The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-06-29

on, u tne OarDarian De unwilling TO |
submit 10 The authority Of the civilized he |
has right 10 bis wild independence, re-
framing, on his part, from an invasion OF
the rights Of his civilized Deighbors. IfI
this be not the right OF the barbarian, then
the superior, the civilized, The Just, and
the benevolent, is permitted to demand
and exact from the barbarian what he re-
fuses TO yield himself, and thereby proves
himself both hypo9rile and a knave.-I
tie violaies the golden rule, setting at
naught the "iaw and the prophets"-l
Escape from this conclusion is impossible.
Hence there was never slave made and
held slave who was not so made and
held in violation Of the letter and spr,it Of
the moral law, and the express commands
oi the Gospel. BY the whole tenor Of the
Gospel, in letter and spirit, no man civ
iized or savage, anywhere, or under any
circumstances. has the right TO lay his
hands on another, with view TO do him
violence. when that other is neither doing
nor meditating wrong 70 his assailant.
But it is urged by Southern gentlemen
that the Levitical law, and especially the
decalogue, recognizes the righ, o! prop
ertv in slaves. To this point the tenth
commandment is quoted as authority
This commandment is simply prohibitory.
Ut, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house,
thon shall not coyet thy neighbours vile nor his
man servant, nor his ma i'd servant nor his OK,
nor his nss nor anything that is thy neighbor's Z"
-EIodu', Chap. 20.
Now, II this text proves that the
servant was property. and therefore q
slave because he belonged to the master,
Improves also that the wife was property,
and therefore slave, and belonged 10 the
husband as property and might be bought
and sold as a slave /; giving the sanction
OF Sculpture as well 10 wife and child buy.
ing and selling as to servant buying and
selling and. proving too much, proves
nothing.
But in order 10 understand this com.
mand Of the decalogue, it is vitality i'm
portant 10 know "wbo is our neighbor," )"
in the Bible sense Of that term. Let the
Bible settle that important question. lie,
US know from the Great Teacher himself,
who is that neighbor whom we are com
manded TO love as we love ourselves. |
will give the answer in the inimitable
language Of inspiration, and assented tc
as just even by an ancient Jewish lawyer
"25. And behold a certain lawyer stood
up and tempted him saying, Master, what
shall / do to inherit eternal lifa?
"26. He said unto him. What is written
in the law how readest thou =?
"27. And he answering said, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart. and with all thy soul, and with al
thy strength, and with all thy mind and
thy neighbor as ,hyseIf.
"98. And he said unto him, Thou hast
aDwered right: This do and thou shall
live.
"2s. But he, willing to justify himself
said unto Jesus, and who is my neighSor
80. And Jesus answering. said, A
certain man went down from Jerusalem
10 Jerico. and fell among thieves. which
slipped him Of his raimen,, and wounded
him. and departed leaving him half dead
"3l. And by chance there came down
certain priest that way and when HI
saw him, he passed by on the other side
"32. And likewise Leyite, when b,
was at the place came and looked on him
and passed by on the other side.
"33. But Samaritan, as he journeyed
came where he was !: and when be saw
him, had compassion on him,
"34. And went to him. and bound u,
his wounds pouring in oil and wine, anc
set him upon his own beast, and brough
him 10 an inn. and took care of him.
"35. And on the morrow, when lie de
parted. he took out two pence. and CAV,
them to the host, and said unto him, TAX
care Of him; and whatsoever tho,
: spendest more. when l come again, vii
repay thee.
= "36. Which now OF these three, tbinke.
, thou. was neighbor to him that fell anon
thieves ?
"37. And he said. He that shove
mercy on him. Then Jesus said unit
him. Go. and do thou like IS
Luke. chap. 10.
Is this inimitable exposition Of the Di
vine law. by the incarnate Son OF God
right and binding upon The conscience c
Christian men and Christian nations?
SO. the controversy from Scripture,
closed foreveri
=. From the Bible. then, we are taugi
that We sre. or should be, all OF u,
q neighbors to The wretc.. ed and helpies,
no, such neigbbors. however. as woul
devote and convert these neighbors, the
4 wives and children. 10 our own use,
d nd subject ;hem 10 the m ost abj. C, an
Il crushing despo,ism; but such as commi:
!. crate and relieve them TO the extent OF ou
ability, from the degradations OF barbal
ism and its attendant evils. Blu; this ia
depreciation of the Divine law, from tn
II mouth Of Him "who sits on the right han
Of the throne OF the EIeTnal." is mol sali:
a factory to the holders Of slaves and tn
= Irsffickers in human flesh on the coasts c
4 Africa. They hold that, instead OF III
|, tenth commandment Seing direct an
!, positive prohibition OF both the act an
o the motives OF enslaying men. it is Divin
r license for the very act OF enslavemer
J. itseli! Their exposition OF this con
!, mandment differs very widely from th'
Of our Saviour. His making It a prohib
. ton Of every unjust act towards any one
I even the most degraded and abject; Will
|, the slsveholder's is. ths: although we ar
/, forbidden 10 coyet our neiphbor's OF, ass