Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-11

as some theorists aver, the effect, but the
oaHse of slavery; and third,
That szch subsection has resulted in mani
fold blessings to mankind
1t is scarcely necessary to do more than
aliude to The facts upon which my first propo-
sifion is founded.
From the time that Nimrod, that mighty
hunter Of men, settled in Sbinar and founded
fhe Assyrian empire, down through all subse-
dneut ages aud ia every nation slavery has
been tolerated.
1t is evident from the structure Of language
that the word translated, in our version OF
the Old Testament scripture. servant means
literally slave.
In the sepiuaguint the Hebrew word sig
nifieanf of the relation of master il desEeotes
and il is iBdiBerently used to -oenote the con-
i,ol Of The master over his slave, and OF God
over his creatures. For servant the word
douios is employed ard this is certainly derived
from dec 10 bind. These terms are sufficient
~ significant Of the relation sustained by
Abraham TO the 3ls servants attached TO bis
household. The purchase and sale of slaves
was expressly authorised by the Jewi sh law.
.,Botli thy boBd-men and thy boBd-naids shall
be OF the heaihen thai are round about you:
Of them stall ye luy bond-men and bond
maids. And ye shall take them as an inheri-
lance for your children after you, 10 inherit
tb, N for a pessetsion--tley shall be your
bond men forever" in the New T, stameDt,
there are many lexis recognizing slavery as
will be setn 10y reference 10. Tim. 81 2.
Tim. 2:2I. TIT. 20. Pet. 2:18.
yen SEE Mr.. Speaker. ! have taken my
illustrations of the point in question from tho
Bible. ] have done this, because it contains
The first rect rdsd history If our species and
FIR the additional reason that We are all
familiar with Ibis book.
But iherejs abundant testimony in profane
history 10 corrotorate the fact of the existence
of slavery in every age and iiation. will
not however deiain the House with additional
Illustrations of Truth so familiar to all; but
will haslen on 10 The consideration Of my
second pra posiiis n, viz: That ignorance and
Dc grsdaiion is rot the tff;c but the cause OF
slavery. ---------
This Is a proposition whose truth is so evil
dent that am at loss for demonstration to
make IL palmer. Amongst equals involunta-
~ servitude cannot exist; il is only an inferior
who can be sui jacIcd to the control If a
master. Tie jews, the Sparians, the Lacede-
rnonians, The Romans all took servants among
tLeir interiors, the Bai b0ridns, The Jews them
selves when in bondage to the Egyptians were
not only The subject. hut the inferior race: and
it is doubtful whether they would ever have
been capable of supporting separate nation
aIiry. but for the discipline incident to their
Egyptian bondage it is certain they carried
with them upon their exodus. a knowledge of
The arts and sciences of the people they had
served.
The command given by Moses to the Israe-
lites TO take servants fromJtle heather around
them, is the highest authority for the truth of
this axiom.
Aud now will briefly consider the third
statement: that the subsection of the inferior
race to their superi0rS has resulted in mani
told blessings to mankind
Whatever of selfishness or rapacity may
have been felt by the conQueror towards his
captive in early times, it is evident that
slavery was mitigation of the horrors of the
phi ober taken in war.
At first the power of life and death was
exercised by the victor; afterwards life was
granted on condition Of service and nations
even at this day, demand some tribute as an
acknowledgement OF submission on the part
of The yanquishtd. War, Mr. Speaker. is an
evil but who will deny that through its "lurid
dun has broken the light Of civilization.
So slavery may be an evil, but the forced
contact of the inferior with higher types of
mankind has certainly promoted the cause
of civilization. very able English author,
himself opposed to slavery, was forced TO adj
nit the benefits accruing to the subject race
by contact with their superiors he says:
"When we ref ct upon the number OF the
laws enacted to- mitigate slavery among the
Jews, and call TO mind the means by which
the due execution of all their laws was enfor-
ced we cannot help being of opinion that the
heather, who was reduced 10 slavery in In-
dia, might be happier, if he pleased, than
when living as "a freeman in his own coun-
try" The entire philosophy OF slavery is
embraced in this single paragraph.
But sir, modern history is not silent on
this subject. In British India the subsection
of an inferior 10 superior race, has already
been productive OF good, and is destined
finally to eradicate the hoary superstitiOus
which centuries of idol worship seems to have
woven into the very texture of the minds OF
that people.
Civilization in India has advanced pari
passu with British bayoncts.
Notwithstanding the persistent efforts OF
cbristcndOm, those provinces which have not
been subdued are yet sunk in the darkness of
healhen superstition.
Our own Indians have been conquered, whole
tribes annihilated, bnt they have never been
sufjugated and they are yet barbarians and
unciviiZed.
Who with the facts Of history before him
will deny thai it would have been more hu-
name to enslave the Indian than to have
driven bin: from that country which God
gave him for possession?
In the Spanish Colonies of North America
this was effected, ana the aboriginees are
sni-civiliZed
The negro, lower type of man than the
Indian, haS, in The compulsory school TO which
he is subjected, been disciplined in many of
the arts and usages of civilization. The in
ference from these facts is, that between ma
tons differing so widely in religion customs
and manners a. these | have named. slavery
furnishes the only saie or humane medium Of
Intercourse. And whilst the consequences of
such contact To the superior is OF doubtful
advantage to the inferior il is fraught with
numerous benefits. Compare the present
condition of the slave on a Southern pianta-
ton with his savage eountrymen IN Africa.
Reflect upon the number of the laws enact
ed to mitigate slavery iE the Southern States,
and Call to mind the means 10y which the due
execution of these laws are enforced. aud the
conclusion is inevitable, that the slave is
happier and lives in the enjoyment OF more
rational blessings than the native African,
though flee from the restraints of servitude.
But, Mr.. Speaker, this reasoning lads US
irresislably 10 certain other conclusions
which sire to notice.
The benefits which all allow the inferior
does derive from this compulsory schooling.
is virtual Acknowledgement Of capacity on
his part TO receive instruction 1t follows.
Therefore, that there will be term TO bus
service The great law of mentaiand moral
progression is applicable TO all met; IL Is q
law OF our being that, before honor comes
humanity That ia The school oil SUN etiOn we
are taught Tue power OF self-contTol, without
which there can be no rational freedOm.-
This brings Hs to the consideration OF the toll
Low ing question Has the period for the en-
reimbursement of our slaves arrived! shall
this question negatively, Tor these
q, asons: ist. The interest OF the master will
no, admit it ; and ID If the consent OF tie
owner could be obtained. liberty Is not be
desirable lot the slave himself
have already shown that in the planting
States slave labor is Indispensable. n large
portion of the wealth of tbe southern States
is invested in this speeies OF property, and
their exports are almost exclusively the pro-
duce Of slave labor, for these reasoDs--snf-
feicut in themselves the consent Of The
master prerequisite could not be obtained.
bat were this possible. or should the owner