The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-09-21
Mr.. Bell-Institution of Slavery.

lowing extracts from speech he made IN
the Senate in 1850. Let them read it, and
then, if they are not lost to every sense
of honesty and candor to quit misrepre-
senting:
"Mr. President. cannot conclude my
remarks without taxing the indulgence of
the Senate yet further, in saying a fdw
words upon the subject Of that institution,
for the extension Of which to the new
Territories some gentlemen manifest SO
great horror. 1t has been denounced in
this debate as a great moral and political
evil; as a grievous wrong and oppression
to the race which are the subjects of it; u
blight and curse to the country which
tolcrutes it, and Il sin upon the conscien-
ces of the masters individually. To inn
part additional gravity to these denuncia-
tons, it is announced that the civilized
world is arrayed against slavery. ] am
identified with this so much abused insti-
tuition by my representative position in
this chamber, in association in character,
and in responsibility to the tribunal of
public sentiment. 1t is, therefore, natural
that should desire to take some brief
notice of this accusing spirit of my North
ern countrymen.
~
As to the lawlulness or sinfulness of the
institution of slavery;-whateve phren-
zied or fanatic priests, or more learned
and rational divines may preach, whatever
they may affirm of Christian precepts, or
moral and religious duties and RESPONSE
billtles; whatever interpretation OF the
law oil nature, OF OF AlmiGhty uod, they
may announce; Whatever doctrines or
theories oil me equahty OF human rights,
ana OF inc dliiereht races OF Hahkihu' III
Versined as they are oy coiiP,eNioh' ny
physicai formation ana mehtai ueVei0p-
inen'' lihuei piiiahthroPis's, OF 'he us
clples oil Il 'fanscendentai creeo OF any
kind, may hoio OF teach' however 'hey
may dogmatlle upon tiiis hypothesis' anu
declare IL 10 De VOCATION OF the law Oh
nature, iof any one race win wha'cVer
superiority oil mental OF Physical iacui'ies
they may be endued' TO suolugate those
OF an INFERIOR grace ana make them inc
instrumentso OF improvements ana aMieilor-
atioh IN ,heir own eohoitioh' Us wen Us IN
That OF their masters or eohqueror:' IN
carrying forward lhH great Work oi Si'ill-
zatioh, uh'il we shaii De enlightened ny
revocation rom hisher source thah
themselves must citiih .ne pIivnese u
interpreting we ~" .. h"lure ny "nae
see revealed IN me history oi niahkiho
from the earnest perio' OF recoroeo ''i'e,
uncontiadlcted 10y DIVINE authority.
must interpret thlt law according 10 the
| prominent 'ac's connected win ,he SUD-
Ject' as theS nave STOOD out ID 'he past
| ana as lhey s'ana OUT before US az thiS
gay LooNlhG 'hioush me eyes OF history
nave seen slavery OF Involuntary seivE
tudc' the h"hainala OF hlhdon. EsSPlan'
| n. d H.,
lllzatlon. nave seen the institution re.
coshized oy the theocfauc government OF
the Jews.the chosen depositnres OF the
WORD OF Liie;-oy democratic Athens ana
republican home. nave seen upon the
overthrow OF foman civiilzation by inc
savage hofues OF the norm, that tnose
new masters OF western Europe ana their
successors adopted: ana conlinueG 10 up
holu me same institution, unaer various
modincalions, auapted 10 the changing
comdltion OF ooth Save ana MASTER ana
sun undef an advancing cNliizatlon, unul
n comparatively recent pefloa. see the
same institution tolerated ana maintained
III eastern Europe, NJ tiis DAY. see the
native race OF all British India, at TINS
moment, bowing the neck under system
OF 1n0S' slavery. But ABOVE all l. nave
seen here-on TINS continent, ana IN these
Unite" states the orisinai ioras OF inc
SOL suooned-some OF them suodued 10
slavery others HNpeiiea' driven OUT ana
the remnant sun held IN suoofdinatioh;
ana an this' under am interpretation OF
me Ia" OF nature "hicii holaS eooo Ut
ms gay among our northern pfethren;
ana l nave feI III reserve mat great iac1
10 Which ! nave a'ieaoy aiiuaea-,hree
nilll'ols OF 'he African race whose iaoor
Is Sun!ect 10 the VIII OF masters unaer
SUCH circumstances Una. their cohol,ioh
cnhho, De c'iahseu' thoush their masters
shoulo WIZ IL, without destruction aiike
20 'ie interests niio welfare Oh pol,i mas
'er anu sia'e' lhese are me llghts oy
which l read ana interpret the law OF
i'">.'re' ...
Now sr' Reriiie me 10 say re" "oros
upon the eneGts OF this institution upon
lne county wlilch tolerates II. 10 the
sreaS 'ac. 10 WHICH l nave more IMAM once
"nuu , uonJ1'heo win 'he system Oh
equ"i laws which our ancestors Droughu
TO .nese SHORES, perfected ana consoliaat'
eu ~ ''e heFolutioii' ana oy the aooptioh
OF the present form OF Union, we are IN
oeoteo-the wofld Is indebted Tor that
other great phenomenon IN the history OF
tie rise ana progress OF nations; Phe-
} homenon' IN an lis bearings, not yet fuliy
GUmprehehueu oy the hatiohs OF the oia
"oTiu. nor even py ourselves, ana which
III uii future tlme' VIII De the STUDY ana
"u'ilir''ioh Vi lhe historian ana Pniioso-
PheT' Hheai,' hot the lounoihg OF are
puoilc OH these shores' SO recently the
aoooe only OF savage ana nomadic trloes
uu. us ali,azlhg CROWN ana aeve,opment
, i's hi"Sic-iiNe spring from small pegin
, hihes-risins,a rs II WERE by single effort