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

Congress, openly advocate the roopening Of
tho foreign slave trade ns traffic in itself
innocent and sanctioned by reason and
Scripture, he would have cried out, With
Hszael of old sis thy servant dog. that be
should do this great. thing" Has the slave
trade or slavery changed since that day -
or the eternal God, or bis revealed will to
man changed within those two centuries I?
Sir, the Bible condemns all acts Of vio-
lence and injustice committed by man
against his fellow; and it equally condemns
the motives from which each unjust act pro-
Goods. The ACT Of soising an unoffending
barbarian on tho coasts Of Africa 10 but the
result of degradedly selfish, corrupt, and
dovilish motive. The motive or purpose of
kidnapping or stealing a man, with tho in
tent to make bin slavo, constitutes the
sin Of "coveting'-a sin expressly for hidden
BY the tenth commandment, and throughout
the entiro text of the Scriptures. as one Pc
culiarly odiOus in the sight of Coda sin
which, in its nature, is the next and last
step to that other, still greater sin-oppres-
sion--a sin, next to blasphemy, more vohe-
nently denounced in tho Bible than any
other.
Sir, think am entirely safo IN asserting
that. in oil the Bible, there are no texts so
oveiflowing with compassion for tho
wrotched, and mono so vehement aud dread
tul in their denuncations of tho wiched, as
those which plead for tho oppressed, and
those which denounce tho opprossor. But
no language can equal, in the tenderness of
its pathos, or in tho fearfulness of it's re.
Dukes and donunciations, that OF tho Biblo
itself. So let itspoak for itself:
"lS. There lin tho gravel tho prisoners
rest together; they hear not tho voice Of
the oppressor. job, chap. 3.
Tho wicked man travaieth with pain oil
his days, and tho number of years is hidden
to the oppressor.
"2l. Dreadful sound Is in his ears in
prosperity tho destroyer shalt come upon
him. Ibid, chap. 10.
"l3 THIS the portion OF wicked man
with God, and the heritage OF opprossors.
which they shall receive of tho Almighty.
al If bis children be multiplied it is
for the sword and his offspring shall not
be satisfied with bread.
"l5. Those that remain OF him shall be
buried in death; and bis widows shall not
weep.
TO Though no heap up silver as tho
dust. and prepare rameut as tho clay;
~. lie may prepare it, but the just shall
| put it on, and the innocent shall divide the
silver.
"l8. He buildcth his house as moth,
and as booth that the keeper maketh.
"l9. The rich man shall lilo down, but he
shalt not be gathered; he openeth his eyes,
and he is not.
go. Terrors take hold on him as waters,
tempest stealeth him away in the night.
"24 The east wind carryeth him away,
and he departeth and as storm hurieth
him out Of his place.
"22. For God shall cast upon him, and
not spare he would fan fec out of his
hand.
"23. Men shall clap their bands ut him,
and shall hiss him out of his place" ."-Ibid.,
chap 81
at. Thou wilt prepare thine heart
thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
"IS To Judge tho fathcrless and the op
pressed, that tho man of the earth NAV no
more oppross. - Psalms, chap. 10.
"5 For the oppression of tho moor. for
the sighing of tho needy, now will arise,
saith the Lord; will set him in safety
from him that puffeth ut him. margin,
would ensnaro him Ibid, l2.
~ He shall Judge tho poor of tho peoplo,
he shall save the children of the neody. and
shall break in pieces the opprossor. Ibid
70.
"3. For was enyous nt the foolish, when
saw tho property of the wicked."
"6. Therefore pride compasseth them
about as chain; violence coveroth thom
as garment"
"S. Thoy are corrupt, and speak wicked
ly concerning oppression they speak lofty.
"9 They set their mouth against tho
heavens, and their tongue walketh through
tho oarth."-Ibid. 73.
These were tho words of Job, and of King
David. the man aftor Gods own heart. But
as wo move down the current of tho ages.
wo encounter tho inspired wisdom OF Solo.
mon, the man on whom God was pleased
to bestow not only tho most exalted worldly
position and prosperity, but sngacty and
wisdom which constituted him tho most
gifted. as his wealth and splondOr did the
most prosperous of mon.
open thy mouth for tho dumb in the
cause of all such as arc appointed to do
struction.
80. Open thy mouth. judge righteously.
and plead tho cause of tho poor and needy"
-Properbs, chap. 81.
81. Envy thou not the oppressor.' and
choose mono of his ways."-Ibid, chap. 3.
III. He that oppresseth the poor re
proschoth his Makor' but ho honoreth him
hath mercy on the poor. chap. II.
"l6 He that oppressoth the poor to in.
crease his riches, and he that givoth to the