that if be
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