Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-01-25
Jones Webster.
FACTS,

We do not believe that in order to uphold
democratic principles, it is necessary for US to
defend slavery in the abstract, and we have
therefore no disposition to quarrel with our
neighbor of the AUeghdnian concerning the
views he has recently promulgated ON the sub
ject, He has of course, perfect right to
maintain his views as well as he can. and to
back up the high authority Of his own word
with quotations from Lord Mansfield, Pitt,
Plato &c. We do not object to his furnish
ing the Brown worshippiDg. Virginia hating
portion of his readers with schedule of the
price of niggers. nor do we object to his very
chaste essay on the subject of slave breeding
Doubtless such literature is very acceptable
to the refined tastes of his intensely abolition
readers, aud he IS right in catering to their
peculiar appetites- But when he asserts
that ''the Roman Catholic Church, the Luz
theran, the Greek, the HISTORIAN, the Church
of England, the Presbyterian churches of
of Scotland, the Reformed churches of'France
&c, indeed the whole Protestant church-ex-
cept few churches In the Southern States,
denounce human bondage, as a social moral
aud political evil, either by their crseds, laws
or constitutions, or BY the authoritative opin-
ions of their most eminent Divines, we think
he is going little too far, and we feel inclin-
ed to call on him for his proofs
1t is not a doctrine Of the Catholic Church
that it is crime TO own slaves, or that Afri-
can slavery as it now exists in the United
States is social moral and political evil
Some of its members may have, on. their own
responsibility. denounced slavery in strong
terms, bnt it has never as church promulgat-
ed any doctrine on the subjects 1t regards it as
purely political question, with which it has
nothing to do. 1t regards the freeing of man
kind from the slavery of sin as its mission,
and it does not turn aside from its work to
dabble in the dirty pool of politics, and in or
der to crafty few crazy fanatics, denounce
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Chs
Carroll and other illustrious men, as the ad-
vocates and supporters of moral social and
political evil. That is work which it leaves
to brawlIng denagogues and street corner
politicians. In this it strictly follows the ex-
ample Of our Savoir and the Apostles. Du-
ring the time of His and their earthly pilgrim
age, human slavery existed and was protect
ei IN every portion of the Roman Empire,
aud it is we'll known that Judea was then one
of its provinces; yet the four Gospels of the
New Testament which contain of course the
most important teachings Of our Divine Mas
ter, do not contain single word of condem-
nation or denunciation of the institution of
slavery asit then existed in the world. II
was matter which he left with Ceaser and
those whom he governed. His Kingdom
was not of this World" St Paul and the
other Apostles whose writings are contained
IN the New Testament, are equally silent on
the subject and we cannot gather from any
thing they have left on record, that they re- |
gsrdea slavery as either moral social or no. |
litical evil. They evidently eschewed poll
tics, and turned their attention entirely to
2romulgating the truths of the christian reli-
gion. 1t would be well if Certain political
parsons At the present day. would initiate their
example.
The Greek Church is the established reli-
gion of the Russian Empire. 1t is protected
by the Russian Government, and its Pa,ri.
arch or Chief Bishop resides in Moscow the
Ancient Capitol of the Empire And where
on the face of Gods earth. does slavery exist
IN a worse form than In Russia7 The great
body of the members of the Greek Church
consists of Serf owners And yet the Editor
of the ANeyhdnian assures that it declares
slavery to be moral and political evil As |,
far as we can learn it leaves serfdom and its
responsibilities with the Russian Government.
We wonder if our neighbor dosen't talk a.
random occasionally?
Perhaps one half of the original settlers of
South Carolina were French Hugenots. and
that State may now be truly said to be the
hot-bed of Slavery. There is no protestant
denomination ofaDy importance. that has not
numerous large and flourishing congregations
in the Southern States, and the South COZ
!sins SIS sincere and devoted fo!ioxerr Of Lu-